Vermont’s declining moose population has prompted the state Fish and Wildlife Department to drastically reduce the number of hunting permits to only 13 this year — down from 80 last year, 160 the previous year and 265 in 2015.
The shrinking moose population has largely been attributed to the parasitic winter tick and brainworm. Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter said the prevalence of the tick could be the result of climate change, as shortened winters enable the tick to survive longer.
Of the 13 permits, five will be for veterans, five for auction and three will be given to special opportunity recipients with life-threatening illnesses, Porter said. None will be distributed through the lottery system that previously handled the bulk of the permits issued.
“We felt this was the way to go because if you apply for a moose permit and don’t get one you get a bonus point,” he said. “That increases your likelihood of drawing a permit in future years, but you have to apply every year there is a public lottery in order to maintain those bonus points.”
Porter said that if the public lottery had remained open, people would have no chance of getting a permit but would have to continue paying to keep their points.
“By not doing a public lottery, we can just freeze those bonus points where they are and just keep them for when a lottery starts again,” Porter said.
Vermont’s moose population is estimated to be 1,650, with the greatest concentration in the Northeast Kingdom.
