Vermont Moose Hunting Permit Winners Are Drawn

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Paul Giacherio from Washington, VT was a winner of one of 160 moose hunting permits issued in the 2016 lottery.  He attended the live drawing this morning at the statehouse with his granddaughter, Bryanna Giacherio, who also put in for a moose permit.  The happy pair are pictured with Chief Warden Col. Jason Batchelder and Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter.

 

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- The winners of Vermont’s 2016 moose hunting permits were determined Tuesday, August 2, at a lottery drawing at the Statehouse in Montpelier.  

Governor Peter Shumlin, standing alongside Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter, started the computer-generated selection process that randomly picked 160 winners from more than 8,315 lottery applicants. 

 

The drawing is done by a random sort of applications that were submitted by a July 12, deadline. 

 

As part of the regular lottery drawing, a “special priority drawing” was held for five permits to go to applicants who are Vermont resident veterans.  The unsuccessful applicants from the veteran drawing were included in the larger regular drawing that followed.  All applicants for both drawings who did not receive a permit were awarded a bonus point to improve their chances in future moose permit lotteries.

 

The lottery was held for 25 moose permits to be used in the Vermont’s October 1-7 archery moose hunting season and 135 moose permits for the October 15-20 regular moose season. 

 

“Today’s lottery drawing helps celebrate one of Vermont’s successes in science-based wildlife management,” said State Wildlife Biologist Cedric Alexander.  “Vermont’s first moose hunt was in 1993, when 25 moose were taken with 30 permits issued.  We expect close to 80 moose will be taken this fall in a carefully regulated hunt.”

 

Winners in this year’s moose hunting lottery are posted in a searchable database on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). 

 

If your name wasn’t drawn, you can still bid in Vermont’s auction for five moose hunting permits, which is open until August 10.  Sealed bids must be received by Vermont Fish & Wildlife by 4:30 p.m. that day.  Contact the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department to receive a moose permit bid kit.  Telephone 802-828-1190 or email (cheri.waters@state.vt.us). 

 

Vermont has about 2,200 moose statewide with the greatest concentration in the Northeast Kingdom.