By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor In September, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced the winners of more than 109,000 “any-deer” and “bonus” permits, which allow hunters to shoot deer that do not have antlers.

OLD TOWN — High school football players around the state are trying to make the most of the limited opportunities afforded to them during this year of COVID-19.

On my Sunday night radio program, Maine Outdoors, my guest, Paul Fuller, minced no words.

This year’s moose seasons are bucking traditional wisdom, according to the state’s moose biologist, who said he was a bit surprised that 81 percent of hunters in the first six-day season, which was staged two weeks ago, filled their tags during a hot week of hunting.

Two recent deaths on Katahdin, Maine’s tallest mountain, have stirred conversation about hiking safety, raising questions like: “What kind of safety gear should you carry besides water, snacks and a headlamp?”   First of all, accidents happen, and sometimes they’re entirely out of our hands.

Earlier this year, the BDN told readers about a growing trend of hunters trying to cut down on the amount of lead ammunition they’re using in order to make sure their families aren’t inadvertently ingesting lead.

LEE — The Foxcroft Academy girls cross country team came in first during an Oct.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing exciting, if anecdotal, reports about just how good the bird hunting in the Maine woods is this year.

One of the topics of discussion among the 33 athletic directors at Thursday’s Penobscot Valley Conference meetings was the possibility of having playoff games involving schools in close proximity to each other following their 10-game regular season schedule for soccer and field hockey teams.

Photo courtesy of Erica Dale800-POUNDER — Erica Dale shot this bull moose in Zone 6 (in Aroostook County) on Oct.

Difficulty: Very strenuous.

Unfortunately, one of the best kept secrets about the workings of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is the Advisory Council.

CORINTH — The Foxcroft Academy boys and girls cross country teams both won the squads’ second meet of the young season to remain undefeated on Saturday, Oct.

As the days shorten and the weather cools, many people who enjoy canoeing, kayaking and other paddle sports may be looking to extend their season into the fall.

The Moosehead Lake Pinnacle Pursuit is a hiking challenge in Moosehead Lake in which hikers who complete all six hikes can become a registered member of the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit.

In the monthly outdoor magazine, the Northwoods Sporting Journal a few months ago, personal reports of cougar or mountain lion sightings in Maine were solicited.

One element of a normal high school football season is the quest by some athletes to boost their chances of playing the sport in college.

High school cross country officials are inching closer to a format for this year’s postseason competition within Maine’s coronavirus-related mass-gathering limits.