AUGUSTA – The 2,000 hunters who drew permits in the moose lottery last June will enter the woods Monday for the week-long moose hunting season.

The number of moose permits was increased by 500 by the Legislature. Maine’s moose population in the 20,000-square mile area open to hunting is estimated around 30,000, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries Of the 2,000 permittees, 1,800 are Maine residents and 200 nonresidents. The hunters – each allowed one sub-permittee – will be assigned to one of seven hunting zones which cover more than 20,000 square miles of northern, eastern and central Maine.

According to state wildlife biologist Karen Morris, during last year’s six-day hunt, 92 percent (1,374) of the 1,500 licensed hunters killed a moose. Bulls made up 78 percent of the kill, and more than 80 percent of the prime-aged animals (5-10 years old) were males. Although not all moose are weighed at registration stations, several bulls weighed more than 1,000 pounds field-dressed.

Since 1980 when moose hunting resumed in Maine following a 35-year closed season, hunter success rates have averaged 90 percent.

During the week, many onlookers – including busloads of foliage viewers – flock to northwestern Maine to see all of the activity that goes with the October hunt. All hunters are required to bring their moose into one of the 21 registration stations. Biological data is gathered at some stations to monitor changes in the physical condition of moose.