Chapter VIII, Big Game, Bear

From History of NH Game and Furbearers by Helenette Silver, Research Clerk, NH Fish and Game Dept. 1957

The black bear, Euarctos amencanus amencanus, originally found in all parts of New Hampshire, now occurs generally only in the Counties of Carroll, Grafton and Coos, infrequently in the western quarter of Merrimack and the northern quarter of Belknap Counties (Preble 1942, Stevens 1943, Hamilton 1943), and rarely in the other counties. The Indians hunted bear with bow and arrow, and took them with snares and in pits (Merrill 1888). Wood (1634) wrote that bear was esteemed over venison. Pioneer women of New Hampshire used the meat, not only for steaks and roasts, but combined with pumpkins for mincemeat (Wheeler 1879).

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