Aroostook County Hunting Report

Hunting season is in full swing here in the County. How are hunters fairing?

Well, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, hunters are doing well! The numbers are coming in, and hunters of all ages are doing well in the County.

“Youth day went well, we had 12 deer registered in Ashland, 11 in Presque Isle, and 7 in Mapleton,” said IFW wildlife biologist Rich Hoppe. “On residents opening day, effort was up considerably.”

“People are seeing more deer. The weather is good as it has been fairly cool most mornings. The bare ground and the cool weather keeps the deer moving,” said Hoppe.

It is also the last week of moose season in the county, and the numbers keep coming in.

“The first day, Quigley’s in Fort Kent tagged 67 moose and we tagged 65 in Ashland. The next day, Quigley’s was in the 60s and Ashland was in the 40s. Overall, people are still seeing a lot of moose,” said Hoppe.

Hoppe also noted the condition of the moose taken is excellent.

“The percentage of body fat on the moose is a lot higher. The just have tons of fat, and that goes hand in hand with the quality of the bulls. Calves seem to be 20-25% percent heavier,” said Hoppe.

“We’ve got excellent habitat, had good winters and the moose that are coming in are high-quality animals,” remarked Hoppe.