AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine’s fall deer hunt gets started for the year later this week.

Maine allows hunters to pursue deer with archery, crossbows, muzzleloaders and rifles during separate parts of the season. The “expanded archery” season begins on Saturday, September 11, and runs to December 11.

The expanded archery season allows hunters to pursue deer in limited parts of the state. The statewide archery and crossbow season takes place in October.

Maine hunting regulators plan to issue more than 150,000 deer permits this year. The state’s deer herd is about 300,000 animals.

The growth of the herd has led to calls for more hunting to help prevent the spread of Lyme disease and to try to reduce car crashes involving deer.