OUTDOORS

A record number of any-deer permits were unanimously approved Thursday by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Advisory Council, by a vote of 9-0.

This fall there will be 84,745 issued, with most going to hunters who apply in the southern and central parts of the state. The total is a 28 percent increase over permits issued last year, and the most since any-deer permits were first issued in 1986.

From 2002 to 2005, there were more than 70,000 any-deer permits allocated annually, but there has never been more than 80,000 issued.

The projected doe harvest was not reached last fall in all but six of the state’s wildlife management districts, according to IFW. State biologists projected a doe harvest of 7,114 in 2017 but the actual reported doe harvest was 5,950

The proposed increase in permits is a result of the goals and objectives set by the public in the state’s big-game management plan, which was recently revised.

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The deadline to apply for an any-deer permits has passed. Winners in the any-deer permit lottery will be announced Sept. 7.

BASEBALL

EASTERN LEAGUE: Luke Tendler hit an RBI single in the first inning and a two-run homer in the fifth as the Portland Sea Dogs shut out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 6-0 at Manchester, New Hampshire.

Deiner Lopez had an RBI double in the fourth inning, and Chad de la Guerra and Jeremy Rivera combined for two hits and three RBI in the sixth.

Matt Kent gave up seven hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts to improve to 10-8.

Trevor Kelly pitched the final two hitless innings.

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TENNIS

U.S. OPEN: Serena and Venus Williams could be headed toward their earliest Grand Slam meeting in 20 years, facing a potential third-round matchup at the U.S. Open.

If the sisters do play each other, the winner might face No. 1-ranked Simona Halep in the fourth round.

That section of the women’s bracket, and a possible Roger Federer-Novak Djokovic quarterfinal showdown in the men’s, provided the most intrigue when the brackets were revealed at the draw for the last major of the year.

HOCKEY

NHL: Hayley Wickenheiser, one of the top players in women’s hockey history, joined the Toronto Maple Leafs’ front office.

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Wickenheiser, the longtime star of Canada’s national team, is the Maple Leafs’ new assistant director of player development.

She will monitor prospects in the Western Hockey League and is expected to travel to Toronto a few times a month to work with players on both the Leafs and the American Hockey League’s Marlies.

The 40-year-old Wickenheiser is studying medicine at the University of Calgary.

AUTO RACING

INDYCAR: Texas Motor Speedway and IndyCar have agreed on a four-year sanction agreement to keep the open-wheel series racing at the track through at least 2022.

BASKETBALL

WNBA: Elena Delle Donne had 19 points and 12 rebounds to help the Washington Mystics rout the visiting Los Angeles Sparks 96-64 in the second round of the WNBA playoffs.

Washington (23-12) will open a best-of-five series against Atlanta on Sunday, aiming for its first WNBA finals appearance.


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