A cow moose and her calf keep a wary eye on passing canoeists on Kidney Pond in Baxter State Park. John Ewing / Portland Press Herald file photo
BETHEL — 2024 Moose permit lottery applications will be accepted online only beginning April 1 until May 15, 2024.
The new application period will allow moose hunters to know how many permits are issued and in what zone, as well as shorten the waiting time from when people apply until the day of the lottery on June 15th .
The 2024 moose permit lottery drawing will take place Saturday, June 15 in Fort Kent. Those who do not attend the in-person drawing can view lottery results at mefishwildlife.com by 6 pm on June 15.
On the online form, you’ll be able to choose which districts you’d be willing to accept a permit in, if you only want to hunt in a specific month, whether or not you would accept an antlerless permit and if you have a sub-permittee (someone authorized to participate with you in your moose hunt).
Adaptive hunts are available on the western side of zone 4. Learn more about special requirements for the adaptive unit.
Any Maine resident applicant who is 65 years of age or older or will turn 65 during the calendar year of the hunt, who also has at least 30 points in the lottery system, is guaranteed a moose permit.
Eligibility
A hunting license is required. Applicants must be eligible to obtain a Maine big game hunting license, either currently or by the opening day of the moose hunting season. The minimum age is 10 – A person under 10 years of age on the opening day of the moose season is eligible to apply for a moose hunting permit and may accrue bonus points, but is neither eligible to receive a moose hunting permit, nor to be a sub-permittee or alternate. All applicants 16 years of age and older must comply with Maine’s hunter safety law before a hunting license can be issued.
After winning a Maine moose hunting permit, you must wait three years to become eligible to win another one (so if you received a permit in 2021, 2022, or 2023, you are not eligible for 2024); however, you can still apply and earn a bonus point. This waiting period affects permit holders only; it does not affect sub-permittees, nor does it prohibit a hunter from being a sub-permittee during their three-year waiting period.
Odds
If you are curious what your chances are of winning a permit, here is how the numbers broke down in 2023:
Total Applications Received: 72,446
Total Permits Issued: 4,106
Change in total permits from previous year: +26
Antlerless Permits: 1,460
Any-Moose Permits: 0
Non-resident lottery
Non-Resident Applicants: 26,204
Non-Resident Permits Issued: 394
Non-Resident Selection Rate: 1.5% (~1 permit for every 67 applicants)
Resident lottery
Resident Applicants: 46,242
Resident Permits Issued: 3,712
Resident Selection Rate :8.0% (~1 permit for every 12 applicants)
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