Dexter Lakes Association

Controlled Moose Hunt Set for Eastern Aroostook County
Thursday, May 07, 2009
AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will be conducting a controlled moose hunt in Aroostook County in response to farmers' concerns about crop depredation and to address the increasing incidence of moose/vehicle collisions along Routes 1 and 161.

The controlled hunt, which will occur between August 17 and September 19, 2009, was approved by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council on Wednesday, April 29.

"With a solid plan in place that was written by our biologists, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is implementing this controlled moose hunt to alleviate the negative impacts caused by moose in parts of eastern Aroostook County," according to Commissioner Roland "Danny" Martin. "Broccoli and cauliflower crops are being damaged by moose, and the number of moose/vehicle collisions, which can prove fatal to humans, remains high. Our intention with this year's controlled moose hunt is to reduce or alleviate problems in this area where recreational hunting could not."

For several years, IF&W has increased the number of moose permits during the annual fall recreational hunt to respond to the landowners' concerns for crop damage and communities' requests for safer roads. With the controlled hunt, IF&W has greater flexibility to effectively manage moose in areas that may have limited access or are in "non-traditional" habitats, such as an agricultural-woodland mix, that may not be attractive to hunters.

The controlled hunt is NOT open to all hunters. Persons eligible to participate include:

  • Landowners with 80 or more contiguous acres, who own property in Limestone, Caribou, Woodland, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield, Washburn, Westfield, Easton and Connor Township. The eligible property is agricultural, forested or undeveloped land that is open to hunting, including hunting by permission. A dependent living in a landowner's household also is eligible.
  • Any shareholder in a corporation that qualifies under the Internal Revenue Service Code as a Chapter S corporation is eligible for the landowner permit drawing if the property meets the landowner permit requirements. Dependents of shareholders are not eligible.
  • All Registered Maine Guides that currently have all Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife license privileges in good standing and are not convicted felons. Guides will NOT be eligible to hunt and only three permittees picked at the discretion of the Guide will be eligible to hunt.
A total of 100 permits will be available. Eligible persons wishing to participate must file an online application form that's available on IF&W's website, www.mefishwildlife.com. A person may not file more than one application, and each application is for "one chance."

To avoid confusion with the recreational moose hunt, applications for this controlled hunt WILL NOT be available on the Department's website until Monday, May 18.

The online application deadline is 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on June 14, 2009. A random chance drawing will be held on June 15. The winners' names will be posted on IF&W's website. Selections are final.

Selected landowners and Guides may hunt during the entire five-week period (excluding Sundays).

There is no application charge. Permit fees are $52 for residents and $477 for nonresidents.

The permits will be allocated as follows:

  • Up to 45 percent will be issued to eligible Registered Maine Guides, and each selected guide will receive three moose permits (one for each of three permittees who will be chosen at the discretion of the Guide.) Of the three issued permits, one will be an any-moose permit and two will be antlerless-only permits. Registered Maine Guides who receive permits are required to guide their permittees in agricultural areas designated by the Department within the 9 towns open to hunting.

    Each Registered Maine Guide selected by the lottery must attend a training session on June 24 in Presque Isle.

  • Up to 55 percent of the permits will be issued to eligible landowners. Landowners who receive a permit are required to hunt on their own, eligible land. The Commissioner may authorize a landowner to use his permit to hunt on other designated lands identified in the area open to hunting.
The moose taken under these permits are in addition to the statewide bag limit. Permits issued under this controlled hunt are exempt from the provisions of the moose permit point system of the recreational moose hunt. A person who receives a controlled moose hunting permit is exempt from the two-year eligibility requirement of the recreational moose hunt. All other fees, laws and rules relating to moose hunting will apply to this controlled moose hunt.

Additional information about the controlled moose hunt is available on IF&W's website or call (207) 287-8000.


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