On Fish & Wildlife’s website, look under “Hunting and Trapping,” and then click on Lottery Applications. Lottery applications are $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. The deadline to apply is June1.

Winners of the permit lottery will purchase resident hunting permits for $100 and nonresident hunting permits for $350. Hunters also will have the option to bid on five moose hunting permits in an auction to be announced later.

“Permit allocation numbers will not be finalized until a regulation is adopted in early summer,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche. “We are making the applications available now for hunters’ convenience. If you are concerned about making Wildlife Management Unit choices before permit numbers are set, you may want to wait to apply.”

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking moose hunters to provide information on their hunt and have their harvested animal examined to help wildlife managers better understand the decline of moose populations in Wyoming.

Green River wildlife management coordinator Mark Zornes says that many moose populations throughout the world are declining, especially southern populations (including Shiras Moose in Wyoming). To accommodate the observed decline, Zornes says Wyoming has dramatically decreased moose licenses in recent years and more must be done to better understand and potentially affect this decline.

“No single cause has been identified for these worldwide declines,” Zornes said. “Increased parasite loads and disease are associated with slight temperature increases throughout the range of moose from Wyoming to Norway and Sweden.

Several recent moose mortalities in western Wyoming have been linked to the presence of the parasite Elaephora schneideri, commonly called carotid artery worm. Mule deer are the normal host for this parasite and suffer no ill effects. However, the parasite can be fatal to other big game animals, including moose. This parasite restricts blood flow to the brain and extremities, causing ear tip and nose tissues to die, and ultimately can result in the death of the animal. We have also documented cases of keratoconjunctivitis (pink eye) and one case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in moose.”

In an effort to better understand the prevalence and distribution of these diseases and parasites in Wyoming moose, successful hunters are asked to bring their harvested animal to a WGFD Regional Office or field check station for sample testing. Hunters are encouraged to bring the entire head (skull plate can be removed) out of the field with them for sampling at a check station or regional office.

“If you intend to have a trophy moose mounted by a taxidermist, a WGFD employee will pick the head up at the taxidermist after it has been caped,” Zornes said. “Please call the nearest regional office and let the office manager know which taxidermist you are using. We will call the taxidermist and request the head be held until it can be picked up.”

Check stations are run throughout the state on opening days and weekends during many big game seasons. Hunters are required to stop at every check station they encounter and department personnel can collect samples at these locations.

However, if a check station is not encountered, or a field check is not made, hunters are asked to bring their moose head to the most convenient WGFD regional office. Hunters are asked to call first to ensure that someone will be available to take biological samples upon arrival.
(Contact: Lucy Diggins (307-875-3223)

Wyoming Game and Fish is currently accepting applications for Preference Points for antelope, deer, elk, moose, and sheep.

Generally, the applicants with the most Preference Points are the ones who get drawn on the limited licenses, so you it’s highly recommended to maintain Preference Points in states if they are offered.

If you did not already apply for a Wyoming license and pay the Preference Point fee up front, you can apply for Preference Points now between July 1 and September 30.

Antelope = $30

Deer = $40

Elk = $50

Moose = $75

Sheep = $100

Get all the information needed and apply here.

Hunters have until Thursday, April 30, to apply for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat controlled hunts in Idaho.

Apply at Fish and Game offices or license vendors, or apply using a credit card by telephone or over the Internet. Telephone applications may be made at 1-800-554-8685; Internet users may apply through Fish and Game’s Web site at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Read the full article here.

These animals were photographed just north of the Wisconsin border on a highway near Marenisco , MI .
   
Once in awhile there is an opportunity to take in a piece of nature that you may never see. In these days of unrest and turmoil it is great to see that Mother Nature can still produce some wondrous beauty.

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