MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Deer hunters who applied for a Vermont muzzleloader season antlerless deer permit by the August 24 deadline can now go to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) to see if they won a permit.

Fish & Wildlife announced the winners on September 22, after conducting a randomized computer drawing. Permit winners are listed in two categories: regular lottery winners and landowners. Landowners who apply for a landowner antlerless permit are prohibited by law from posting their land against hunting.

"Hunters can go to our website to find out if they are recipients of a muzzleloader season antlerless permit," said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter. "Knowing early if they've won, will help them plan their hunting this fall."

They can follow a link on the left side of the home page to go to the listing of permit winners. Those who applied online will receive an email notification.

This year permit recipients will need to reprint their licenses, which have been reformatted to include their antlerless permits. Paper "post card" permits will not be sent in regular mail like in the past.

A total of 24,500 December muzzleloader season antlerless permits are authorized for use in 18 of Vermont's 21 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) which is estimated to result in 3,670 antlerless deer being taken.

"The permits are intended to stabilize or reduce deer densities in some areas while allowing moderate population growth in other parts of the state," said Nick Fortin, Vermont's deer project leader.

"Harvesting antlerless deer affords Vermont hunters the chance to secure locally sourced food for their families," Porter noted. "It also helps the department balance the deer population with the available habitat."