AUGUSTA — Maine’s window for deer hunters to apply for a permit is closing this week.

The state uses “any deer” permits to allow hunters to harvest a deer of either sex. The cutoff to enter the lottery for such a permit is Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

Maine plans to issue a little more than 68,000 “any deer” permits this year. That’s a cut of about 20 percent from the previous deer season. Maine biologists said hunters harvested hundreds more female deer last year than the state’s objective.

The lottery drawing is scheduled for Sept. 6. The firearms season for deer runs from Nov. 4 to Nov. 30. There are also seasons for archers and hunters who use muzzleloaders.