Planning and patience | Maine moose guides are excited for the hunting season (2024)

NEW PORTLAND, Maine — Many Mainers develop a special relationship with the wilderness and the animals that call the woods home.

Glenn Durland spends as much time as he can outside and was just a teenager when he developed a passion for his favorite animal: moose.

He called his first moose at age 13 and said he was "hooked ever since".

“It’s just become my passion. I’m just obsessed with Moose, even when it’s not hunting season. I just thoroughly enjoy the animal," Durland said. "They’re a magnificent animal."

That passion is now a career, as he leads hunting trips through Maine Moose Hunter's Guide Service. In the spring and summer, the New Portland resident flies in planes and walks miles in the woods to scout the best areas ahead of the hunting season.

“We’ve got a boots-on-the-ground approach, many miles every year. My hunt that I had in Zone 7 last year, myself and the clients put on 37 miles in six days," Durland explained.

Securing the permits for this year's hunt is expected to draw a lot of interest once again.

Mark Latti, communications director for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), said between 65,000 and 70,000 applications have been submitted in recent years. A little more than 4,000 permits were awarded last year.

The lottery started in 1980 and, more recently, the state began hosting the drawings in communities around Maine. Last year, Latti said thousands of Mainers went to the event in Augusta. He's expecting a similar turnout when the June 15 drawing is held in "the heart of moose country" in Fort Kent.

If you're lucky enough to hear your name called next month, Latti said the MDIFW will contact you a few days later with information to start planning your hunt.

That early planning is a crucial part of this Maine tradition, Latti said.

"Because believe it or not, [the season] can start to creep on you pretty quickly," he explained.

The moose hunting season begins in late September for most hunters. Latti said the moose population is in good shape and winter ticks haven't impacted moose that much in recent years so they're "doing well" in their core region, which includes the Rangeley, Moosehead Lake region, and areas farther north.

MDIFW biologists are able to track moose throughout the year to track death and birth rates so the department has a good handle on the population.

Besides preparing to take clients out on hunts and Mainers planning their trips, Durland said another key to moose hunting season is having patience and embracing the adventure.

"Most of the clients are up for that; it’s all part of the experience," Durland said. “The views are stunning, just being out in the woods where these animals roam is just incredible.”

Durland said he takes his clients "off the beaten path" during hunts, as he's noticed moose have moved away from wandering near roadways. So, if this year is your first moose hunt, he said to get ready to walk and scout for miles at at a time and make sure you enjoy the whole experience.

The longtime moose aficionado is happy to see the state taking steps to conserve the hunting season and said he hopes the tradition can continue for many years to come.

Moose permit lottery applications are due at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15. To fill out an application, clickhere.

There some special permits available for some Mainers. Mainers 65 years of age or older with 30 or more points in the lottery system are guaranteed a permit if they apply, according to MDIFW. A person who gets a permit can transfer it to a disabled veteran or send the permit to MDIFW so it can be transferred to a veteran through the Department of Veteran's Affairs.

You can find more permit information here.