As we move into June it’s that time of year where I again have submitted my annual moose hunting preference points in both New Hampshire and Maine.  The Eastern Moose that inhabits these states is one of four subspecies of moose than live in North America.  Moose represent the largest-bodied member of the deer family; the Eastern Moose stands 6-7 feet tall and can weigh in excess of 1,000 pounds!  Having the opportunity to engage in a thrilling moose hunt and, if successful, enjoy the reward of all that delicious meat is a very enticing prospect.

I continue to accumulate moose preference points with the hope of one day drawing a tag to hunt these magnificent animals in northern New England.  When I eventually decide to enter the drawing as a non-resident my chances will be severely limited, so building preference points to increase my odds is a priority for me every year.  Maine, for example, issues 3,000 to 4,000 moose permits each year.  The number of non-resident permits issued is equal to 10% of the total permits, so in any given year only 300-400 non-resident permits are up for grabs.  The small annual cost to procure a preference point (Maine = $15 and New Hampshire = $25) is well worth it to advance my cause when I am ready to enter the drawings and, at the same time, that money goes towards conservation so I am happy to make the donation.

I hope that someday I will get an opportunity to go on an archery hunt for moose in New Hampshire or Maine.  If that doesn’t work out, perhaps I’ll attempt to go further north and hunt in Canada.  Then again, maybe a time will come where I have an opportunity to hunt moose in my home state of Massachusetts?!?!  Moose sightings are on the rise in MA, and from what I understand there’s an abundance of moose in the area around the Quabbin Reservoir.  Each year for the past several years a bill has been introduced in the Massachusetts Legislature to establish an annual moose hunting season but nothing has been approved yet.  The location for a moose hunt is irrelevant, I just hope that one day I get my chance!