The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department announced on March 16, 2020 that the in-person March public deer and moose hearings were postponed to encourage social distancing and to avoid the spread of COVID-19. In place of these in-person meetings, the department is holding electronic public hearings to solicit input on deer and moose on the following dates from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. through the following means:
-April 13, 2020 – Through computer: zoom.us/j/787469027, AND conference call:
929-436-2866, meeting ID: 787-469-027
-April 15, 2020 – Through computer: zoom.us/j/512423816, AND conference call:
929-436-2866 , meeting ID: 512-423-816
-April 16, 2020 – Through computer: zoom.us/j/781441147, AND conference call:
929-436-2866, meeting ID: 781-441-147
To participate via smartphone or tablet, download the free Zoom Cloud Meeting App and enter the appropriate 9-digit meeting ID. Please note that conference call number is the same for all meetings, but each meeting has a unique ID number and weblink. Be sure to use the correct information for the meeting you are joining.
The department strongly encourages members of the public to review information that will be discussed by going to https://vtfishandwildlife.com/deer-moose-hearings prior to the hearings This information includes a video presentation from department biologists for the deer and moose hearings as well as handouts and information that would normally be provided at the in-person public hearings.
The public hearings will have department staff and Fish and Wildlife Board members participating. The meetings will start with a 30-minute pre-recorded presentation on the proposed prescriptive 2020 moose hunting season and current health status of Vermont’s deer herd that is on the Fish and Wildlife website. Public comments and questions will be taken at the electronic meetings over the computer and over the phone but can also be provided at any time by sending them to ANR.FWPublicComment@vermont.gov. Responses to themes of these questions and comments expressed at the public hearings will be compiled and presented to the Fish and Wildlife Board before its April 22, 2020 meeting. The department will also post these responses on its deer and moose hearing webpage as soon as possible.
As noted in the department’s February 20, 2020 press release, public comment on the moose season recommendation and Vermont’s deer herd and hunting has been open since that date. Comments on moose will be taken until April 19, 2020. Public comment on deer will be taken until May 16, 2020.
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2020
Media Contacts: Mark Scott, 802-777-4217; Adam Miller, 802-777-2852