Maine Moose Lottery
Moose
Points went on sale yesterday for anyone who puts in. I know some people still do. It’s a long shot but for $15 4-5 hours from home why not.
Made my donation yesterday. Got 90 worthless bonus points now. :)
Bummer that you have not drawn a tag with 90 bonus points ? I drew in 2015 with 30.
Are they bonus points or still just additional times your name is in a grossly overfilled and chance diluted hat.
Maine NR moose points are about as valuable as 1923 Weimar Republic Marks. I have max but don't even bother to keep track. Check out the Maine legislative notes some time to see how unprofessional and uneducated they were during NR point cheapening and outfitter welfare debates. Lol, like junior high school children. What a system……….buy all the NR points you want. Sounds like a plan.
Quinn - You're ahead of me, I'm only setting on 24...8^)
I'm in the 90 point pool too...
If you are a resident bonus points are important. 65 or older with 30 bonus points guaranteed tag.
Outfitters just got their foot in the door of the NR tags. You can bet in a year or two they will look to buy the same or another legislator to further exploit the resources for personal gain.
Squash - There's a age limit? Been so long since I read about the odds, did not know that have just been applying for bonus points the past few years... I just applied so I'll be setting on 25 points at age 63 next year, so does that mean I may have a legit chance at age 65 in 2025 with 27 points as a nonresident?
I'm in as well....its a lotto...all it takes is $15 and a dream. My buddy drew on his first try..
Just curious, why are points considered useless in the Maine draw? Just the overwhelming odds of actually drawing either way?
Zbone, No the age limit and bonus point thing only applies to residents as far as what I understand on the ME moose lottery website.
While my daughter's husband was doing his residency in Portland, I signed up both grandkids for lifetime hunting licenses....age 1 and age 3. Which is allowed by rule, even though they can't hunt yet. They now live in Indiana, but have 3 bonus points apiece and will be in the Maine Moose lottery as residents for life. Now we'll just have to see if they develop any interest in hunting...lol.
Why am I not surprised Maine will issue LL’s to babies. Anything fer a buck. So many bizarre regulations in that state.
i have known NRs to draw in their first year,i have been in since the start before they went to this system and still waiting,i have a friend that has drawn twice as a NR,so do bonus points mean a lot, not really!!
NR can purchase as many chances as they want. I met a hunter from NJ while hunting there in 2015, he purchased $275 worth of chances and drew the first time he applied. I purchased one chance for 14 years and finally drew. Also met a hunter from KY who purchased a auctioned tag for $16,000. Residents can only purchase 1 chance annually. Like everything else it’s about money. Bonus point are really nothing more than extra chances in the hat.
Maine's is one of the most "gamed" hunt-draw systems in the USA. More indication of that is the sub-permittee option. Which is probably the main reason that a high proportion of the winning names each year are women.
Stick Sender, your half right. But yes, lots of girlfriends, wives, kids and others enter the lottery. It is entertaining to read the lottery results and you can occasionally see where it must be a couple wins tags for the same week in two different zones. Murphie's law.
The sub permittee can shoot, BUT the permittee must be there and within communication and not by radio or other long distance system. Basically, within speaking distance so you are less likely to shoot multiple animals.
the changes in the lottery with "bonus points" are designed to maintain interest by people who have been applying for years without drawing. For many years it was more of a shoot than a hunt in the northern third of the state. About 15 years ago tag numbers dropped and many people began to abandon entering the lottery. The moose lottery funds a big part of the IF&W budget. So basically they decided to give extra draws/chances in the lottery for all the years you were a looser. And to ensure the older residents had a reasonable shot at going they also awarded a gob of extra chances for anyone over 60 or 65. It isn't a guarantee an older person will get a tag but by in large most do. After 20 years of applying I finally drew a tag 6 years ago. The hunt is 6 days, monday through saturday. We went up sunday and scouted a bit and then hunted all day every day until I tagged out. I would like to say I am a good sport and don't get bitchy. But it would be a flat out lie to say I wasn't feeling that way by wednesday and thursday. Kind of sucks to wate 20 plus years, pride your self in being a bit of an outdoorsman and be part of the 20% that don't tag out. When a local asks why you chose that district it doesn't do anything to raise your spirits mid week !
I hadn't seen a live moose until friday at 3. Luckily for me it was a nice one. Taste was great but toughest thing I have ever chewed on unless it spent time in the crock pot or grinder. Biologist said it was the biggest one tagged in Greenville that week. (the october season) The state collects a tooth for age and it was 8 years old. My success was just pure luck and perseverance. But those are always good ingredients for success.
You have to sit out 4 years after getting a tag but you can continue to buy "points" or an additional chance for when you can get back in.
I have never drawn a tag in New Hampshire where I grew up. They have a similar system but just a tiny fraction of the tags Maine issues. I still enter both draws. It is only money. If $30 is that important to you, you probably can't afford to hunt.
good luck to everybody
Got drawn first time applying back in 2001 .... I was in the October hunt so able to fly and make the trip (after the horrendous 9/11 tragedy).
Thanks for the info guys...
I read somewhere years ago where an insurance company cross referenced medical claims vs names drawn for moose permits............ They always found a few guys claiming ill and asking for medical leave - but the harvested a moose! To funny.
I know blue posts feelings. I hunted Vermont every legal second and never saw or heard a moose. It hurt. Bad. I realized most tag out by driving around, jumping out and shooting one and I refused to do so. I did not tag out. Still bothers me. Finally got my AK moose a few years ago and it numbed the pain. A little.
I've seen a few moose in Vermont, but no idea what the population is. I can say the same for Massachusetts. Not sure what population number it takes to make them 'huntable' either from a biological basis or worthwhile to go after.
Same with NY, anywhere from 500-1000 moose, depends who you talk to. But they are pretty common sight now in the ADKs., and even occasionally on Tug Hill. One of my hunting partners found a moose shed in the Moose River Plains recreational area last hunting season.
The point cheapening is disappointing as it's turned it into a rich man's game. I feel that blue collar folks should be on the same footing when it comes to public resources. They are public, after all.
I'm guilty though. On years that I don't want a tag, I pay $15. On years that it'd work out for me to have a tag, I throw $500 at points. Still hasn't gotten me a tag, though.
Since moving to AK, it's been $15. I can hunt moose in my back yard, but I still want to kill everything, everywhere.
I heard a California guy bought $5,000 in bonus points three times, and drew twice.
My father drew in 2019 after 17 years. He let me punch the tag. Now I will let my son punch my tag when I draw. Mostly buy points since doing a moose hunt is not in the cards this year. Great hunt bull was 889lbs with 52” spread. Finest eating I have ever had oh and the bull was 9.5 years old.
So467, Now that one was worth waiting for! Lol. Got a 53” in NH 2012 but he was only 6.5 yo 780#. I’m same as you. Will let my step-nephew shoot mine if I ever draw Maine. Got max NR points.
BTW - Anyone know if the outfitters have begun their next phase of welfare expansion?
So467 congrats on a beauty! So there is some hope left?
Zim,
Step-nephew? You’re a good step-family man!
Quinn, Lol he’s a good hard working kid. Just needs some love & guidance. He lives in Lewiston and just turned 21. I flew him in to NW Indiana last September and treated him to the Notre Dame/Purdue game.
Zim - "Got max NR points"
What is the max points for NRs?
“What is the max points for NRs?”
Good question. Your best chance of finding out is calling a legislator there, because they cheapened mine so many times I quit keeping track. Outfitter welfare, convoluted point escalation the longer you apply but “changes” frequently, unlimited bonus point peddling. It never ends in Maine. They don’t even publish real draw odds. I was in it from the ground floor that’s all I know. Around 110 based on their latest scheme I think? But will likely change tomorrow.
Not sure what the max NR points are but I have 120 now and have made my donation for the year.
Why wouldn't you spend $5,000 for a chance at a moose hunt when you can go to Newfoundland and have a guaranteed moose hunt for the same price? Maybe the guy can't leave the country or something?
APauls good question, and no I don't believe it's just guys who can't go abroad. I really don't think there's a great deal of economic logic applied to those type purchases. In the same way you might scratch your head at the prices realized for auction tags recently. Arizona Coues tag brought 42,500.00, when you could hunt them 7 or 8 times fully outfitted in Sonora MX for that price.....Wyoming Sheep tag brings 305,000.00 while you could hunt them 5 or 6 times fully outfitted in Alberta for that price....Utah Mt Goat tag brings 52,500.00 when you could hunt Goats (probably bigger ones) in AK or BC fully outfitted 4 or 5 times for that money. The list goes on. I suppose some of it must be guys with plenty of extra money to burn, and who are simply fixated on hunting a certain species of animal in the state of their choosing. They're not worried about finding the cheapest possible way to hunt a particular species. So they just say to themselves...WTH, let's do it! Maybe thinking, "I don't want to go to the grave with all this cash, without having drawn the dream licenses I always wanted". And there's the alcohol effect at those banquets ;-) They seldom put the good tags in the mid-day auctions, always in the late evening events....when the giggle juice is flowing good!
They actually auction (by sealed bid) several of these Maine Moose permits each year. I believe those now bring around 25k apiece.
Tomorrow is the deadline for 2022 points/apps. Must be submitted by 11:59 PM eastern time
I’m in. I also play the lottery once and awhile. You never know.
The New Brunswick, Ca. Moose Lottery is a great deal I believe you guys should look into.
I believe better odds as well. :)
Rich I will eventually chase moose in New Brunswick. Grew up spending a lot of time in Maine and always said I’d shoot one there. So for $15 a year why not
OK I saw when I applied I also have 110 Maine Cpoints + 10 more will be 120. So that’s max NR Cpoints at this time. Trying to get my nephew & step-nephew to apply themselves this year, as they live in Lewiston. I expect their odds would be better than mine.
Classy FB Maine Moose Hunting forum put me in FB jail for calling out one of their regular member’s lies that the outfitter welfare tags were taken from the resident quota. :). That is complete fake news and a 100% lie. All those tags were taken exclusively from the nonresident quota reducing their percentage from 10% to 8%. By bought & paid for corrupt politician Troy Jackson. Courtesy of outfitter special interest coin. Very classy sweeping welfare under the rug. Lots of losers in this world, thinking they won’t get called out.
For all the nay-sayers out there I drew zone 1 bull permit this year. Fourth time I have drawn as a resident.
Key, as a resident. They keep taking from the NR quota (of zims info is correct) most NR will never even draw a cow tag.
