AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s expanded deer hunt is getting started with a special day that’s limited to state residents only.

Saturday is Maine Resident Only Day for deer hunters. The state bumped the number of deer hunting permits by nearly 30 percent this year, to almost 85,000. The full firearms season for deer begins on Monday and lasts until Nov. 24.

Saturday is also Maine Resident Only Day for moose hunters. The moose hunt began in September and runs until Nov. 24. The state’s hunts for bear and turkey are also taking place, though the bear hunt slows down during the later portion of the season when bait isn’t allowed.

The state gave out more deer permits this year in part because deer have shown strong survival over recent winters.

In this July 31, 2018 file photo, a doe and her two fawns prepare to cross a road near Bar Harbor, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

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