New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

New Hampshire acorns, apples and moutain ash abundant this fall. (VIDEO)

Saturday 10/05/2019

According to New Hampshire Fish and Game Department bear biologist Andy Timmins the final results of the annual "mast survey" conducted by wildlife biologists and a few foresters across the state each fall shows that indeed the acorn, apple and mountain ash crop is excellent. Early on it looked like a great beechnut year, but further analysis shows that this year's beechnut drop may be average at best. Its more spotty than usual.

The black bear kill as of Friday October 4th is 425 bears. This will put it in the "average" year category. But this is up a significantly from the mid September bear kill of 131 bears. The 2018 bear kill was a record at 1053 bears. The abundance of foods this year means bear and deer need to move less making them less vulnerable to hunters.