The deadline to apply for a 2026 Vermont moose hunting permit is June 17.
Moose permit applications are available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department's website for the hunt limited to Vermont's Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board voted on April 1 to have 65 either-sex moose hunting permits and 20 antlerless moose hunting permits available this year for a hunt limited to Vermont's Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) E in the northeastern corner of the state. The science-based hunt is predicted to result in an estimated harvest of 40 to 50 moose, or about 6 percent of the current moose population in WMU E.
"Moose are abundant in WMU-E with significantly higher population density than in any other part of the state," said Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife's moose project leader. "The higher moose density supports high numbers of winter ticks which negatively impact moose health and survival."
Ongoing monitoring of moose health in WMU-E shows the population continues to be negatively impacted by winter ticks. Birth rates are low, and many calves do not survive their first winter.
"Research has shown that lower moose densities support relatively few winter ticks that do not impact moose populations," said Fortin. "Reducing moose density decreases the number of available hosts which in turn decreases the number of winter ticks on the landscape."
Lottery applications for hunting permits are $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. The deadline to apply is June 17. Winners of the permit lottery will purchase resident hunting permits for $100 and nonresident hunting permits for $350.
Hunters who held a permit within the past five years are not eligible to apply for a permit or to buy a bonus point. Applicants must continue to annually submit a moose permit application if they wish to retain their past bonus permits and accumulate subsequent bonus points.
Five permits will be available to Vermont military veterans, three permits will be available for "Special Opportunity" recipients with life-threatening illnesses, and three permits will be auctioned in accordance with regulations.
A drawing for permit winners is scheduled for July 15.
The 2026 Moose Season Recommendation and related information about moose research and management are available on Vermont Fish and Wildlife's website.