STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WILDLIFE DIVISION

13 November 2013
Bear Season Update #5

As of November 4th, 524 bears (322 males, 202 females) have been reported to the bear project.  Bait hunters harvested 306 bears (202 males, 104 females), still hunters/stalkers have taken 133 bears (81 males, 52 females) and hound hunters have registered 85 bears (39 males, 46 females).  The current overall harvest sex ratio is 1.6 males per female.  Method-specific harvest sex ratios include 1.9 m:f for bait hunters, 1.6 m:f for still hunters and 0.8 m:f for hound hunters.

On a regional basis, 99 bears (59 males, 40 females, 1.5 m:f) have been taken in the North, 150 (96 males, 54 females, 1.8 m:f) in the White Mountains, 176 (101 males, 75 females, 1.3 m:f) in the Central, 60 (41 males, 19 females, 2.2 m:f) in Southwest-1, 35 (21 males, 14 females, 1.5 m:f) in Southwest-2 and 4 (all males) in the Southeast region. 

Below is a breakdown of the bear harvest through November 4th for the past 6 years.  This year’s harvest continues to represent an “average” year and is within 74 bears (-12%) of the 5-year in-season average of 598 bears for this time period.  Additionally, the current harvest is 34% below the 2012 harvest at this point in the season.

Deer hunters have taken a few bears during the past 11-day muzzleloader season.  Most of these bears were taken in and around beech stands.  While bears continue to work beechnuts (leaf rolling at this point) in some locations, a percentage of bears, specifically pregnant females, have entered dens for the season.  The bear harvest over the next 14 days in the White Mountains region (only area open to bear hunting after today) is expected to be low and will likely be mostly male bears.

The hound hunting season ended today in all regions.  The still hunting/stalking season also ended today in the North, Central and Southwest-1 regions.  The still hunting/stalking season in the White Mountains will remain open until November 26th.

Please continue to submit all bear registration slips and premolars with deer data mailings during the remainder of the 2013 bear season.  Thanks again for your assistance with registering bears this fall