OQUOSSOC, Maine — For the past 32 years, Wayne Jones of Jefferson has made his annual “donation” to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. That yearly fee allowed him to participate in the annual moose permit lottery. Unsuccessfully.
For 32 years, his name wasn’t drawn. Still, he filled out an entry form each year … even though he never figured he would win.
“I’m just not that lucky,” the 52-year-old Jones said Saturday night, as he accepted the well wishes from friends at yet another moose permit lottery, this one part of the Rangeley Lakes Region Moose Lottery Festival.
On Saturday, tucked into a corner of a steamy boat storage building among 800 or so spectators that spilled out into the parking lot, Jones was finally just that lucky.
His name was drawn. The permit was his. He’s going on a moose hunt of his own.
“I figured eventually, I’d have to get one,” Jones said. “But I didn’t think this year.”
Jones should have been more optimistic: This year, the state decided to ease the odds burden on longtime applicants who hadn’t been drawn by tinkering with its “preference points” system. People such as Jones, who had been in the lottery since at least 1998, had a 33.9 percent chance of winning this time around. Jones knew that, but was still skeptical.
Jones has had some moose hunting success over the years, but not on his own permit. Two sons were drawn three years ago, and Jones estimated that he had been on eight hunts with permit-winning pals over the years.
This year he will be heading to Wildlife Management District 1 in extreme northwestern Maine, and expects those pals to tag along with him.
“There’ll be a whole caravan. There will be about 10 of us, I bet,” Jones said.
When his sons were selected in the lottery, Jones said he had as much fun helping them as he would have on his own permit. And this time around, he suspects the things that happen in camp will be as memorable as the actual moose-shooting part of the hunt.
“That’s what it’s all about: It’s about camaraderie,” he said. “Shooting the moose is just a part of it. All the good stories are what you make of it.”
The first name drawn for the 2012 moose season: Todd Mrowca of Howell, Mich.
Also announced on Saturday: The 2013 moose lottery will take place on the shores of Moosehead Lake in Greenville.
In all, 3,725 lucky winners were selected Saturday. Those winners were picked from a pool of 54,338 applicants. A further breakdown: 3,362 Maine residents (out of 39,81 applicants) were drawn. Another 363 nonresidents (out of a pool of 14,467) were selected. The 54,338 applicants was higher than the 49,887 who participated in the lottery a year ago, and the 49,729 from 2010.
Many attendees were western Maine residents who made the short trip to the scenic Rangeley area; other vacationers from as far away as California stopped by to take part in a Maine tradition. And at least one politician — U.S. Senate candidate Angus King — recognized the moose permit lottery as a great opportunity to press the flesh in rural Maine.
Maine’s modern moose hunt dates back to 1980, when it was staged on a one-year experimental basis. After a year to study the data, the moose hunt returned as an annual event in 1982.
Hunters were drawn to participate during one of four sessions in 2012: Sept. 24-29 in eight of the state’s Wildlife Management Districts; Oct. 8-13 in 19 WMDs; Nov. 5-10 in 10 WMDs; or Oct. 29-Nov. 24 in six WMDs.
This year marked the first of a system that was designed to increase the number of successful applicants among those who have been participating in the lottery for years, but have not had their names drawn.
Maine residents were only allowed to purchase one chance in the lottery this year, but were credited for each consecutive unsuccessful year of participation back to 1998 with bonus chances. Applicants received one bonus chance for each year of participation dating back five years, two points per year for years 6-10, three points per year for years 11-15 and 10 points per year for the 16th year and after. The most points, or chances, that a Maine resident could have in this year’s draw was 27.
Those participants with 27 chances in the drawing had a 33.9 percent chance of having their names drawn.
Another change for this year: Moose hunters whose names are drawn will have to sit out the next three hunts, though they will be allowed to register for the drawing in order to accrue their “preference points,” or extra chances. Previously, successful hunters were ineligible for the next two hunts, but could not accrue points during that period.
By 2 p.m. — two hours before the lottery began — more than 600 people had already crowded into the large boat storage building where the drawing was to be held. The reason: The finals of the World Invitational Moose Calling Contest.
The finals had to be moved from the smaller adjacent Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum because of the overflow crowd.
A steady stream of festival attendees were on hand beginning at about 10 a.m., and the crowd thickened throughout the day. Many family activities, including a trampoline bungee and climbing wall, were held in Oquossoc, and other events were held in Rangeley itself.
In addition, a fishing derby and fly-casting competition were held, as were several other outdoor events.
Hunters who had their names drawn but who may want to see if another season session or opportunity was available are able to do that by checking out mooseswap.com.
The website run by the Maine Professional Guides Association is designed to pair permit-carrying hunters with another permit-winner who is looking for a match. The swapping process is sanctioned by the state and has become increasingly popular over the past several years.
Never waste any part of a moose. You should try pickling some of the meat. They say pickled moose butt hole and the meat under the eyes is the best.. stir fry the other private parts with mushroom, peppers and onions.
Never waste a kill. make muckluks from skin, bones and teeth are for jewery. be one with nature and use and eat the whole thing
Nothing goes to waste in the woods. I don’t think being one with nature requires people to sequester all the parts of the kill in or on their bodies. If you have the skill and time to pickle the butt hole and the taste for eating it, power to you and enjoy, but I left that in the woods for the fox or whatever else found it. I’m sure that critter appreciated that free meal more than I would have.
If you want to make the nutrient cycling argument, whatever ate my moose’s butt hole returned every last molecular bit of it to the forest system as things ran their course, while the meat I ate ultimately made its way to the toilet. I agree, never waste a kill, but I don’t agree that that requires complete use by humans, especially given our interruption of the nutrient cycle.
If you’ve got the skill to make something out of all that, my hat’s off to you. Those of us that don’t should just make sure it doesn’t end up in a landfill–that’s where it does go to waste.
I think your missing out here. A bread stuffing in the colon along with the butt baked at 425 for 45 minutes or until tender, some pour half a can of cheap beer in the pan. It goes with almost any sides. Good luck on your moose hunt this year.
P.S. Sort of like a clam belly but less gritty
I wasn’t lucky enough to draw a permit this year, I think I’ll take your word for it. I’m pretty solid on steaks, burger, roasts and all that, but I don’t know if I could get a moose butt right the first time, and getting a moose butt recipe wrong would probably not be a good thing. I know I’ll regret asking this, but do you have pictures of this process?
Keep reading your back to nature books and we will take care of the moose hunt and the cooking.
got drawn as a cohunter one year harvested a nice bull will never do it again lots of work getting it loaded on truck and after it was all cut and packaged it didnt taste very good as steak burger the whole thing at least thats eatable
Ive heard that from numerous people, the meat doesnt cure long enough and you never know whos meat you actually get… Meat has to hang……
The joke is on all you “winners” out there. You lost all of your hard earned bonus points, while I on the other hand kept mine, I even got another for next year.
The BDN listing of winners is lame. You have to sort through every page to find a name. Couldn’t you have included a search function or a least a go to page function?
OMG….it took about 20 extra seconds
perhaps you should flip on your patience funtion…
Not everyone in Maine has a fast connection. I wouldn’t expect any batter from the BDN.
There is a search function. Click the word “search” in the right hand corner.
Why do they give moose permits out to non- residents? That’s 363 families who live and work in Maine who won’t have a moose for their freezer. All of the other non- resident people who I saw on the master list, live in states where they have their own moose. Why aren’t they hunting there, instead of taking food out of the mouths of Maine people.
Sorry, C, but money talks and regular folk can walk.
I do agree….
Its kinda funny, I have seen a few names that where drawn a few years ago. So much for letting it be “fair”. I thought this was suppose to be for the residents who have waited along time to get drawn?! Hope next year will be different, I wish they would go back and draw them out of a drum like they used to, I feel that would be more fair.
Big money maker for the state and people must buy the max in chances. I have put in for one every year it been going on and never been draw. But that okay I see some of the same people being draw every year after year. But I will keep donating every year.
after 27 years I was finally picked but I agree picking from the drum seemed to have more of an equal opportunity feel to it. I have been on two previous hunts, one with my brother and the other with my father and needles to say they were both unique hunts in there own way and as far as moose meat not tasting good I’m guessing you didn’t prepare/cook it the right way. My suggestion is a lot of crock pot recipes and it will melt in your mouth.
Oh gee, look, there’s a moose standing there. Bam. Flop.
Lookit me, everyone, I’m a big game hunter.
Oh gee, look, there’s a cow standing there. Bam. Flop. Lookit me, everyone, I’m a big supermarket shopper.
You hit the nail on the head, good post.
This past year after falling on a hard financial time for my family, I was never so thankful that we still had 100 pound of moose meat in the freezer. I personally don’t hunt, it’s not for me, but I am thankful that my husband does, it does take a pretty bit chunk out of our grocery bill every year (well, at least the years he actually gets something! lol) For us, it is not about being a “big game hunter” at all, it is about filling our freezer and feeding our family. But I do feel that it is that way for some of the out of staters or even the instaters, that do it for the “show”, with a guide, just for the thrill…..but I think for a lot of Maine families, it is for the food.
I’m thinking about starting a cottage industry – crying towels to commemorate the moose lottery.
Yes, for the anti-hunting crowd, they really need them towels, good call.
I understand about bringing in revenue for the state, but it REALLY REALLY makes me mad that out of state folks can “buy” extra chances for a moose permit and that residents can not. I know that the out of staters will bring more money to the state when they come here for the hunt, but many families could use a few extra chances at the lottery. Perhaps if we are in a recession that 10% of permits should go to Maine residents, or the state could put out some extra permits (if it wouldn’t affect the moose population too drastically). The same with any hunting for that matter. I know it is impossible to weed out those who hunt, just to hunt, and those who’s hunting saves the family $500 or more on their grocery bill each year but it seems like many families are getting desperate……
That guy in the picture with the red sox shirt on would have a better chance of winning if he put a yankees shirt on
better chance of being shot you mean!
Do you mean if he is wearing a yankees shirt he is better to be shot, nah red sox shirt he is better chance of being. Red sox are not that good now
Maine is a Red Sox State- if you’ve lived here for any amount of time you should know that! Doesn’t matter if they are doing good or bad- the fans stay with them. We love our Sox!
and moose hunts!
I have lived in Maine all but three years and not everyone in Maine is a red sox fan, hate to boost your bubbles. But hey enjoy there losing while you can. Peace Bro
Not a good day for the PETA folks….
Really. Really? This is the top news story for the BDN? Oh my!
Had 1 bonus point and got a permit again.
Bring affordable baseball back to Maine. Bring the Phillies back to Wells.