AUGUSTA — A licensed hunter with an antlerless deer permit can harvest an antlerless deer in the designated district and an antlered deer statewide. Antlerless deer permits may be acquired through the lottery, and any remaining permits will be available for purchase on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website.

Lottery applications must be completed at deer.web.maine.gov by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1. There is no fee to apply. Those who receive a permit must pay the $12 permit fee and $2 agent fee to claim the permit, according to a news release from the department.

This year, applicants can pay for their permit at time of application, if their first choice WMD is in a group of WMDs (based on the number of permits available) where applicant is almost certain to receive a permit in that WMD in the lottery. If for some reason one does not receive a permit in the lottery, the payment will be refunded in full.

After the lottery drawing on Aug. 15, successful applicants who did not pre-pay for their permit must claim and purchase the permit for $12 (plus $2 agent fee) by Sept. 12 at 11:59 p.m.

Extra antlerless deer permits not issued through the lottery will be available for purchase at mefishwildlife.com on a first-come, first-served basis starting Sept. 17.

Proceeds from the permit fee help fund the purchase and management of deer wintering areas, primarily in northern Maine. Deer wintering areas are a critical habitat for white-tailed deer living at the northern end of their range.

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