News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
April 13, 2005
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:
Ted Walski: (603) 352-9669 
Mark Ellingwood: (603) 271-2461 
Jane Vachon: (603) 271-3211
April 13, 2005 


PROMISING OUTLOOK FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE TURKEY HUNT  
SPRING GOBBLER SEASON: MAY 3-31; YOUTH HUNT: APRIL 30-MAY 1

CONCORD, N.H. - Things look good for a successful 2005 New Hampshire 
spring gobbler season, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game 
Department Turkey Project Biologist Ted Walski. The state's turkey hunting 
season runs from Tuesday, May 3, through May 31, with a youth weekend just 
prior, set for April 30-May 1. 

"I'd predict our turkey hunters could take a record harvest of about 
3,000 gobblers in 2005," Walski said. New Hampshire hunters took 2,706 
turkeys during the May 2004 hunt, and 2,600 birds in May 2003. The state 
also has a three-month fall turkey hunt that is archery-only; during 
the 2004 fall season, archers took a total of 341 birds. In 2004, New 
Hampshire sold about 18,000 turkey-hunting permits overall.

A New Hampshire hunting license and $6 turkey permit are required for 
all hunters 16 years and older. Youth hunters (under age 16) must have a 
turkey permit, but do not need a license. Licenses and permits can be 
purchased online at http://www.nhfishandgame.com or from license agents 
statewide. Hunting hours during the spring season are one-half hour 
before sunrise to noon. Hunters may take one male or bearded turkey by 
archery or shotgun, and birds must be registered within 12 hours. 

"Last summer's wild turkey hatch was above average, and productivity 
was good. People were reporting seeing turkeys everywhere," Walski said. 
"It also was helpful to have a second successive relatively easy winter 
for wild turkeys, especially since there were very few acorns and 
beechnuts during the fall of 2004, and the crop of wild apples and other 
fruits was relatively poor. So we have a lot of turkeys out there in the 
field!" 

Last year's first-ever New Hampshire youth turkey hunting weekend was a 
big success, with youth taking 321 gobblers, or 12 percent of the total 
May 2004 season harvest. Once again this year, the weekend before 
opening day (April 30-May 1) will be a youth turkey hunt reserved for 
hunters under age 16 guided by a properly licensed adult. The adult may not 
hunt. 

All hunters should keep in mind some basic safety tips when turkey 
hunting: Never stalk a turkey -- rather than stalking, scout out a good 
spot, call and wait for the turkeys to come to you. Be seen! Turkey 
hunters should always wear a blaze orange hat or vest as they enter and leave 
the area they are hunting. Tying blaze-orange survey tape around a 
decoy/calling location can alert other hunters to your presence and won't 
scare the birds. Avoid clothes with the colors red, white and blue and 
black, as these are the colors of the male turkey. Be alert -- remember 
that other hunters may be using a decoy and calling. 

For more information on turkey hunting, including a brochure with 
regulations for the 2005 hunt, visit 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_turkey.htm.

"We have hunting opportunities like this in New Hampshire only because 
wild turkeys have been such an amazing wildlife restoration success 
story," Walski said. Turkeys had completely disappeared from the Granite 
State by the mid-1800s. In 1975, Fish and Game released 25 wild turkeys. 
Since then, careful management based on good science has allowed the 
state to grow that number to more than 25,000 birds statewide. These 
restoration efforts are funded through the Federal Aid in Wildlife 
Restoration program.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the 
state's fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us. 

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Copyright 2005 New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, 
Concord, NH 03301.  Comments or questions concerning this list should 
be directed to lpoinier@wildlife.state.nh.us.