Deer season shortened in WMU-A
Web page posted on June 21, 2006

In 2006, the length of the firearms deer season in WMU-A has been shortened from 26 days to 19 days; that means it will close the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year.

Why did Fish and Game shorten the firearms deer season in WMU-A?
This change was made to implement one of the objectives in the new deer management plan, which calls for N.H. Fish and Game to retain a balanced age-class of bucks across the state. Specifically, the plan states that we will manage deer so that the yearling buck frequency does not exceed 50% (no more than 50% of the legally antlered bucks will be 1 1/2 years of age). In the last three years, the yearling buck frequency has averaged almost 60% in WMU-A, so a change was needed to reduce harvest pressure on bucks in that unit. This is a fundamentally different issue than trying to achieve a certain deer population level, so the approach is also different.

Why was this strategy selected?
There are several ways of reducing pressure on bucks, including shorter seasons, antler-point restrictions (only bucks with a rack that exceeds some pre-determined minimum legal size), buck permits (where there is a drawing held for permits to take bucks), changing the timing of the season to avoid periods when bucks are more vulnerable (for example, the rut or late seasons), and earn-a-buck programs, where the hunter is required to shoot a doe before they can take a buck. We selected the option of a shorter season, because it affected relatively few people (only those who hunt late in the season), and it reduced pressure during a time period when bucks are more vulnerable (late season). Based on previous years, this should reduce the buck kill by around 17%.

Are other actions being considered?
A vocal group of sportsmen favored antler point restrictions over a shorter season. As a result, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission has asked the Fish and Game Department to form a Deer Management Task Force to look at options for achieving the objectives identified in the deer plan. That group will meet over the summer and fall of 2006 to develop a set of recommendations to present to the Executive Director for possible implementation during the 2007 hunting season.

In the meantime, it is helpful to understand that the shortened firearms deer season in effect in WMU-A for 2006 was implemented because it was necessary to maintain the quality of bucks in that WMU. This is a highly valued attribute of our deer herd that was deteriorating and needed to be addressed.