BUCKSPORT – On Wednesday, 3,000 names will be randomly selected by a computer for the opportunity to hunt moose in Maine this fall. The annual moose lottery drawing will be held at the Bucksport High School on Broadway Avenue in Bucksport and will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Of the 3,000 permits drawn, 495 permits will be antler-less or cow moose; 2,700 will go to Maine residents; and 300, or ten percent, are slated for non-residents.

Nearly 85,000 people applied for the opportunity to hunt moose in Maine this year. This will be the second year with a split season, with 1,470 permits drawn for a season in the far northern and eastern areas (wildlife management districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 19) September 23-28 and October 7-12. An additional 1,530 permits will be drawn for moose hunting October 8-13 (for wildlife management districts 1-14, 18, 19, 28, 29).

Prior to the lottery, there will be a Commissioner’s Forum, where the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Lee Perry will host an open forum on an array of fish and wildlife topics. Department personnel will also be on hand to answer questions.

During the evening, there will be informational displays about Department programs, and an opportunity to talk with department personnel about the upcoming hunts and other programs.