AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine's deer hunters will learn this week if they've been selected for a permit that allows them greater ability to hunt the animals.
Maine manages its large deer population with "any deer" permits that allow hunters to hunt antler-less deer and bucks that have antlers less than three inches in length. Hunters without such a permit can only longer-antlered hunt bucks.
The any deer permit lottery is scheduled for Friday. The results will be posted online at noon that day.
The state intends to issue a little more than 68,000 any deer permits this year. That represents a reduction of about 20 percent from the previous deer season. Hunters harvested more deer than the state's objective last year.
The firearms season for deer takes place in November.