If all goes as planned, a limited moose hunt could take place this fall in Chugach State Park in Anchorage. The Board of Game approved the hunt at its Anchorage meeting Friday afternoon.

The decision allows a limited hunt that would give permits to four hunters. The hunters will be able to use a shotgun with a slug or a muzzle-loading rifle in parts of the park in the hills above the city.

State Fish and Game biologist Rick Sinnott testified in support of the hunt, saying too many moose are starving to death needlessly.

Earlier this week, some people opposed to the hunt told the board there are better ways to deal with the moose population when it gets too high.

"It isn't going to help the moose population, but it's certainly an adequate opportunity for human harvest. And I think I wholeheartedly support this approach," said board chairman Mike Fleagle.

"It's a potshot at trying to resolve a problem that we have with moose in the city, that needs to be resolved in a much larger level with a much larger group of stakeholders," said Karen Deatherage of Defenders of Wildlife, who opposes the hunt.

The board passed the two-year proposal unanimously. Sinnott said his goal is to implement the hunt this fall, but he says there are a number of details that still need to be worked out. He said it's possible the hunt might not begin until fall of next year.