News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
December 30, 2004
Phone: (603) 271-3211
Email: info@wildlife.state.nh.us
For information and online licenses, visit
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us
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CONTACT:
Kristine Bontaites: (603) 744-5470
Liza Poinier: (603) 271-3211
December 30, 2004

2004 MOOSE HUNT TALLY
CONCORD, N.H.—Wildlife biologists from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department report that a total of 388 moose were taken in the 2004 moose hunt this past October. The statewide success rate of 74% was similar to last year’s success rate of 75%. Regional success rates were about the same as in past years, with the notable exception of the Southeast region, which had its highest success rate since 1994 (the 2004 success rate was 45% in the Southeast, up from 20% in 2003).
“It was another successful moose season. The weather helped—it was excellent for hunting, with most days in the 30s and 40s, little sun and even some snow,” said Kristine Bontaites, Fish and Game’s moose project leader. Bontaites reports that 287 of the moose taken were bulls, and 101 were cows. Official results of the 2004 season will appear in the 2004 Wildlife Harvest Summary, which will be published in March 2005. A brief summary of results follows:

 
2004 NH MOOSE HARVEST AND HUNTER SUCCESS BY REGION:
REGION --------HARVEST-------- PERMITS SUCCESS
BULLS COWS TOTAL ISSUED RATE

NORTH 146 52 198 217 91%
W. MTN. 63 20 83 115 72%
CENTRAL 63 21 84 140 60%
SOUTHWEST 11 3 14 30 47%
SOUTHEAST 4 5 9 20 45%
--- --- --- --- ---
STATEWIDE 287 101 388 522 74%


Hunters traveled from 21 states and one Canadian province to participate in the 2004 moose hunt. Residents took 313 moose, while nonresidents took the remaining 75. Of the successful hunters, 20 were women. A total of 291 permittees and 97 sub-permittees were the primary shooters. (Hunters who win in the lottery and buy a permit are allowed to select one “sub-permittee”—a person designated to accompany them on the hunt.)
The heaviest moose of 2004, weighing 910 pounds dressed, was taken in the town of Dixville by Daniel Cushing of Epsom. The largest cow (750 pounds dressed weight) was taken in Sanbornton by Gary Cartier of Belmont. The bull with the greatest antler spread (66.25 inches) was taken in Bethlehem by William Thorson of Croydon. See some of the action for yourself by visiting a gallery of photos from the 2004 moose hunt posted on the Fish and Game website at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_moose.htm.

The moose hunt in New Hampshire is a nine-day season in October. Moose permits are awarded through a lottery system. Fish and Game issued 522 moose hunting permits this year, and more than 15,500 people applied for those permits.

Applications for the 2005 moose hunt lottery will be available in January at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us  and at license agents throughout the state.