photo courtesy Vermont Fish & Wildlife
VERMONT – The winners of Vermont’s 2025 moose hunting permits were determined on July 15, at a lottery drawing at the Fish and Wildlife office in Montpelier. The drawing was done by a random sort of applications that were submitted by the June 18 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 department issued 80 either-sex moose hunting permits and 100 antlerless moose hunting permits for a hunt limited to Vermont’s Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state. The science-based hunt is expected to result in a harvest of about 86 moose, or about 10 percent of the current moose population in WMU-E.
Winners in this year’s moose hunting lottery are posted in a searchable database on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department website.
Vermont’s auction for three moose hunting permits is open until August 6. Unsuccessful bidders may bid. Sealed bids must be received by Vermont Fish and Wildlife by 4:30 p.m., same day. Contact the department to receive a moose permit bid kit. Telephone (802) 828-1190 or email [email protected].
All proceeds from the auction support the Fish and Wildlife Department’s conservation education programs, including the Green Mountain Conservation Camps.
An important goal of the 2025 moose hunt is to improve the health of moose in WMU-E by reducing their number and thereby reducing the abundance and impact of winter ticks.
“Moose are abundant in WMU-E with significantly higher population density than in any other part of the state,” said Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s moose project leader. “The higher moose density supports high numbers of winter ticks which negatively impact moose health and survival.”
Ongoing monitoring of moose health in WMU-E shows the population continues to be negatively impacted by winter ticks. Birth rates are low, and many calves do not survive their first winter.
“Research has shown that lower moose densities support relatively few winter ticks that do not impact moose populations,” said Fortin. “Reducing moose density decreases the number of available hosts which in turn decreases the number of winter ticks on the landscape.”
The 2025 Moose Season Recommendation and related information about moose research and management are available on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website.
Area winners of 2025 moose permits are: Glenn R. Bishop, Craftsbury Common, WMU E2, antlerless only; Peter B. Dailey, E. Calais, WMU E2, antlerless only; Adam L. Darling, Craftsbury, WMU E2, antlerless only; Patrick D. Finnie, Adamant, WMU E2; Casey J. Gullage, Adamant, WMU E2 and Francis J. LaFountain, Wolcott, WMU E2, antlerless only;
Winner’s packets were to be mailed to all winners by July 16, 2025. The completed forms must then be returned to Fish & Wildlife no later than Thursday, July 31, 2025 by mail, fax or email.
