September bull moose season success up from last year

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor

Maine’s September bull moose season ended with a 71% success rate, with hunters filling 818 of the 1,150 permits, a significant increase from last year’s 57% success rate.

The table below summarizes results for each zone. There were 100 additional permits allocated this year — 65 in WMD 7, 10 in WMD 13, 15 in WMD 12 and 10 in WMD 10. Hunters drawn for WMDs 7 or 13, 12 or 15, 14 or 17, or 27 or 28 were permitted to hunt in either district. Permit allocations remained unchanged for all other WMDs. No bull tags were issued for WMDs 8, 9, 14 or 17.

These numbers could change slightly, as hunters in unorganized territories have up to seven days to register a harvested moose. The moose registered in WMD 8 are likely data-entry errors, as there was no September bull season in that district. MDIFW said it will review anomalous records before the results are considered official.

So why was success higher this year? 

Maine moose biologist Lee Kantar said several factors can affect the outcome of a moose hunt, including drought, weather, hunter effort and experience. 

“Consider the deer rifle season — four weeks of hunting results in 20% success,” he said. “If the weather is not great one week, you have three other weeks.” 

A six-day moose hunt is more compressed, he said, leaving hunters with little leeway when conditions do not work in their favor.

Despite rain during the first two days of the season, hunters continued filling permits throughout the week. 

Jaxen Wiegand of Skowhegan, who entered his name in the moose lottery for the first time, harvested a 50-inch bull in WMD 12 at 6:36 a.m. on opening day. 

Kassidy Noem Peters, daughter of former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, filled her permit on opening day, harvesting an 829-pound bull with a 44-inch antler spread in WMD 5. Peters hunted as part of a relationship-building trip with supporters and friends of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. 

“It was an amazing experience,” Peters said, describing the hunt as an opportunity to spend time with local Maine residents and connect over a shared love of hunting, conservation and the outdoors.

John and Joy Thompson of Purcellville, Virginia, also filled their permit on opening day, with John shooting a 770-pound bull with a 50.5-inch antler spread at 35 yards in WMD 1. The couple had been putting in for a moose permit for 35 years. 

Later in the week, Kayden Richard of Belfast harvested a 46-inch bull in WMD 1 after cow calling and raking brought the animal into range in a black spruce swamp. The moose was about a half-mile from the road and was quartered and packed out after dark. 

On Thursday morning, Devin Benner harvested a 741-pound bull in WMD 2 with a roughly 360-yard shot. The Benner family spent the week camping in the North Maine Woods with 10 children, nine of whom were 5 or younger. The family has collectively harvested 12 moose since 2012. 

Zach Potvin of Shapleigh harvested an 863-pound bull with a 59-inch antler spread at 2:45 p.m. Saturday. “Down to the wire,” Tobey Brook Guide Service said. “Was a fun week and persistence paid off.”

MDIFW will run its annual winter tick transects on moose at multiple stations across the state next week, Kantar said. The department has conducted the index since 2006, when the October bull season was the latest moose season. After the data are returned, biologists will summarize the findings and determine where this year fits within the long-term data set and what it might mean for winter tick infestations and overwintering calf mortality and survival.