PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ Maine wildlife officials are conducting their annual moose population survey to get an idea of the herd's population.
Three state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologists are flying over parts of the state to do population surveys and get an idea of the number of males, females and calves. The data collected in the survey inform the decisions state officials make about moose management methods, such as the number of hunting permits to issue.
Maine officials have said winter ticks have helped reduce the state's moose herd from 76,000 in 2012 to between 65,000 and 70,000 today. The state is also doing winter tick counts to compare to tick numbers in previous years. Last winter was a peak season for winter ticks.