what kind of shape do you feel the herd in N.H.is in

[knurren]

I think I would rather hunt in L than in M.  Especially if there are only 500 extra hunters as opposed to 6000 extra hunters.   

[Bogtrotter]

I live in zone K, and feel the deer numbers are way down there. We hunted hard this year and only saw a couple of deer. The monadnock region where i hunt, had a particularly severe winter. As far as zone M goes, I don't bother whith a permit, I like hunting where I am. There is more open land, and it's not as crowded. I  do agree, they are to generous with the M permits. Let's all hope for a mild winter!

[james]

Hi all i figured i would join in and throw my 02 in lol .

i started hunting in 78, and since then i think the herd has grown very well But -

M tags are putting way too many hunters in areas that cant support the pressure.

the weather has been brutal the past few years three out of the past four years have been the snowiest on record. couple this with an exploding coyote population and the deer are gonna take a hit.
                                                                                                 james

[turkey nuts]

I think I would rather hunt in L than in M.  Especially if there are only 500 extra hunters as opposed to 6000 extra hunters.   

                   
                                 that is exactly the mentality that unit m started with my freind..if i have learned anything from the NRA its dont open any doors if you don't want company !!!!!!!if you give an inch they will take a mile and some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[knurren]

                   
                                 that is exactly the mentality that unit m started with my freind..if i have learned anything from the NRA its dont open any doors if you don't want company !!!!!!!if you give an inch they will take a mile and some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that is a good point

[longbeardking]

Unit K has deer.

[woodsman]

like i posted in another topic..i'm very concerned that herd may be in jeopardy ..i have spoken to many hunters in the bear brook area ..and consistantly the stories are the same the numbers are not there.sightings are way down as well as sign not being apparent..before the season started f&g stated that the kill this year was expected to be down andi'm sure its down more than expected.... i sure hope they are accurate in their assesments of the herd. i have been hunting this area for 27 years and have never seen it like this before..like i said i would rather lose a season or two than lose our sport all together....whats your oppinionon our herd?

       I agree on the F&G needing to take a closer look at the situation of the herd BUT we all should take a real close look at how the coyotes or coy dogs if you will have gotten totally out of control..I have been hunting the north woods ( specifically in the errol location) and have seen the numbers of them go from only a few here or there in the late 70's and early 80's to horrific numbers..I have found deer downed by these varmits with the bellies totally eaten and the hides ripped to shreds...Every time I see one in the woods he is taken out.....this past season while pre scouting I found a young fawn killed by the coyotes....

[longbeardking]

More deer from WMU K. The date and time speak for themselves. 

[woodsman]

More deer from WMU K. The date and time speak for themselves. 


[/quo


It's good to see you have some deer around longbeard.I have a small group out back of my home here in NH.Hopefully the winter will not be as last year and the does will have many fawns in the spring.

[halfrack33]

everywhere has deer when there's a feeder 

[longbeardking]

everywhere has deer when there's a feeder

EXCELLENT observation. BUT the deer were there in the first place. The feeder brings them to the camera. We have had some brutal weather the last couple years. Conservative feeding, IMO, helps the deer a great deal. You don't feed enough to get the deer dependent on it. Over feed them and you will very quickly see that they STOP browsing. That is a very bad thing.

Are deer numbers really down? I think so. Are they down as badly as everyone seems to think? I think not. Deer sightings are WAY down. Why? Most hunters today don't hunt. They park themselves in a stand somewhere and wait for the deer to come to them. With a huge mast crop like we had this year, the odds are in the deer's favor that the hunter won't see them. License sales are at an all time low. Fewer hunters, fewer deer seen, fewer deer killed. More hunters sitting, less deer being moved. Those hunters that DO move think it's more important to be clad in the latest camo outfit available on the market. Instead of keeping the wind in your face as you move. Deer will ALMOST always stop at the first sound they hear. They Almost always MOVE at the next sound they hear. If you have the wind in your face you have the advantage of both reducing the chance the deer will smell you OR hear you. If you are in an area that has other hunters, learn to use them to your advantage.  I have shot many deer that have been moved by other hunters.  When you see sign that there are deer in the area, don't just look at it. Try to understand from it what the deer's movements are. Figure where they're bedding and where they are feeding. Figure out where their heaviest cover is that they go to when they are in danger of being seen. Hunt these places and you will see deer. Hunting is not something you learn, it's an instinct. An instinct that we all have. It just needs to be developed. Good luck to everyone next year.

[halfrack33]

EXCELLENT observation. BUT the deer were there in the first place. The feeder brings them to the camera. We have had some brutal weather the last couple years. Conservative feeding, IMO, helps the deer a great deal. You don't feed enough to get the deer dependent on it. Over feed them and you will very quickly see that they STOP browsing. That is a very bad thing.

Thank you sir    What are you feeding them? It's not legal here but my fear would be that too many people would just feed them corn which has almost no nutritional value; very low protein, etc and is more like candy to them than a benficial food. But maybe it works as a supplement while they can find their needed nutrients elsewhere. Like i said we can't feed here so i don't know much about it. But, either way, no harm meant

[longbeardking]

It is a mixed grain feed. NO pelletized mixed in. Oats, barley, corn, molasses, etc. All natural. Resembles horse grain very closely.

[turkey nuts]

long beard thank you your post is very knowledgable and sound ..although your asuming that most in the woods are greenhorns i'm not sure thats intirely true .either way your post reassures me that i am a good woodsman and have used many actually all of your advisments at 1 time or another .escape routes are by far the biggest in my area as i hunt in a state park with high pressure and sometimes all it takes is a wind advantage and another ameless hunter..i've scored many times in this manner..where i hunt you stratagize against the other hunters and of coures mix in a little area knowledge and pre season scouting and bingo !!!

[BrownsDown08]

being a Nh native for all my life and now attending Unity College and being 3/4 done with my bachelors in conservation law and another in wildlife management, we discuss NH often..... I agree with NH having expanded in Unit M.  And having a residents only day, or even week.  The NH deer herd is in real trouble. anyone that doesnt realize that needs to pull the wool away from there eyes.  I chose Conservation law so i can help prevent threads like this from even becoming an issue on MHF...I graduate in 2010, hopefully i can get a job with NH F and G and try and make your words known!