On March 1, the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services began accepting applications for the 2021 Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt held in Aroostook County.

Since the program’s inception in 2010, the bureau has partnered with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and Smoldering Lake Outfitters to issue hunting permits and essential equipment to participating veterans. The hunt, which is entirely free for selected veterans, costs roughly $50,000 to administer. Costs associated with the hunt include guiding services, essential adaptive equipment, meat processing and travel and lodging, according to a news release from the bureau.

The Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt offers veterans an opportunity to gain comradery, confidence, and support from fellow veterans who have gone through similar struggles. In fact, veterans who have participated repeatedly share with us the value of the program as well as the significant impact it has had on their lives.

Unlike the regular Inland Fisheries & Wildlife moose lottery, the Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Lottery is limited to only those veterans with a disability rating of at least 50%. Each hunter is required to team up with a registered Maine Guide who has specific training for the hunt, and if a veteran has ever tagged a moose through the program, that veteran is ineligible to hunt again.

Applications must be submitted to the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 30. To download an application, visit maine.gov. Results of the lottery will be posted no earlier than Friday, May 28.

For more information, visit maine.gov/veterans or call 207-430-6035.

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