New Hampshire deer hunting

[nutmeg]

Does anyone know what the best areas for whitetail hunting in the state are? Might these areas include decent turkey and bear hunting? I'd appreciate any and all info. Thanks, Rich Potter  

[barebow17]

Rich The best deer hunting is in the southern areas.We have alot of bear up here in the mountains.Turkeys are every where.

[Bill Carlsen]

What barebow 17 said. Deer populations are densest in the Southern Zones. Occaisionally we see bear in the Madbury area but that is rare. If you want to hunt both I would say that the Franconia area has shown me both but it has been a while since I have  hunted there. If you go the western/central region off of Route 89 you can find boh deer and bear but it is very big country and would require lots of preseason scouting.

The good news is that my trail cameras this year are picking up lots of deer so I am expecting this season to be a bit better than the last. Don't forget that you cannot shoot a doe during the month of Sept.

[Huntrdfk]

Rich, are you coming from Texas to hunt here?  Understand that it will be completely different  from hunting in Texas, and that includes the number of deer you are likely to see.  As Bill said, it looks better this year than last, but we are no where close to having a herd like those very good whitetail states.

David

[VTer]

I hunted the Woodsville/Monroe area for a few years near the state line w/ VT. Good areas for apple and oak trees. Saw deer, bear, moose and turkeys. Had a lot of good experiences while hunting there, including a big buck that came running up to 25' after I had scraped a spot in the leaves for my feet when I sat down. Also had a bear climb an oak tree near to the one I had my stand in right at dark. Never new they could climb a tree so fast!

[trapperzeke]

I used to live/hunt on Squam Lake.  Weren't a whole lot of deer, but they were big when you found them.  There are always a couple nuisance bear on my sister's place up there, and the turkey have become thick since I left.

[nutmeg]

Folks I lived in New England for all but the last two years of my life. I spent summers camping,fishing hiking in the Whites and skiing at Loon and Cannon in the winter. I just never hunted in the granite state. We,re thinking of relocating to New Hampshire,(Littleton) but we're also looking at Claremont, Keene, Nashua and Rochester. Thanks for you answers. Rich Potter.  

[Jd Maschino]

I hunt every year up in Jefferson I'm after bear but see deer an turkeys every year its probably my favorite place to hunt an when my wife wins the lottery I'm gonna move the whole family there

[Huntrdfk]

Well Rich, if you decide to relocate and move to Rochester let me know, I live in the next town over, in fact I live less than a half mile from the town line.

David

[barebow17]

Rich,I lived in Littleton.Its a nice town.There is some big deer up there.I use to hunt on the Dalton line.If you move up this way let me know.I always set up extra stands.

[Bill Carlsen]

Let me put it this way...I think Dave will agree. If  you can hunt sucesssfully year after year in NH you can hunt sucessfully anywhere on earth. There are lots of reasons why the  hunting is so tuff but I just accept that fact and do the best I can. One of my favorite ways to do it is to find small suburban areas where people tend not to go or there is not easy access. You may have fewer deer but you will have them all to yourself. Bear are baitable . If you move into the Rochester area you are right on the Maine ****** which can be very good hunitng without having to drive a long ways. Good luck. It is a lovely state and we are the second least taxed in the nation.

[Huntrdfk]

Bill nailed it.......    


David

[Bill Carlsen]

Nutmeg....checked my cameras today and this guy has finally showed up again after about a 6 weeks leave of absence.

 

And here's a bear my buddy Todd took a picture of on his front lawn up n the Sunapee area.

 

[VTer]

Bill, you going to have a stand in that spruce tree?

[Bill Carlsen]

Greg: It is actually a maple that the stand is in....about 8 yards from where the buck is when the camera caught him. He is standing exactly where the deer I killed last year was when I shot him. And to think I was going to move it!

[ber643]

Fun reading all of this. I was born and raised in NH but never hunted much other than squirrels, and then joined the MC at 17. Did do a lot of brook trouting and cold water lake fishing. Didn't hunt deer as they were relativly scarce in my area (Lake Winnipisaukee/Laconia) during the years while I was growing up. I did do some bowhunting there after we moved back to Maine (Fryeburg, across state line from North Conway, NH) for six years (early 90's) to look after my Ma 'til she passed. David and I have "talked" often also, as well as "Jawge".

A real pleasure reading about towns and areas I knew/know fairly well. My folks moved south in the state (Nashua) about a year befor I joined the MC. And my sister and her family have lived in Milford forever - LOL. From visiting other relatives, and places we went, I knew all the other towns mentioned also.

I always loved NH (and still do - a most beautiful state - though I can remember when relatives used to complain about the taxes - things change, huh?). I just couldn't see "living" where I had to shovel snow befor going to work, when it came time to retire from the MC, not after all the time I'd spent in the south and overseas - LOL

[nutmeg]

Well Bill I guess you're glad you didn't move that stand. Damn, it's making my itch to get back a whole lot itchier       lol

[buckeye_hunter]

I would also like to know the best areas up there.

Can I also add a question? Is a hunter allowed to hunt with bow during  New Hampshire & Vermont gun seasons? I would love to retire up that way someday ut not if there are too many restrictions on bow hunting.

[GreatBay]

Great opportunities in NH. I live in Barrington and see deer all the time, just not when I'm in the woods hunting!
Buckeye- I don't know about VT. but in NH you can use a bow during gun season.

[VTer]

Buckeye, in VT you can use your bow as well in rifle season. It'll probably be just you and me but you can do it.      Read my signature below.