PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine hunters might be allowed to harvest more of its iconic land mammal this year because of strong survival rates in the northern parts of the state.
The news is a rare bright spot about the health of moose, which have struggled with parasites throughout the northern U.S.
State regulators have trimmed the number of moose hunting permits in recent years, but might increase it by more than 20 percent this year. Such a bump would bring the number of permits up to 2,500, though state regulators have yet to approve it.
A major threat facing moose is the winter tick, which especially harms moose calves. State moose biologist Lee Kantar says moose calves appear to be experiencing fewer ticks in the state’s far northern reaches.
