Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
      NH Sunday News had a full page spread on the Moose Hunt. Definitely
    well written, and loaded with enough facts to shoot down any ardent
    "Anti-Moose_hunt" advocates...
    
    
    Joe

    Please post more info on this as it comes around, info such as:
    
    When will the season be?
    Price of the permit if you are drawn?
    Is it only for residents?
    Will it work like Maine, with 2 people per permit, or are you on
    your own if you get a permit??
    
    Thanks
    
    --Bob, who is very interested after seeing all the moose sign while
    deer hunting.
    

           I'm an avid hunter and have been for many years. But as far
    as shooting a moose. I'd find about as much challenge in that as
    picking out a farmers heifer and shooting it down. I think they
    operate on about the same inteligence level. Everyone has their
    own opinions and that's mine. Think I'll stick to waterfowl and
    deer. Flame if you want guys/gals but I just don't see any sense
    in shooting Bullwinkle.

    Ok Bob, Here's the scoop! I just called the N.H. Fish & Game and
    asked the questions:
    
    Q:whats the application deadline and fee.
    A: April 29th,88  $10.00 no refund.
    
    Q:When will the Season be?
    A:OCT.18th thru OCT.20th.
    
    Q:Price of permit if drawn?
    A:Residents,$100.00/Nonresidents $300.00
    
    Q:will it work like Maine (2 people)
    A:Yes but only one Moose.          
    
    The Department also said that if you are drawn you will be given
    a map,and on that map will be designated areas of which have been
    picked by the department, and You must pick from, to hunt that area
    and that area only.
    
    Also in terms of the number of non-residents that apply will dictate
    what the % of permits will be to allocate from the 75. The percentage
    today, 1/13/88, is between 10%-13% will go to non residents.
    
    I hope that answers your questions. Boy,I'm glad I finished what
    I started.
    
    See ya,
    Rick...........
                                           

    
    re .3
    
    This is not a flame, just a counter opinion, some of which is probably
    in support of you.
    
    Moose are not dumb animals, true they do not have very good eyes,
    but they have great noses and ears which more than make up for the
    eyes. The reason they appear dumb to many people around here is
    that they have no reason to fear humans. Why should they be afraid,
    they have never been shot at by them, and we all know who wins when
    the have a "run in" with a car.  If you talk to someone who has
    hunted moose in Cananda, where they are heavily hunted, you will
    find they are not dumb at all. True, they are not as elusive as
    the whitetail, but what is? Not even the Western Muley or Elk are
    as hard to get close to. (Let me state I have never hunted the above
    two animals, what I am saying is from reading. Don't mean to offend
    any western hunters :-) )
    
    As for being easy to hunt (I know you did not say this but I feel
    it was implied). Where I hunt deer in Northern NH we have seen alot
    of Moose sign over the last 2 years, out of 5 people in the woods
    there has only been one moose seen, which happened to be a very
    large bull. No I did not see it, but would have loved to.  I have
    seen alot more deer up there and the amount of sign, although not
    even, is not overly lopsided. I would say for every 3 sets of deer
    tracks I find about 1-2 moose tracks. The rubs on the trees are
    the other way, I have seen more moose rubs than deer rubs, and boy
    are these high up, some as far as 6-7 feet off the ground and about
    a quarter of an inch deep. So there are moose in the area, they
    must not be walking idiots, or I figure we would have seen more
    of them.  We have seen quite a few deer, this year alone the group
    of us saw nine deer no moose.
    
    thanks for your input to this note, I respect what you are saying,
    but believe you are not totally correct.
    
    --Bob
    

    I just called the F & G I wanted an application sent to me. They
    said no problem but if you haven't got your license yet all the
    agents were sent them last week and she gave me a list who were
    the agents in my area. I called the one I usually go to K Mart
    in Salem they said we have about 7 left. So the way it looks the
    F & G wants you to go to the agent first and if thier out call them
    next.
    
                                             Good Luck in the Lottery,
                                                       Guy

         Re .3: A few years back when Maine opened its first hunting
         season on moose, there was a joke going around that you could
         get your picture taken with your moose *before* you shot it. 
         
         I suspect these big critters have gotten a little more wary
         of humans now that they're being hunted regularly. 
                                                              
         Regarding the difficulty of bagging a moose, the hunter
         success rate ought to be a good indicator. Anybody know what
         it was in Maine last year? 
         
         Doug 

    
    
    	I think its dumb to hunt ducks. You don't know how many times
    I have walked right up on them in rivers and in ponds. I mean real
    stupid animal.
    
    	As a matter of fact we all know how easy hunting is because
    "they" keep reminding us, take my mother-in-law (please) she thinks
    that there is a deer behind every tree. and it is easy picking.
    They make it sound like its done in a few a minutes easy, RIGHT.
    
    What do you say Rich Zore tell us how easy it is.
    
    	Just because you see a moose while you are deer hunting or out
    in the woods during some other activity doesn't mean that if you
    draw a permit and hunt between the dates set up in the season that
    you will be garanteed a moose.
    
    	What is more important is the total utilization of the animals
    we do kill. It serves no useful purpose to kill an animal and then
    discard half of it or only take a small part as keeps sake.
    
    	How would you feel if I were to shoot a wood duck take the feathers
    and throw the meat away.
    
    	Lets not pass judgement on our peers but support all hunting
    because you never know when you might change your mind and want
    to hunt something new like
    
    Coyote.............................right jeff
                                                                    
    
    Bear.  

    Deer hunting not easy?
    
    You gotta be kidding, Bear.
    
    Heck, I heard of a guy who went duck hunting and shot a 5 pointer
    form his duck blind.  Apparantly he was bored with shooting ducks
    and geese, so he shot a deer.
    
    :-)
    
    Brett.

	The following was taken from the VACATIONER november 18th issue:

	During the time of high deer heard populations in the state, moose
became infected with a disease which carries the greatest detrimental impact
on moose populations, "moose brainworm" or parelaphostrongylus tenuis. White
tailed deer carry this parasite, but has no effect on the deer. Their feces 
are fed upon by snails, who then become the intermediate host for the brain
worm.
	When inflicted snails are accidentally ingested by moose, while eating
browse, the moose become infected with the brainworm larva. the larva pass
through the digestive track and migrate to the spinal-cord, eventually 
making their way to the brain. Depending upon which area of the brain becomes
infected, symptoms of the disease include: blindness,paralysis, cocked head
carriage, an odd stance, circling, a complete lack of fear. Most of the
symptoms render the moose incapable of fending for itself, resulting in it's
eventual death.
	****************************************************

	So in my opinion this could be one of the reasons for the moose hunt
and also the reason for SOME moose to be stupid.

	The moose population in new hampshire has increased dramatically
over the years. in 1950, the population of moose was estimated at 50 animals.
in 1977, this figure rose to 500 and then to 1,600 by 1982. Today, the new
hampshire fish and game department estimate the moose population between
1,800 to 2,000.



mike.....

	Two public hearings, on the proposed moose hunt were help in september.
 the first hearing was help in concord, followed by a hearing in berlin.
Although there were some strong objections to a moose season (it would be the
first since 1901), the majority of persons attending those meetings expressed
support for the department's proposal to hold a limited three day hunt in the
fall of 1988.
	By a special lottery, 75 permits will be issued (after the selected
hunters have attended a special pre-hunt seminar) with each permittee being
allowed to kill one moose during the three day event. The hunt will be roughly
north of a line drawn from littleton to rochester. This encompasses a huge
area of the state, which will be broken up into 11 specified hunting zones.
This will enable biologists to distribute the hunting pressure in accordance
with moose densities.
	Each hunter will be assigned a specific zone and may hunt only within
that area. This distributes the hunting pressures over a wide area of the state
and will eliminate any possibility of crowding into known 'hot spots' such
as pittsburg. Also, no hunting will be allowed within 100 yards of a class
1 through 5 highway or within George E Roberts Memorial Highway.

	Well I'm sorry if I have repeated myself or anyone else but I though
it was interesting/informative.


mike.....

    Having hunted, and shot a moose in Maine, I can relate to alot of
    this discussion.  When the moose season first was started in ME,
    the kill percentage was very high.  AS someone else stated the animals
    have been left alone for so long that they lost alot of there fear
    of man.  Over the last few years however, the kill percentage has
    dropped as the moose became edjucated.  Each year it gets harder
    to kill one.  Any one who thinks its easy to take a moose, hasn't
    tried getting one out of the woods.  If you want to see what its
    like, take the wheels off a Volkswagon and try dragging it througn
    the woods.8*)  Shooting one may not be the most difficult thing
    to do, but its not the easiest either.  Personally, I think squirell
    hunting is a peice of cake, you just open the window and pop them 
    off the bird feeder. O.K. only kidding.  The point I'm trying to make 
    is that there is alot more to bagging a moose the n just pulling the 
    trigger.  Some where in this notes file is note describing how we
    bagged Bullwinkle.
    Jeff                               

    Well, I do have to add that it ain't THAT easy to hunt deer, at
    least not for me.  I missed at shot at 13 paces this year so I think
    I'll just shut up and let the experts talk it out!!!  :-)
    
    Rich Zore

    Well I went out and bought my license last and mailed off my permit
    application. I thought there would be an area for your 88 hunting
    license number so that only people who have purchased a license
    
    could apply, I guess not. This could cause a problem with the anti's
    applying and trying to get one and destroy it. I think I'm going
    to call the F & G and see how they will handle this.
    
                                                             Guy

    I just got off the phone with the F & G and asked about who could
    apply for this permit, reply: EVERYONE it is a lottery. You do not
    have to have an 88 license unless you are picked, then you can obtain
    one. I can understand some points why there doing it because the
    way Maine does it the same way, but the reply I got was few if any
    ANTI's have past license's or Hunter Safety Cards to obtain an 88
    license to be able to burn the permit. I was also given a name and
    phone number of the responsible person to talk too and discuss
    any new ideas or opions on this subject.
    
    
                              Chris Kline  @ (603) 271-2461
    
    
                                                 Hope this adds value,
    
                                                         Guy
    

    	re.7
    	Maine had 910 tagged this year. A phenomenal percentage given
    that 1300 permits were issued..
    
    					Jack

    The Argument which is often used against moose hunting seems to
    be that it is unsporting to shoot a large and supposedly slow stupid
    animal.Though moose are hardly as slow and stupid as many people
    seem to think,this is an emotional argument without any absolute
    factual answer.To some people,all hunting is unsporting.To others
    it is sporting to shoot quarry which is flying or running,but not
    sitting or standing still.To still others,the essence of the hunt
    is locating the quarry and obtaining a clean,one shot kill,and they
    have no qualms about shooting a sitting grouse or a standing deer
    or moose.The point really is not whether moose hunting is or isnt
    sporting,but whether moose should be managed by trained professionals
    based on scientific methods,careful study,and the traditional technique
    of hunting to achieve valid conservation goals.Remember,Not a single
    wildlife species nationwide managed by professionals has ever become
    endangered,rare,or threatened because of sport hunting.And this
    is the reason for a Moose hunt.Now with that off my chest,lets get
    to what this file is all about,"Hunting",in this case the Moose,one
    of us is going to be picked,so maybe the rest of us can share some
    techniques on how to bag this guy.Such as,Moose Calling,any ideas?
    The Rut,is it during the season?( Mid October)Where do they hang
    out? Do they feed on Deer Food? Come on Guys lets hear from all
    you Woodsman,ya know in a sence were all experts.
    
    Rick...........

    Re. 114.19  Alright BRO, now lets get back on target.
                                                    _
                                                   (+)
                                                    -

                                                             Guy

    The biggest factor in any kind of hunting is what you do BEFORE
    the season starts.  When we first got the permit in ME, we got
    all the info we could find for the area we were assigned.  We bought
    topo's, called friends, talked to wardens, etc.  Several days before
    the season opened we were in our area scouting.  We used the topo maps
    to locate "boggy" looking areas that were accesable from logging
    roads.  We checked as many as possible for sign and located several
    animals.  As it turned out the first place we checked had te animal
    we ended up taking, but we had a couple of other places in reserve.
    If I had my way I would have scouted the area at least a month prior
    to the season.  Because of work etc. we had to settle for just a
    couple of days scouting.
      If you score be prepared to either quarter the animal or have
    plenty of help in getting it out.  This is why we planned on hunting
    only areas near logging roads.  You don't want to shoot one a mile
    from the nearest road.  Good luck to all who apply.  
    Jeff
    
    p.s.  Want to drive the wife really nuts?  Make a moose call!
         Take a coffee can and a 30 inch piece of rawhide lacing.
         Punch a hole in the middle of the bottom of the can and thread
         the lacing threw.  Knot the end.  Wet the lacing, and holding
         it between your thumb and forefinger, pull.  The lacing will
         vibrate and the can acts as a megaphone.  Don't really know
         if it works on moose, but is guarenteed to get a rise out of
         mom. 8*)
                           
    
    
                              
    

    It will cost $10 for a chance at a moose permit.It does not require
    a license however,if you are picked you must have a valid 1988 license
    and pay $100 for a resident or $300 for a nonresident to obtain
    the permit.If you do not pay by June 15th you are disqualified and
    an alternate will be chosen.

    The full page ad in last week's paper had a number to call where
    you could get a reprint of the ad.  I called and received the reprint
    yesterday.  I received 2 pamphlets, one was a full reprint of the
    ad in Sunday's paper and the other was a 5 page paper with general
    info about Moose.  This included History of moose hunting, Description,
    distribution, the moose/deer relationship, management and reasearch,
    tourist info, ecology, habitat, scoial characteristics and mortality.
    
    Some of the info follows:
    Ecology: Moose usually remain within a 2-10 mile radius throughout
    the year. During the rut young bulls may move much further. Seasonable
    movements occur in the Spring when they seek out salt licks and
    begin to feed in ponds. Clear-cuts are used throughout the year
    with the animals moving to hardwoods located near softwood cover
    in the fall.  Moose seek softwood cover when snow depths reach approx.
    27 inches, the snow gets a crust or in extreme cold and windy
    conditions.
    Habitat: Moose live in areas of the northern forest where thickets
    ans swamps provide plenty of browse and aquatic plants to eat and
    good shelter.  They are chiefly browsers but will graze on grass,
    lichens, moss and mushrooms, occasionally kneeling to do so.  In
    summer they can often be found feeding on aquadic plants & have
    been known to dive up to 18 feet (that's not a typo) for these plants.
    They are excellant swimmers.  Beaver ponds are heavily used.  Trees
    and shrubs used by moose during the year are hobblebush, grey and
    white birch, balsam poplar, red mountain & striped maple as well
    as cherry, willow, aspen, ash, dogwood, yew, hemlock & balsam fir.
    Moose means "eater of twigs" in Algonguin.
    
    Hope this helps.  Give fish and game a call and ask for the pamphlet
    called "The Moose" and the pamphlet called "Moose Management 1988".
    
    Rich
    
    
    Fish & game Dept.
    34 Bridge Street
    Concord, NH 03301

    When you go and get your permit application they should give the
    Moose Management pamphlet and a list of the rules of the permit
    and how the areas are listed.
    
                                                      Guy
                                                       -
                                                      (+)
                                                       -

    For any of you that think moose are just dumb and whitetails are
    so elusive, drive up to Long Island in the northern part of Lake
    Winnipeasukee.  In N.H. hunting is not permited on any island. 
    As a result, Long Is. has an over population of whitetails that
    are perfectly content to stand in the open and look at you while
    you get out of your car and walk around them.  
    
    Hunting pressure makes a big difference!
    
    Mark,
    

    Well got my yellow card back last night I'm in the ruuning. By the
    way anybody catch the article in the Lawerence Eagle Tribune I don't
    know what other paper printed it about the THOUSANDS of signitures
    that were passed in to stop the " Blood Bath In Our Woods" which
    had a comment after from a gun club president of " When there are
    no controls in place to regulate a species by the time they get
    around to putting one in place the species is EXTINCT " or strong
    words to that effect.
    
                                                         Guy
                                                          _
                                                         (+)
                                                          -

    
    Hi there N.H. hunters. My name is Dan and I work at the Augusta
    plant. I've been lucky enough to have been along on a few Maine
    moose hunts. I'ts a lot of fun but also a helluva lot of work.
    I would be glad to share some of my experiences as well to offer
    some advice to anyone who is seriously thinking about your up-
    coming moose hunt.
    
    
    			good luck in the lottery!!!!!!!!
    

	I found this article in this months VACATIONER issue and thought
I would share it with everyone... The article was submitted by Kristine 
Klien, moose project leader for the new hampshire fish and game department.
She has spent the last 2 years doing moose research, Developing management
plans, giving slide show and talks to any requesting audience and assisting
in the development of educational materials.

	"Sportsmen have always supported the fish and game department through
the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses. It was the sportsmen, 86 years
ago who demanded the legislature close the moose season after unregulated
subsistence and market hunting decimated the population.
	Understanding new hampshire's moose herd requires both a historical
perspective and a few basic facts. If you would like information regarding
moose, the department offers educational brochures on moose, the 1988
management plan, a 20 minute slide show, and will send a wildlife biologist
to address interested groups of individuals." The address is:

			New Hampshire fish and game department
				34 bridge street
			    concord, N.H. 03301

	Maybe we can all get together and have Kristine give us a presentation?

mike...

Here is the complete text of a report on Moose management put out by the
NH Fish and Game. This was available, free, last weekend at a NH State Liquor
store I stopped at on Rt 93.


"New Hampshire's moose herd has grown a minimum of 33 times in 33 years.
After 86 years of protection, Fish and Game Department has scheduled a 
limited hunt according to RSA 208:1-a"

                                     
    New Hampshire's Moose Herd: The Resource Always Comes First

The most fundamental principle of wildlife management, and one which has 
always guided the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, is that the long
range welfare and abundance of wildlife is its most important consideration.
This concern for the future of the moose in New Hampshire, which is shared by 
the National Wildlife Federation and its New Hampshire affiliate, the New
Hampshire Wildlife Federation, is precisely the reason for the establishment of
an extremely limited and carefully regulated moose hunting season.

The purpose of this publication is to explain the reasons for holding a moose
hunt in New Hampshire and demonstrate that the hunt is part of a sound
scientific management program conducted by trained, professional wildlife
biologists.



     How New Hampshire's Growing Moose Population Evolved

An understanding of New Hampshire's present burgeoning moose population requires
some historical perspective, as well as a few basic facts about the biology of
both moose and deer.  Like the rest of New England, most of New Hampshire lies 
at the southern extremity of the moose range and the northern extremity of the 
white-tailed deer range.  This overlapping of deer and moose range can have a
profound effect upon the moose.

Before white settlers came to the state, it is likely that the moose, as in
Maine, was New Hampshire's dominant large herbivore, with deer a secondary
species.  Certainly, later historical records verify that moose were abundant
throughout the state, with their primary range encompassing everything north
of the southern Carroll County line. In those early times, deer and moose 
populations were kept in balance with their habitat by two major predators, 
wolves and cougars.  These were assisted by Native Americans, for whom deer
and moose, particularly the latter, were a major source of food and clothing.

When white settlers arrived, things began to change. These settlers needed 
food, too, and in growing numbers they began to shoot moose indiscriminately.
Perhaps even more important, these settlers began to clear the land for
agriculture at a great rate and to heavily cut forests for certain preferred
species, such as white pine.  These practices resulted in an interspersion of
new and old forest growth. simultaneously, wolves and cougars were gradually
eradicated by the inexorable pressures of a growing human population.

These changes were generally much more beneficial to deer than to moose. Deer
thrived along the edges where farm and forest land met, just as they thrived
on the low browse which grew up as forest land was cut.  Also, a long term trend
toward milder winters with lighter snowfall helped the expanding deer
population.

A large deer population does not seem to be beneficial to moose.  Deer carry,
but are not seriously affected by, brainworm (parelaphostrongylus tenuis),
a parasite which is passed on in their droppings. These parasites then pass
through a host snail and are inadvertently ingested (along with the snails)
by moose.  Inside the moose, the parasites infect the covering of the brain
and cause a fatal sickness.

Thus a while series of changes decimated New Hampshire's once abundant moose
population.  These changes included unregulated subsistence and market
hunting; conversion of approximately 70 percent of the state from forest
land to open land; forest cutting practices which favored deer, rather than
moose; and increasing numbers of deer which transmitted the fatal brainworm
parasite to the hapless moose.

Concern for a dwindling moose population was evident at least as early as
1875, when the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department tried to close the moose 
season.  This early attempt at moose management was unfortunately thwarted 
by the Legislature, which feared economic loss and therefore would not allow
lawbreakers to be punished.  Finally, in 1901, New Hampshire's moose season 
was closed and has remained closed until the present.


Much of the state has reverted to forest land over the years, and by the late
1950's major changes again began to take place in New Hampshire, and indeed 
throughout northern New England. A combination of forest clear-cutting on a 
very large scale and spruce budworm epidemics reduced the mature softwood
cover required by deer for good winter survival.  Then, in the 1960's and 70s,
a number of severe winters with exceptionally deep snow occurred in northern
New England.  These combined with the lack of mature softwood cover to reduce
deer populations.  However, the larger and longer legged moose fared better 
under these conditions, and their numbers began to increase as deer numbers
declined.  The estimated moose population in New Hampshire rose from 50 in
1955, to 500 in 1977, and 1600 in 1982.

In 1983, because of a growing public interest and concern for the rapidly 
increasing moose population, the Legislature issued the Fish and Game 
Department a mandate to develop a plan which would manage moose under a multiple
 use concept.  This management plan was to include, but not be limited to, 
research on the biology and population of the state's moose; education of the
public concerning the status of the moose in New Hampshire and the Fish and
Game Department's research and management objectives; and a management plan 
which could include both habitat enhancement and a very limited hunting season
for moose.  The latter had only two restrictions attached, a moose season 
would be no longer than 3 days and it could remove no more than 75 moose.


              An Extraordinary and Enviable Record

One of the most important facts about New Hampshire's limited moose season 
is that it has been recommended only after the most careful study by
professional wildlife biologists.  Who are professional biologists, and why 
should their recommendations be trusted?

Professional wildlife biologists or managers generally have five or more years
of college technical training, backed by years of practical experience in the
field.  Over the years, and especially today, their record has been 
extraordinary.  Not a single wildlife species nationwide managed by 
professionals has ever become endangered, rare, or threatened because of sport 
hunting or fishing.

On the contrary, professional wildlife biologists have brought back many game
species from scarcity to abundance.  These include such species as pronghorn
antelope and elk.

New Englanders need look no further than the wild turkey for an outstanding 
example.  Once exterminated throughout the region by habitat changes and 
unregulated commercial hunting, wild turkeys have been restored to abundance
throughout much of New England, including New Hampshire, by modern wildlife
management techniques, to the benefit and delight of both hunters and
nonhunters.

In New Hampshire, professional wildlife biologists in the Fish and Game 
Department have a particularly strong record.  Time after time they have 
demonstrated that their management recommendations are for the long range well
being of the resource and contain conservative safeguards to insure that 
that well being.

For example, when the possibility arose that the state's bear population might
be headed for trouble, the Fish and Game Department closed the bear season 
outright in seven out of ten counties and reduced the season length in the other
three.  Also, despite considerable pressure, the department has refused to
lengthen the fisher season until it is sure the fisher population can sustain
this added pressure.  Moreover, the Department created "bucks only" areas for
deer hunting and reduced the number of days of either-sex deer hunting.  It
also divided the state into a number of wildlife management units so that 
wildlife could be managed on the basis of habitat available locally.  This 
focused approach serves wildlife better that the old, generalized approach.

These and other decisions demonstrate that the Department's wildlife 
professionals consider the long-range welfare of our wildlife resources more 
important than the immediate pressures of financial and political
considerations!


                             Moose Not Rare

How many moose does New Hampshire have?  This is of course a vital question to
the state's wildlife biologists and concerned laymen alike.  Wildlife census
techniques are not exact, and no one can say with certainty precisely how many
moose exist in the state.  However, using modern survey techniques, a reasonable
working estimate can be made.

What are these techniques?  One is the Report Card Survey.  This indicates 
that although moose are found throughout the state, the primary range is
everything north of a line from Littleton to Rochester.  Survey results also
indicate that the mountainous region which extends south to Wilmot may also be
primary moose range.

Deer hunters in census areas are also required to report all moose seen during
the  time spent in those areas.  Another indicator of moose population is moose
vehicle collision; there were 50 of these in 1984, 73 in 1985, and 90 in 1986.
Finally, starting this winter (1987-1988), aerial surveys of moose will be 
conducted.  This follows a trial aerial survey done during the winter of 1985-
1986.

Combining the results of all of these surveys, the Fish and Game Department
estimated conservatively that there were approximately 1,600 moose in New
Hampshire in 1982.  although it seems evident that the state's moose population 
has increased since then, the Department prefers to use that figure for the 
present to be certain that it errs on the side of conservatism and the safety
 of the moose herd.


                         How Many Can be Taken?

Some New Hampshire residents may be concerned hat too many moose will be taken
during the hunting season.  They have no need to worry.  The New Hampshire
season will remove, at maximum, five percent of the state's moose population
annually.  By contrast, the Scandinavian countries annually remove 50 percent
of their moose population. Wyoming, with a healthy moose herd, removes 13 
percent and Idaho nine percent.

Closer to home, Maine's once-controversial moose hunt has proved the wisdom
of the professional biologists' recommendations. By taking approximately five
percent of the state's moose herd each year, the Maine moose season has not 
even stopped the growth of the moose population, let alone reduced the size 
of the heard.


                     Moose Watching Not Threatened.

As numbers of moose have increased, moose watching has become a favorite
pastime for many New Hampshire residents.  Some, however, may be fearful that
even a very limited moose season will jeopardize this pastime.  The New
Hampshire Fish and Game Department is well aware of the recreational value of
moose watching, and it has no wish to diminish it.  Therefore, precautions have 
been taken to prevent such an occurrence.

First, the number of moose taken throughout the state will be only a very
tiny percentage of the total population.  Second, moose hunters will be widely
dispersed through the use of a zone permit system which ensures against 
heavy hunting pressure in any one area.  Third, the moose hunt will take place
only in the primary moose range, where moose numbers are high.  


                   Purposes of a Moose Season. 

Why have professional wildlife biologists recommended a very limited moose
season in portions of New Hampshire?  Some background information is necessary 
in order to answer this question.

It is a well-documented fact that large herbivores, such as deer or moose,
will, if their population growth is unchecked, overpopulate and do serious
long-term damage to their habitat and themselves.  One need look no further than
Vermont for an object lesson.  There the deer herd, swollen by years of 
legislative overprotection, finally stripped food supplies almost bare in 
critical wintering areas.  As a result, it is estimated that over 100,000
deer died of starvation, disease and other factors related to malnutrition
during the winters of 1969-1971.  And again in 1982, approximately 25 percent
of the greatly reduced deer heard died during a severe winter, the victims
of an inadequate food supply which had not yet recovered from years of abuse.  
Only new, after a number of years of patient professional management, is
Vermont's deer habitat recovering from long mismanagement so that it can again
sustain a large, healthy deer herd.

No responsible persons, organizations, or agencies are predicting an imminent
overpopulation of moose in New Hampshire, followed by a dramatic collapse.
However, New Hampshire's moose habitat is not unlimited, and at some future
point a growing moose population will, if unchecked, outstrip the carrying 
capacity of its winter habitat.  Wolves and Cougars are no longer available to
hold the moose population in check, nor are they ever likely to be, due to their
sensitivity to human activity.  This leaves man as the only control on the 
numbers of moose, other than disease and starvation.  by the time an 
overpopulation of moose occurs at some point in the future, it will then be too
late to initiate a moose hunting season.  By then, the damage to both habitat
and moose will have been done for the most part.

With all this is mind, biologists in the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
have recommended an extremely limited moose season in order to achieve several
objectives.

-To develop a management system now which will permit New Hampshire's moose
population to grow for the present (albeit a little more slowly) but which will
be sufficiently refined and tested so that moose and their habitat can be 
brought into balance at some future point.

-To gather necessary biological data needed to monitor the status of the 
moose herd and develop future management recommendations.  Although some of this
information is gathered from accidental kills throughout the year, the moose 
taken during the hunting season will represent an important and reliable 
additional source of biological data.

-To utilize a very limited portion of a renewable resource as a valuable source
of meat and recreational hunting for those who, after all, pay for moose 
research, protection, and management.


                              Meat Not Wasted

This leads to another important point.  A major misconception which seems to
exist is that most moose killed legally during a hunting season are shot for 
trophies and their meat is left in the woods.  this is simply not true.  Moose
meat is considered a real delicacy by most people who have tried it; 
furthermore, experience in Maine has shown that virtually no moose meat is 
left in the woods.  Thus, something on the order of 15,000 pounds of 
delicious moose meat will end up on the tables of a number of New Hampshire
residents as a result of the first year's moose hunt.

Another myth is that it's better to let poachers control the moose herd
because in that way the meat supposedly goes to the deserving poor.  Not
so.  All available information indicates that most meat from illegally shot
moose is sold for a fancy price by professional criminals.

Occasionally one also hears the argument that any killing of moose should
be done only by conservation officers and biologists in the Fish and Game
Department.  Professional biologists know that this could be done only at an
enormous cost which would transform New Hampshire's moose herd from an 
economic asset to an economic liability.


                      Moose Hunting Unsporting?

Another argument which is often used against moose hunting seems to be
that it is unsporting to shoot a large and supposedly slow and stupid animal.
Though moose are hardly as slow and stupid as many people seem to think, 
this is an emotional argument without any absolute factual answer.  To some
people, all hunting is unsporting.  To others it is sporting to shoot a 
quarry which is flying or running, but not sitting or standing still.  To still
others, the essence of the hunt is locating the quarry and obtaining a clean,
one-shot kill, and they have no qualms about shooting a sitting grouse or a
standing deer or moose.  The point really is not whether moose hunting is or
isn't sporting, but whether moose should be managed by trained professionals
based on scientific methods, careful study, and the traditional technique 
of hunting to achieve valid conservative goals.


                             Conclusions

The science of wildlife management has time and again shown itself to be a far
more effective protector of wildlife abundance than management based on
emotions and popular myths.  This is just as true of moose management as it is
of the management of all other species, whether they are game species, non-
game, or even endangered.

Under professional management, including this carefully controlled and limited
hunt, New Hampshire's moose herd will continue to grow at a healthy rate 
until it is stabilized at a level which can be sustained over a long period
of time.  This professional management is the best insurance which New 
Hampshire residents can have that they will continue to see and enjoy the 
magnificent moose in abundance.  That is why both the National Wildlife 
Federation and the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation endorse the moose 
management plan developed by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
    

    Anyone get there name drawn. I beleive the lucky ones
    should have been notified by now.
    
    Does any one heard of anyone who had his or her name drawn?
    
    Unfortunately I will have to look for something else to shoot
    with this 35 whalen when it comes in.
    
    Bear,

    re: -.1
    
    >Unfortunately I will have to look for something else to shoot
    >with this 35 whalen when it comes in.
    
    >Bear,
    
    
     
    Bears *are* good for stopping 35 Whelen.  Good choice.

    	The Union Leader listed all people who were lucky enough to
    draw permits. Unfortunatly, I don't have the list any more.
    
    
    	Red  Waiting for Deer season

    
    Does anybody know the results of the Moose hunt? I heard 17 scored
    the first day, but heard nothing after that.

    Last I heard was a total of 57 moose taken out of the 75 permits
    issued. It took one person 20 hours to haul his 1000 plus pound
    moose out of the woods. Guess there is wisdom to the statement
    "Where do you shoot a moose?" Answer:"As close to the road as
    possible....."
    
    sjn

Co-worker of mine said that she saw in a newspaper that a total of 59 were 
taken.


Rich

    In the sunday addition of the Manchester Union Leader (NH) OUTDOORS
    section there was an article that gave the following numbers:
    
       During the three-day season, 57 moose were take: 40 bulls and
    17 cows. Of the four check-in stations. Twin Mountain had 15 moose
    registered,Kilkenney 20, Conway 12 and Columbia 10. The largest
    bull was shot by Robert Goodard. It weighed 940 pounds field dressed.
    
    Moose project leader Kris Klein is quoted as saying "There is no
    biological reason not to have a hunt next."  She also said that
    if there is a season next year they would change very little.
    
    Steve

	I have to admit to the following: I have stolen the following
	note:
                      <<< Note 114.29 by GLIVET::HUSTON >>>
                       -< Moose management publication >-

	in order to enter it into the FIREARMS notes file. Readers
	of both files may have already seen this. This note seemed
	just the right thing to read after having read the cr*p
	from PETA as it also appears in this file under subject
	657.

	I hope it is OK. In any event, note 114.29 is one of the best
	things I have seen on game management, so I thought the more
	persons to see it the better.

	- Mike