Wildlife harvest summary shows healthy N.H. deer herd

CONCORD, N.H. - As hunters gear up for the fall season in New Hampshire, a rich source of information available to them is the 2016 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary, which presents final data summarized by wildlife biologists from the 2016 New Hampshire hunting seasons. This annual publication provides a complete breakdown of hunting season statistics, including some information by town and Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).

The 2016 N.H. Wildlife Harvest Summary is available online at www.wildnh.com/hunting/harvest-summary.html (select "2016"). A limited number of print copies are available at the NH Fish and Game Department in Concord and regional offices in Durham, New Hampton, Lancaster and Keene.

The report confirms that New Hampshire's 2016 deer season resulted in a total harvest of 10,675 deer, a decrease of 1% from 2015. According to the report, "Biological information was again collected during 2016 at select deer registration stations in order to monitor the physical condition of New Hampshire's deer and assess harvest age structure. In 2016, a total of 850 deer were checked (558 males, 292 females). Average yearling (age 1.5) antler beam diameter was 18.5 millimeters and yearling male field-dressed weight averaged 113 pounds. Average yearling antler beam diameter was above the recent 5-year average of 17.9 millimeters and the field dressed weight was slightly below the 5-year average of 114.4 pounds. Both suggest a deer population in good physical condition and below the biological carrying capacity of our deer habitat."

The Harvest Summary includes data from the N.H. Trophy Deer Program, run by the N.H. Antler and Skull Trophy Club, which annually recognizes hunters who take deer with a weight of 200 pounds or more by each of three hunting methods (archery, muzzleloader and regular firearms). For 2016, the heaviest deer (265 pounds) was taken by Michael Merrill of Washington, VT, using a muzzleloader.

The report also provides statistics for moose, bear, turkey and furbearers.

Wildlife research and management activities in New Hampshire, including production of the annual NH Wildlife Harvest Summary, are funded through Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, a user-pay, user-benefit program supported by the purchase of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment.