The state likes to announce its annual moose lottery winners in person and chooses a new location each year.
A couple years ago it was in Jackman. Last year, it was in Augusta. This year it will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 15, in Riverside Park in Fort Kent.
Maine’s annual moose permit drawing has become a time of celebration. Dozens of people attend, hoping to hear their names spoken as one of thousands who will receive permits. This year, 4,105 people’s names will be drawn out of the approximately 72,294 applications.
The reading of the names will not be live-streamed, so to find out as soon as possible if you have a permit, you will need to be in Fort Kent in person.
The next best way is to see the list here on bangordailynews.com in an easy-to-search format that includes hunters names and hometowns, hunting dates and Wildlife Management Districts where the permit is assigned and the gender of the moose allowed. The list will be posted by 5:30 p.m. once the names have been read in Fort Kent.
There are other ways too. The state will notify you via U.S. mail or email because you will need to pay for the permit. It’s $52 for residents and $585 for non-residents.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will also publish the list Saturday.
The drawing coincides with Fort Kent’s annual World’s Largest Ploye festival. The ploye will be made on Friday at Lonesome Pine Trails. Businesses will offer music and other activities to celebrate the 2024 Moose Lottery Drawing on Saturday.
The town says the many activities, which include Axe Women Loggers of Maine at 10 a.m.,Hal Blood’s presentation on tracking at noon, a moose field judging contest/taxidermy exhibit, crosscut sawing, cornhole, kids’ games and face painting, a beer garden, Operation Game Thief, moose lottery wear, food and other vendors, music and more highlight the area’s outdoor sporting heritage.
