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NH 2020 Upland Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock & Pheasant Seasons Start Oct 1st
Submitted by: TBC Press
Posted on: 09/29/20
News # 13928
The New Hampshire 2020 hunting season for ruffed grouse starts October 1 and runs through December 31. Woodcock season also opens October 1 and concludes November 14. New Hampshire’s hunting season for pheasant gets underway on October 1 and continues through December 31. This fall, 11,495 adult ring-necked pheasants will be stocked in all 10 counties with an average of 140 pheasants per site.
GROUSE & WOODCOCK
Karen Bordeau, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Small Game Project Leader, notes that better than 62% of small game hunting effort in New Hampshire targets ruffed grouse and that over half of that effort takes place in the North Country.
Although most abundant in northern forests, good populations of ruffed grouse exist throughout the state. Hunter observation rates in 2019, calculated from Small Game Hunter Survey responses, indicate that ruffed grouse are most abundant in northern New Hampshire where hunters observed 1.19 grouse per hour hunted with the aid of a dog.
Grouse observation rates decreased in all regions of the state except the Southeast region. Roadside drumming routes are found throughout New Hampshire and are surveyed annually from mid-April through mid-May by wildlife biologists and volunteers. During the survey period (April 15 –May 10), morning temperatures hovered around 32 degrees statewide with some snow remaining in parts of the state. The cold temperatures may have delayed grouse drumming activity: the number of grouse drumming events heard per stop decreased in the North and Southwest regions, increased in the White Mountain and Central regions and remained the same in the Southeast region of the state. These values routinely rise and fall and the long-term trends for grouse drumming surveys for each region can be viewed in the 2019/2020 Small Game Summary Report which looks at long-term trends for grouse observation rates and breeding surveys for both grouse (drumming) and woodcock (singing-ground).
Despite the spring weather conditions, regional biologists saw good numbers of grouse chicks in the northern part of the state this summer. The 2020 grouse season is expected to be similar to last year, and fall mast crops will determine where grouse will be in the field. Finding pockets of available food that grouse are focusing on will be helpful to hunter success.
Woodcock are the second most popular small game species, accounting for 28% of hunter effort in 2019. Woodcock density patterns varied throughout the state in 2020: increases were noted in the North and Central regions, remained the same in the Southwest region, and decreased in the White Mountain and Southeast regions of the state. Statewide, Department counts averaged 3.78 birds per route, and woodcock season is expected to be similar to last year.
Woodcock hunters are reminded that they need a free National Migratory Bird Harvest Information (HIP) certification number in order to legally hunt for woodcock.
All small game hunters are encouraged to take part in Fish and Game’s annual small game survey, and successful grouse hunters are encouraged to take part in New Hampshire’s Wing and Tail Survey. Small game survey packets can be acquired by calling Fish and Game at (603) 271-2461, and grouse wing and tail packets can be picked up from participating locations listed at http://www.huntnh.com/surveys/ruffed-grouse.html. These surveys provide valuable insight into the status of grouse and other small game species in New Hampshire. As an incentive to participate in New Hampshire surveys, Ruger Arms and The Ruffed Grouse Society have again generously agreed to provide a firearm to a randomly selected participant in each of these surveys.
Long-term and regional trends for grouse and woodcock can be viewed in the 2019/2020 Small Game Summary Report, which depicts detailed graphs by region and statewide. The report can be found at www.huntnh.com/hunting/publications.html .
PHEASANT
Due to safety concerns for Fish and Game staff, hunters, and the integrity of the pheasant program, the pheasant season will be closed statewide until noon on in-season stocking days. In-season stocking will be done on the first three Thursdays and Fridays in October: October 8-9, 15-16, and 22-23, 2020. All stocking will be completed by October 23.
The pheasant program relies heavily upon cooperative relationships with landowners. Please remember to respect the land and property owner’s rights to privacy and safety on all lands open to pheasant hunting and stocking.
The full list of towns to be stocked (including road names) can be seen on the Fish and Game website at http://www.huntnh.com/hunting/pheasant.html; printed lists are also available at Fish and Game headquarters and regional offices.
“Please keep safety foremost in mind,” said Karen Bordeau, Fish and Game’s Small Game and Pheasant Project Leader. “Take the time to thank landowners. Your hunting ethics on their lands and your thoughtfulness will help keep these lands open.”
Fish and Game asks hunters to refrain from training dogs at release sites during the two days prior to October 1. Dog training flushes pheasants from release sites, often onto posted property or other areas not suitable for hunting.
Pheasant hunters must purchase a $31 pheasant license, in addition to the regular New Hampshire hunting license or non-resident New Hampshire small game license. Licenses can be purchased at http://www.huntnh.com or from any Fish and Game license agent. Pheasants are purchased exclusively with revenues from the sale of pheasant licenses.
All pheasant hunters are urged to follow these basic safety guidelines:
- Wear hunter orange on your head, back, and chest.
- Control your firearm muzzle at all times.
- Always wear safety glasses.
- Know where your hunting partners are at all times.
- Shoot only within your zone of fire.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
- Always keep your hunting dog under control.
For more information on hunting pheasants in New Hampshire, visit www.huntnh.com/hunting/pheasant.html.
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Publishers Notes:
OUT OF STATE HUNTERS, FISHERMEN & OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS; Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, there could be limitations for OUT of STATE hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts to include a 14-day quarantine requirement or negative COVID-19 testing alternative. Please check with the State's Department of Natural Resources BEFORE you travel or apply for the 2020 Fall Hunts.
As OUR COUNTRY REOPENS AGAIN (from the COVID-19 pandemic) and continue to enjoy outdoor activities, ALL outdoor enthusiasts (man, woman, child) should follow the guidelines set by nps.gov. These guidelines include; social distancing, the Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.
