AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   It’s almost time for Maine’s moose hunters to submit their applications for a fall hunting season that could expand for the second year in a row.

The deadline to apply to participate in the 2019 moose hunting season is Wednesday. There are typically thousands more applicants than permits, and the state uses a lottery to determine who will be able to participate.

Biologists in the state have suggested increasing the number of moose permits by more than 10%, to more than 2,800. That follows a year in which the permits grew by about 20%. Previously, the permit levels had experienced years of cutbacks.

The biologists have said the moose herd has had less trouble with winter ticks recently. The ticks are a major parasite of moose.