The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife says the increased moose harvest dovetails with some positive signs about the state’s official animal. State moose biologist Lee Kantar says moose observed during the season were healthy, with a good percentage of stored fat.

It’s good news for the state’s moose herd, which has suffered die-offs due to parasites such as winter ticks in recent years. The state cut hunting permits from 3,095 to 2,740 this year as a result.

Hunters harvested about 2,200 moose this year for an 80 percent success rate. Last year’s total was 2,022, a 65 percent success rate. Kantar says better hunting weather also helped.