Moose hunting numbers drop due in part to Chase the Ace

Moose hunting numbers down It appears more hunters are chasing the ace rather than chasing moose. CTV’s Jonathan MacInnis explains.

It appears less people were chasing moose and more were chasing the ace in Dieppe, N.B., this year.

Another moose season has come to a close, and the Department of Natural Resources says the season didn’t really start with a bang.

“The first day we were down 33 per cent, the second day we were down 25 per cent and yesterday we were down five per cent,” said Marc Comeau of the Natural Resources Department.

Some say the $1.3 million Chase the Ace draw in Dalhousie, N.B., played a role.

“I think it's going to save a lot of moose,” said Nicolas Kiss, president of the Dalhousie Rotary Club. “I think there's people who are going to change their plans and come out and play, and then go back. It will give a reprieve to those poor little four-legged creatures out in the woods.”

The draw of moose season is strong. Twenty-three-year-old Mathieu Levesque won $1 million on a Lotto Max draw earlier in September, and waited until he got his moose before he got his cheque.

About 61,000 hunters entered the lottery to win one of the 4,600 licences available.

Some wait years before to have their name drawn.

“The last time I got a license was 17 years ago,” said hunter Keith Tower. “I've only had two since 1983 so they're few and far between, which everybody will tell you.”

Once the Department of Natural Resources officers record where the moose was shot, they measure the animal and extract a tooth to determine its age.

The information collected helps the department to monitor the hunt and keep track of how much meat each licence holder has in their possession.

“When a moose hunter is successful, we give them a moose meat permit for him to store it, so he has to know roughly how much weight he has so he's in possession at his house or dwelling,” said Comeau.

There's talk about changing the five-day season into two or three-day hunts next year.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.