Deer Collisions: Hunters Needed in Southeastern New Hampshire

By Jim on November 28th, 2008

This is the time of year to be especially careful when driving especially in southeastern New Hampshire:

Mark Ellingwood, programs administrator for the Department of Fish and Game, said the state realizes the growing concern about the deer population in the southeastern part of the state and the need to manage it properly under a 10-year plan.

The deer population has risen steadily in southeastern New Hampshire over the past several years, with an estimated 20 deer per square mile. With more people living in the region, officials said there are fewer places to hunt, allowing the population to rise.

Since 1997, the state has issued extra permits to hunters in the southeast region only in an effort to stabilize the size of the deer herd. The special permit allows a hunter to snag an additional antlerless deer. As many as 6,000 of those permits were issued this year on a first-come, first-served basis.

“We’re being very proactive. What we’re doing is trying to maintain the numbers that we recognize have potential to go higher than we desired,” Ellingwood said.

Historically, Ellingwood said, the Northeastern states see more deer activity in October and November because the deer are breeding. The increase in activity results in a sudden spike in the number of collisions with vehicles.

More information from New Hampshire Fish and Game about the special hunting permits for southeastern New Hampshire:

Why are Special Unit M antlerless-only deer permits offered?
The special Unit M antlerless-only permits have been issued by Fish and Game since 1997 in an effort to stabilize the size of the deer herd in southeastern New Hampshire and minimize deer-human conflicts such as vehicle collisions and destructive browsing of ornamental plants. High deer densities and development make potential deer-human conflicts of greater concern in southeastern N.H.

Unit M Application Guidelines:

* Fish and Game will issue 6,000 Unit M antlerless-only deer permits in 2008.
* The permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and cost $13.
* After July 1, Unit M permits may be purchased online or at N.H. Fish and Game headquarters in Concord.
* You must have a current New Hampshire hunting or archery license to apply.
* You may apply only once each year. Incomplete, illegible and duplicate applications will not be considered.
* The permit is for taking an antlerless deer only.
* Permit is valid ONLY in Wildlife Management Unit M. Unit M boundaries are described below (click here).
* Deer may be taken in Unit M during the archery, muzzleloader or firearms season by any legal method, as follows:
o an archery license is required to take a deer with a bow and arrow
during the archery or muzzleloader season;
o a muzzleloader license and a regular firearms hunting license are required to take a deer with a muzzleloader during the muzzleloader season; and
o a regular firearms hunting license is required to take a deer with a firearm during the regular firearms season.
* You may not take two deer at the same time. If you’re using a Special Unit M Permit, the first deer taken must be registered before you try to take your second deer.
* Youth hunters do not need a current hunting license to buy a special permit. (click here for more details on youth hunting).

Boundaries of Wildlife Management Unit M* are as follows:
From the junction of Rte. 13 in Brookline and the NH/MA border, north on Rte. 13 to Rte. 101 in Milford, north on Rte. 101 to I-293 in Manchester, east on I-293 to I-93, north on Rte. I-93 to Rte. 101 in Manchester, east on Rte. 101 to its junction with the Squamscott River in Exeter, north along the Squamscott River to Great Bay, north along the Strafford/Rockingham County line in Great and Little Bay to the NH/ME state line, east along the NH/ME state line to the Atlantic Ocean, south along the NH coast line to the NH/MA line, west along the NH/MA state line to its junction with Rte. 13 in Brookline.

If you’re a hunter looking to take an extra deer it looks like southeastern New Hampshire is a damn good place to be. It reminds me of the area in Massachusetts where my mother lives. There are TONS of deer everywhere because nobody hunts them there and everybody in the neighborhood feeds them. The deer stand on the lawn in front of the apartment building and people literally throw food out the windows to the deer.

I kid you not. I was talking a walk around the building and noticed two deer standing on the lawn in front of the apartment building. A mother and fawn. The window on the 2nd floor opened and suddenly bread and other stuff started to rain down onto the lawn for the deer. The deer sucked the food up like vacuum cleaners! And the food just kept coming, wave after wave after wave.

By the time the deer are done eating it’s all they can do to waddle back into the woods to go to sleep. Yep, those deer are probably going to end up becoming obese from all the bread, cookies and who knows what else is being thrown out the window to them down there. It’s not a good idea to feed deer but you can’t tell the people living there that, I don’t think it would go over well. Heh.