CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department has issued 51 hunting permits in its annual moose hunt lottery.

The state’s 2017 moose hunt runs from Oct 21-29. Hunters who were drawn and accept a permit are not eligible to enter the lottery or apply for a bonus point for the following three years.

New Hampshire has roughly 4,000 moose – about half the population from 10 years ago. The decline is due partly to an increase in winter ticks, mostly in the northern part of the state. Brainworm, which is carried by deer, also is affecting some moose in southern New Hampshire.

The department says moose are not currently a threatened or endangered species in the state.

Permit winners Friday were selected through a computerized random drawing. This year, 6,850 applications were received.