Deer hunting is a Maine tradition for many families.

In all my years, I've never been deer hunting. And for that matter, I love guns. Shooting is always a good time. But for the life of me, I could never bring myself to shoot a deer. I 1000% support hunters and their right to do what they do to provide for their families. Like I said, it's basically a way of life here in Maine that we should be proud of.

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I just love all creatures great and small, and couldn't do the job myself. But for those who do get out there every year, there's always a hope that you can find a way to maximize your haul. Typically, Maine has always had buck season and doe season. But Maine's deer population has exploded over the years, and there's another option, depending on location...

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Antlerless deer permits are again available in Maine.

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According to Fox Bangor, if you missed the antlerless permit lottery, you can now purchase one. There are 45,000 now up for grabs from the state. They're going for $12 a piece. You can order one right here. Even if you won one in the lottery, you can still purchase another.

Photo by thapanee srisawat on Unsplash
Photo by thapanee srisawat on Unsplash
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Maine's deer population in certain areas is absolutely over the top, so the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has made these additional permits available in hopes that it can help keep these herds in check. Ultimately, the goal is to try and keep a handle on these densely populated areas.

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With better management of the population overall, the hope is that it will lead to things like less deer/car crashes and damage to property like crops. There's also hope that it could lend itself to controlling the tick population as well. Whatever the reasons, deer season is here, and I'm personally glad the state is so invested. Permits will be issued on a first come, first serve basis.

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