I am contemplating a move from CA to NH due to work. What is the hunting like? Besides deer, what are common game found in NH?

I appreciate any comments from NH hunters. Thanks,

RobertD

According to the NH Fish & game website, moose, deer, bear, coyote, turkey, waterfowl, quail, pheasant, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hare, fox, squirrel, grouse, woodcock, et al.

George

Right now it's just after noon in Keene, NH and the temperature is 13 F. A major snow storm is predicted for Tuesday. You can expect some snow by mid November which is near opening day for deer and by Thanksgiving a good storm comes and the snow stays until mid April.



I have owned a hunting camp in southern Vermont for forty years. It's only about thirty miles from New Hampshire. I have also hunted in Maine. The amount of game in that area seems to have leveled off to what I would call scarce. However one can find a hotspot of grouse or some other game. That's what hunting is about anywhere you go.



If I were in the camp right now I would put my parka on over another jacket, long johns, insulated boots with a sharp tread to grip the ice on the dirt road and go for a walk. I would not leave the plowed road as the snow is too deep. I do have snow shoes and ski poles to balance myself but having been there I know what to expect.



My favorite gun for this is a Colt Woodsman in my back pocket.



There is a good rifle club in southern NH with a 600 yd range.



The people in NH are like people everywhere. You get back what you give.



There is a lot of unposted land in the eastern USA believe it or not. On the seven mile stretch of dirt road I am on I doubt there is more than one sign.



Here is a picture taken at 2 PM in central CT where its 15 F. Write me a letter if you see some game in the pic.

I understand the varmint hunting is excellent at this time of year; plenty of Kerrys, Deans and Clarkes.......

Game here tends to be few and far between. My biggest deer came from NH, but in 10 years of hunting here, I've seen 3 deer and shot 2 of them. More deer (and people) in the southern part of the state, fewer per sq mile as you go north. There was an article (I forget) in Sports Afield or Outdoor life or whatever that showed .1 deer per sq mile for NH. That's right 1/10 of a deer.
Just my 2 cents worth. There are probably people who get or see deer every year in NH, but I'm not one of them. Lots of red squirrels, though. Moose, too, but you have to put in for a lottery for a permit. I love it here..I wouldn't live anywhere else!!

I have seen 2 in 4 years. Both does, one on opening day, the other on 2nd day. Didn't shoot the one on opening day, and the 2nd one wasn't legal. The 2nd one jumped out when i was walking down a trail and it jumped out in front of me about 10 feet ahead of me. My heart went up in my throat! NH isnt too bad. Rabbit hunting with a beagle in the winter is a blast. It is definitely colder here than CA. It is definitely prettier country!

NH_Hunter

Hey Guys, thanks for the postings!

Well, CA is a mixed bag by comparison. There are tons of deer here, but mostly does. I would say that in some parts of CA, they are a pest. However, that being said, you can't hunt does any longer in CA due to animal rights activists being, well, really active. So, all we can shoot are bucks and they are here, but damn damn scarce when the season is open. Or so it seems.

Hogs are great hunting here, I will miss that. Same with ducks and geese. Black bears are real pests in some areas, but hunting them with dogs is the only real solution, as the AR folks also got hunting over bait or garbage dumps outlawed as well. Well, we can't hunt within 400 yards of a gargage dump.

Same with mountain lions. Can't hunt them due to the AR folks, but they are now becoming a pest. Maybe when a few of them have their lunch at a preschool things will change. Until then, they roam free.

We do have elk, enough to be seen every now and then. They can be hunted, just don't expect quantity. Same with antelope, I believe that is a once in 10 year tag fill type of thing.

However, good or bad, if I get the job, NH is where I am headed. Actually, the job in in MA, but since I own firearms, I won't move there.

I did check the NH F&G site and I got some basic info, but what I was looking for was information that you folks posted. Basically, from what you wrote, things are slim unless you are lucky.

Thanks for the info,

RobertD