[gfdeputy2]

If you are Bow Hunting NH this year be advised: Posted on NH fish & game website the month of September is CLOSED to Doe hunting it is only legal amntlered deer ONLY by the way I undertand it Doe hunting will actually open October 1st
If this has been posted already I am sorry I did not see it & thought it should be mentioned to the 3 of us that live & hunt NH I know it is only .0000000001% of this forum but NH is just a HUGE state I couldn't help but to post it

 

[gfdeputy2]

could this be the result of late breeding
it doesn't bother me that they are doing it just trying to figure out the reasoning for no doe just the first month. my area seems to have a HIGH number of does well compaired to bucks
If it will give us more deer in the future I am all for it

 

[ronn]

wow thats big news. thanks for posting it. maybe it will help. wonder how many does will get whacked because of folks not knowing about the change. the guide book may not be out till after season opens.

 

[gfdeputy2]

Yeah this is why I posted it don't know the reasoning behind it but thought I should let the few members here that hunt NH know

 

[ronn]

i see they also dropped the antler restriction up north. they reasoning is sound but the better option would have been go to 3 one side like pa and vt. vt is 3 one side isn't it? it was more than 2 points which meant that the yearlying spikes where living and the yearlying forks were getting shot thus causing the gene pool to start to be dominated by bucks that start as spikes. now its true that a spike can grow into a nice racked buck but they are starting below the curve.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

Ronn, Vermont only requires 2 points one side, I wish they'd move to 3 points one side...
the regulation reads as follows.

Legal Buck: A white-tailed deer with
at least one antler having two or more
points.

Point: An antler projection of at least
one inch measured from base to tip.
A broken main beam shall count as a
point, regardless of length.

Antlerless Deer: A white-tailed deer without antlers or with
antlers less than three inches long.

 

[Predator]

In Illinois, an antlerless deer is any deer having antlers less than 3" long.
no reference is made to points.

 

[gfdeputy2]

My question is why only the month of Sept.?
If it is that too many Does are being harvested why not make it buck only through all of archery
I would rather see NH go to a doe permit instead I know it would be one more thing for people to buy but wouldn't be easier to say this is the most does that will be harvested for the year?
seems to me like better control

 

[BruceBruce1959]

My question is why only the month of Sept.?
If it is that too many Does are being harvested why not make it buck only through all of archery
I would rather see NH go to a doe permit instead I know it would be one more thing for people to buy but wouldn't be easier to say this is the most does that will be harvested for the year?
seems to me like better control

I can't speak for NH officials but I'm guessing they closed Doe harvests in Sept. because the NH deer population is extremely low,
the best way to to develop better statewide hunting conditions is to begin with a largeer herd even if that means the majority of animals in the herd are females.
It's difficult to implement statewide Rules & Regs. on a small herd of animals the results coud cause devestating results,
it's easier to accept those mistakes when the mistakes only have minor impacts to hunting.
I don't know why NH chose to close Doe harvests in Sept. but this is my best guess.

They should have statewide meetings explaining their actions to help the hunters understand the why's,
after all,,, the funds come from hunting license'sand that's makes it all possible.
I think the least they should do is keep the hunters informed on what they are doing so they know what they are paying for...

 

[gfdeputy2]

Bruce
I uderstand the low herd deal as we do have a lot less deer then surrounding states but for me I just don't know why it is only the first month NH has one of the longest archery seasons Sept 15 - Dec15
if it is due to lack of deer I would think that one month (little less) would not amount to much most bowhunters I know will hold off on a dow till later in the season anyway well I sent an E-mail to fish & game hoping they can give me the reasoning behind it most of us hunters are understanding with rule changes but just want to be informed & personally I am just getting tired of people asking me why like I work for the state or something