On March 1st, the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services (MBVS) will begin accepting applications for the 2020 Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt held in Aroostook County.

MBVS Director, David Richmond shared the following in regard to the importance of the hunt. “At the Bureau, we’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of veterans from across Maine and the country. We assist veterans during each stage of their transition from military service to civilian life, and one of the most popular services we help connect veterans to is the Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt. It’s a unique form of recreational therapy for many of the veterans involved and the long-term benefits from this outdoor activity are immeasurable.”

Since the program’s inception in 2010, MBVS has partnered with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W) and Smoldering Lake Outfitters to issue hunting permits and essential equipment to participating veterans. The hunt, which is entirely free for selected veterans, costs roughly $50,000 to administer. Costs associated with the hunt include guiding services, essential adaptive equipment, meat processing and travel and lodging.

Unlike the regular IF&W moose lottery, the Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Lottery is limited to only those veterans with a disability rating of at least 50%. Each hunter is required to team up with a registered Maine Guide who has specific training for the hunt, and if a veteran has ever tagged a moose through the program, that veteran is ineligible to hunt again.

Applications will be accepted starting March 1st and must be submitted to the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Applications can be downloaded from the Bureau’s website:  http://maine.gov/veterans/benefits/recreational-licenses/veterans-moose-lottery.html. Results of the lottery will be posted no earlier than Friday, May 29th.

For more information about the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services and the Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt, please visit: http://maine.gov/veterans/ or call 207-430-6035.


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