Vt. to cut by 20 percent moose hunt permits

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife want to cut by 20 percent the number of moose hunting permits it would issue for this fall's hunting seasons because of ongoing concerns about the health of the herd.

The department's proposal to issue 285 permits for the October firearms hunting season and 50 for a special archery season are expected to result in the taking of about 150 moose.

New Hampshire just cut its moose permits in half.

Vermont moose biologist Cedric Alexander estimates there are about 2,500 moose in the state, most in the Northeast Kingdom.

The number of moose hunting permits in Vermont peaked in 2008 after biologists felt the moose herd was too big. Now biologists are concerned that warmer temperatures and are hurting the moose herd.