STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WILDLIFE DIVISION

DATE: 6 November 2014
RE: Bear Season Update # 4

As of November 6th, 703 bears (382 males, 321 females) have been reported to the bear project.  Bait hunters harvested 405 bears (228 males, 177 females), still hunters/stalkers have taken 198 bears (104 males, 94 females) and hound hunters have registered 100 bears (50 males, 50 females).  The current overall harvest sex ratio is 1.2 males per female.  Method-specific harvest sex ratios include 1.3 m:f for bait hunters, 1.1 m:f for still hunters and 1.0 m:f for hound hunters.

On a regional basis, 152 bears (77 males, 75 females, 1.0 m:f) have been taken in the North, 216 (114 males, 102 females, 1.1 m:f) in the White Mountains, 217 (117 males, 100 females, 1.2 m:f) in the Central, 56 (39 males, 17 females, 2.3 m:f) in Southwest-1, 56 (31 males, 25 females, 1.2 m:f) in Southwest-2 and 6 (4 males, 2 females, 2.0 m:f) in the Southeast region. 

Below is a breakdown of the bear harvest through November 6th for the past 6 years.  This year’s harvest is running slightly above (+13%) the 5-year in-season average of 622 bears for this time period.  Additionally, the current harvest is 32% above last year’s level at point in the season.  In terms of harvest numbers, the current season continues to track somewhat similar to those of 2009 and 2010 when the total bear killed equaled 758 and 708, respectively.

The bait hunting portion of the season has ended statewide.  Additionally, the entire bear hunting season has ended in the Southwest-2 and Southeast regions.  The statewide (excluding the southernmost two regions) hound hunting season will end November 11th.  The still hunting season will end in the North and Southwest-1 regions on November 11th and in the Central and White Mountains regions on November 25th.

Please continue to submit all bear registration slips and premolars with deer data mailings during the remainder of the 2014 bear season.  Thanks again for your assistance with registering bears this fall.