FREDERICTON (GNB) – More than 4,600 resident moose licences are available in this year's annual moose draw for New Brunswick residents.

Residents may apply for the computerized draw until the end of Friday, June 14, Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup announced today.

“The number of licences available for New Brunswick moose hunters has increased by more than 1,000 since 2010,” Northrup said. “This increase is based on advice from biologists who have indicated the moose population is healthy in most parts of the province.”

There will be 4,612 resident licences available this season compared to 4,624 in 2012. The moose licence quota has increased or remained unchanged in 17 of the province's 25 wildlife management zones where moose hunting is permitted.

The three-day moose season for residents and non-residents runs from Thursday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 28.

There are four ways for New Brunswick residents to apply for a moose licence: by calling 1-900-565-1500 (available to Bell Aliant customers only. Callers will have the application fee billed to the number they call from); by calling toll-free 1-888-922-3729 (the application fee will be billed to the caller's Visa or MasterCard account); online at the Department of Natural Resources' website (the application fee will be billed to the applicant's Visa or MasterCard account); or in person at any Service New Brunswick centre.

The cost of applying for a moose licence is $9.38 (HST included) using the telephone system or online options, or $14.13 (HST included) if applying in person at a Service New Brunswick centre.

Hunters have until regular closing time on Friday, June 14, to apply for the draw in person; until 8 p.m. the same day to apply on the telephone-application line; and until midnight to apply online.

Hunters can visit the department's website for more detailed information. Fact sheets are also available at all department offices and Service New Brunswick centres.

Successful applicants will be drawn on an individual basis based on their entire nine-digit Medicare number. The results will be available July 8.

Northrup said the draw for the hunt this fall will use the new pool system introduced two years ago.

The implementation of the new system was a commitment in the document Putting New Brunswick First to improve the odds in the moose draw for hunters whose names have not been drawn for several years.

Under the system, applicants move into a new pool for every five years they have applied unsuccessfully to the moose draw since 1994, where their number of ballots in the draw would triple.

New hunters or those who have been drawn within the past four years will be in Pool 0, with a single ballot in their name. Hunters who have been unsuccessful for at least five years will be in Pool 1, with three ballots in their name. Anyone who has been unsuccessful for at least 10 years will be in Pool 2, with nine ballots in the computerized draw. Pool 3 is for those who have been unsuccessful for at least 15 years, with 27 ballots per applicant.

“There are still going to be many more people applying for a moose licence than available licences, but this system improves the odds for New Brunswick hunters who have waited a long time for a chance to take part in this hunt,” Northrup said.

The following is a list of wildlife management zones and the 2013 quota of resident moose licences allocated for each zone with last year's quota in brackets:

1 - 106 (105)
2 - 367 (357)
3 - 252 (259)
4 - 454 (451)
5 - 307 (290)
6 - 207 (200)
7 - 319 (312)
8 - 287 (287)
9 - 66 (63)
10 - 93 (106)
11- 117 (116)
12 - 239 (252)
13 - 88 (92)
14 - 128 (141)
15 - 101 (86)
16 - 189 (180)
17 - 102 (103)
18 - 126 (122)
19 - 68 (64)
20 - 281 (323)
21 - 159 (192)
22 - 121 (109)
23 - 236 (233)
24 - 95 (88)
25 - 104 (93)

Total - 4,612

LINK:

●    Department of Natural Resources


21-05-13