First of muzzle loader season was a bust with that Nor Easter but finally getting out some. Used my fawn bleat and attracted a big fat Coyote who turned tail and ran when he saw me. Seeing mediocre deer sign in southern NH. Deer are there but need to be pushed to see them. Not seeing deer! That will happen in the opening weekend of regular firearms season next week. Rut is approaching peak by the 15th to 20th by my reckoning. Now is a great time to rattle up a buck.  I tried it day before yesterday but no luck. Use a grunt call too in combo with doe in estrus. Got to stick with the technique if it is to work.

Stay clean and as scentless as you can. I am trying too.  I wear a camo face mask if on stand and don’t spook the squirrels who can signal danger. Good Hunting!

What a difference 30 minutes can have when you arrive late to a bird release. I didn’t think I was late nor did my hunting friend Mike. But we were never the less!

That said, these released pheasants were dug in like ticks on a hound. They flew into woods and brush and without a dog to dig them out, it was difficult indeed. I ran into my long time bowhunting friend Dan Williams who is heavy into hunting ducks and pheasant these days with his now champion dog Cody, a Labrador Retriever. Seen below. After the hunt Dan puts Cody through his paces retrieving four training bumpers in a row! One from 150 yards hidden in the woods!

Along for training he brought other dogs to learn from Cody and enjoy the field. They did all of that.

Mike’s dog Sam worked the best when he could concentrate away from the other dogs.

Sam Flushed up a pheasant which I downed with a long shot from my goose gun. We saw where the bird went down. In the wood edge we sent Sam in and he found the bird and retrieved well. Nice job Sam and Mike!

We called it a day when a hen shot up in front of other hunters. Both shot, both missed. Mike shot, I shot twice giving too much lead on the first shot. The bird did finally go down and was retrieved. Ultimately I claimed the bird. Here we shall call him the community bird as we all took a shot and laughed at ourselves. We were thankful that retrievers were there to pick up where shooting skill was not “at its best” for that bird anyhow.

Camaraderie was in full blossom! Dogs too! A wonderful day afield! © 2014

New Hampshire Pheasant Hunting is easy on the hunters soul. Young hunters, Women, and a gaggle of older hunters and retrievers of all kinds can experience the thrill of the chase. Friendship abounds,dogs are trained and eager to retrieve.  In early October God paints all the trees with crimson, orange and yellow and provides a deep blue canopy overhead with puffy cumulus clouds like cotton balls scattered here and there. It is simply heaven on earth to be outside and part of this hunt. Pheasant stocking programs from NH Fish and Game have existed for years here in New Hampshire.

I did not grow up as a Pheasant hunter as my father was more a deer hunter so my exposure was unfortunate. I gathered with my hunting friend Mike and his retriever Sam shown in the October cover photo. We eventually hooked up with his friends who also have dogs with them on the hunt. Some dogs are well trained and other dogs think that this is a social gathering to smell each other and play.

I found that many older men and their hunting dogs are ardent Pheasant hunters. The truth is that the bond between man and dog is inseparable like the hunter below who’s dog is thirteen years old. What a terrific friendship!

Mike and his dog Sam are equally inseparable as they train together to hunt Pheasants. Sam is a young retriever and is still learning the ropes. His exposure to the hunt and to other hunting dogs will aid greatly. Mike uses whistle commands and a training collar.

The hunt is a way for each to frolic and hunt together.

The truck arrived with birds for release into the NH Fish and Game regulated hunting area covering a very large area with woods and fields and released dozens and dozens of mature male and female pheasants. They take flight near and far some landing as far as a quarter mile away. Some right in front of us.

Some land right in the large fields as hunters wait for the truck to leave before advancing to locate and shoot them on the fly.

And fly they did! All of us decked out in orange were cognizant of our responsibilities for safe gun handling.

We had a great time! Birds were flushing everywhere. I did manage to down my limit of 2 birds.

Here Sam is showing off a Hen. What a mouthful. I got the birds home and prepared them by removing the suptuous breasts and legs to my considerable culinary skills. I saved the tail feather for perhaps a floral display or for fly tying. I am ready to do that again! It was great fun and a way to introduce youth hunters to hunting in general. A very social event or private event as you like it! Good Hunting! © 2014

Perhaps one of the toughest animals to hunt with Bow and Arrow is the Whitetail Deer. Here in New Hampshire it is even harder as the deer population density is lower than in many other states. Deer per square mile ranges from 4/sq mile in the North Country up to more than 20 per square mile along the seacoast. Much of the seacoast land is posted but you can ask permission. All they can say is no! Of course you are hunting in and around homes and woodlots. The deer I show on the cover was taken not far from my home in Plaistow, NH.

The season begins September 15th and Closes December 15th according to NHFG at http://nhfg.net/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_deer.htm 

Special Permits are still being taken (see the website above.

I have scouted in the North Country and finding deer sign regularly but here we are talking about 4-7 deer per square mile. The reason to hunt here however is that there are few houses and lots of land. Further, there is a mystery to hunting wild places. Today there is a movement to hunt with ATV’s of all sizes up north. http://www.riderplanet-usa.com/atv/trails/new_hampshire_list.htm 

These ATV’s are big kids toys for those that can afford it. A good 4WD vehicle can get you mostly to where these ATV’s go. The big plus for ATV’s is to be able to get your deer out of the woods too.

Back to Bowhunting; Today’s successful Bowhunter’s rely on scouting and knowledge of deer movement patterns and deer densities.

Reading deer sign is still the most sought after skill and is a work in progress as the season progresses toward the rut. The rut here in NH peaks around mid November and begins in September.  As each day passes the bucks will gather in small groups in September. Some sparring will begin and in October the bucks increase aggression toward one another knowing that mating season is almost upon them.

By mid October scrapes and tree rubbing are evident and the first doe is in estrous and can be mated. This is perhaps the best time to bow-hunt when the rut is not yet in full swing. Bucks during this time frame are vulnerable because they are eager to mate and come to calls and smells and remain out on the trails during the daylight.

If you are tree-stand hunting your scent is above the ground and chances are better that you will see game that is not spooked by human scent. Most bowhunter’s spend many hours in tree stands so be safe and be harnessed in to prevent falls.

Smell is the most important of all senses that a deer has in its defense. Hearing is second and Seeing is third. So if you don’t smell and have good woods skills, to keep walking sounds to a minimum, your chances increase greatly in seeing game.

I was in my tree stand for just minutes when I called that buck in with a doe bleat call. At 20 yards it was a good shot with a fixed blade Muzzy head.

Today you need to be aware that coyotes can smell blood and body gases from your dead deer so retrieval ASAP is key. New England Coyotes Canis Latrans Var. are one third wolf and are larger than their southern and western cousins and have larger jaws and muscles to eat deer.

For Hunter Education please see NHFG site below.

http://nhfg.net/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm

Good Hunting! © 2014