News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
March 30, 2005
Phone: (603) 271-3211
Email: info@wildlife.state.nh.us
For information and online licenses, visit 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us

* * * * * * *

CONTACT:
Ted Walski: (603) 352-9669 
Mark Ellingwood: (603) 271-2461 
Jane Vachon, (603) 271-3211
March 30, 2005 


N.H. YOUTH TURKEY HUNT COMING APRIL 30-MAY 1

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire's 2005 youth turkey hunt will take place 
April 30-May 1, the weekend before spring gobbler season gets underway. 
Last year, during the state's first-ever youth turkey hunting weekend, 
the kids took 321 gobblers, or about 12 percent of the total May 2004 
season harvest, during the two-day hunt. 

To participate, youth hunters must be under age 16. They do not need to 
have a hunting license, but must buy a turkey permit and be accompanied 
by a properly licensed adult. The adult may not hunt. An adult may 
guide two youths on the hunt, although the New Hampshire Fish and Game 
Department recommends that less-experienced hunters take a single youth. 
Youth are also allowed to hunt turkeys during the regular spring gobbler 
season (May 3-31), but the special weekend gives them a quiet time with 
less competition in the woods, when the focus can be on safety and 
education for young hunters. 

"The youth weekend is an opportunity to introduce young people, under 
the careful guidance of an experienced adult, to an exciting hunting 
opportunity," said Mark Ellingwood, wildlife programs administrator for 
Fish and Game. "Turkey hunting is a chess game that pits your skills, 
knowledge and experience against a million years of evolved turkey 
wariness and vigilance. Sharing these experiences helps build bonds that can 
last a lifetime and provides an opportunity to take advantage of one of 
New Hampshire's wildlife restoration success stories -- the 
re-establishment of wild turkeys."

Hunting hours during the youth weekend are one-half hour before sunrise 
to noon (as for the regular gobbler season). Hunters may take one male 
or bearded wild turkey by archery or shotgun. Bird registration is 
required within 12 hours.

If you plan to accompany a youth or hunt during the spring gobbler 
season, make sure you have fulfilled the hunter education requirement for 
all first-time hunting license holders in New Hampshire. A list of 
available hunter education courses, as well as information on a home-study 
option, is posted on the Fish and Game website, 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm. Hunter education 
is not required for youth participating in the youth weekend. Hunter 
education classes are made possible by funds from the Federal Aid in 
Wildlife Restoration Program.

Fish and Game urges all turkey hunters, including youth hunters, to 
memorize the following list of ten safety guidelines before going out in 
the field:
  1. Never stalk a turkey. It rarely works and increases the risk of an 
accident.
  2. Never wear red, white, blue or black over or under-clothing, as 
these are prominent colors of displaying gobblers.
  3. Never call from a tree that is thinner than the width of your 
shoulders.
  4. Never jump or turn suddenly in response to a suspected turkey.
  5. Never call from a site where you can't see at least 40 yards in 
all directions.
  6. Never imitate a gobbler call while concealed in a stand.
  7. Never presume that what you hear or what responds to your call is 
a turkey.
  8. Never think that your camouflage makes you totally invisible. To 
ID yourself to other hunters, wrap an orange band around the tree 
nearest you.
  9. Never hide so well that you can't see what's happening around you.
 10. Never move or wave to alert approaching hunters; shout "stop" 
instead.

For two first-hand accounts by fathers who took their sons hunting 
during the 2004 youth turkey weekend, download the March-April 2005 
Wildlife Journal Magazine story "Turkey Tales" at 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife_Journal/WJ_mag.htm. 

For more information on turkey hunting in New Hampshire, go to 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_turkey.htm. 

Purchase hunting licenses and turkey permits online at 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us. 

-###-




-- 
Copyright 2004 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.