New Hampshire’s 2014 moose season wrapped up on Sunday, October 26. While hunters have until close of business today to register their moose at N. H. Fish and Game headquarters or regional offices, preliminary figures show that 91 hunters succeeded in taking their moose during the 9-day season.
With a total of 127 permits issued, this represents a statewide success rate of 72%. The breakdown for the harvest this year was 57 bulls (63%) and 34 cows (37%). Final season results will be available upon completion of registration data entry and analysis.
“We’re pleased with this success rate, ” said Kristine Rines, Fish and Game’s longtime moose biologist. “The percentage has been down a bit the last two years, so this is good. “
Around the state this year, preliminary numbers show moose hunters having an 81% success rate in the Connecticut Lakes Region; 79% in the North Region; 64% in the White Mountain Region; 68% in the Central Region; 80% in the Southwest Region; and 40% in the Southeast Region.
Participants reported on some interesting adventures as they brought their harvested moose in to biologists at regional check stations. At age 70, Dwight Poland Sr. of Antrim has entered every year since the moose hunt lottery began and finally won a permit this year. Hunting with his nephew Mark Poland of Hillsboro, he shot a 540-pound cow on Saturday. He and Mark had a long, difficult drag bringing the moose out from a remote location. When they brought the cow into the check station, where biologists document the harvest and take biological samples, it at first appeared that only one ovary was present. Hunters are required to bring out all edible meat, a sample of the liver and kidney for testing, the rack of males, and the reproductive tract of females, including both ovaries. Luckily, Poland’s nephew had insisted that they gather and bring everything on the list, and biologist Kristine Rines was soon able to locate the other ovary. “Otherwise I would have had to send them back to the field to get it, ” Rines said.
Information on tick loads carried by the harvested moose will be further evaluated as part of an ongoing study.
Check out a growing gallery of photos and stories from this year’s successful New Hampshire moose hunters at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_moose.htm.
Want some ideas for how to use all that moose meat? Check out a video of Wild Cheff Denny Corriveau demonstrating a moose cheese steak sandwich recipe at http://youtu.be/r5xbHW9B_bU? list=UUVqyvPVbcq9dm96OZpNL8dg.
Get into the spirit of the New Hampshire moose hunt with a limited-edition 2014 New Hampshire moose hunt commemorative shirt; order at http://www.huntnh.com/mooseshirt.
In all, more than 10,000 people entered the moose hunt lottery for a chance to win a permit for the New Hampshire moose hunt. About 85 percent of the permits went to New Hampshire residents. The odds of winning a moose permit in the lottery are about 1 in 59 for New Hampshire residents and 1 in 221 for nonresidents.
CONTACT: Kristine Rines: 603-744-5470 Jane Vachon: 603-271-3211