New Hampshire’s 2007 moose season was a success, with preliminary figures showing that hunters took about 479 moose. With approximately 675 permits issued, this represents a statewide success rate of 71%. About 70% of the harvest was bulls, which is typical, according to Kristine Rines, Moose Project Leader for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The nine-day moose hunt ended on Sunday, October 28. In 2006, by comparison, hunters took 449 moose for a statewide success rate of 67%.

“Given the hot weather, I was impressed that hunters got this many moose,” said Rines. “Moose aren’t partial to hot weather and tend to move less as a result, thus reducing their visibility and vulnerability to hunters.”

This year, the success rate in all regions was higher than last year, but lower than the ten-year average. The Connecticut Lakes region saw a success rate of 86%, the North region had 79% success; in the White Mountains region had a 63% success rate; the Central region, 62% success; the Southwest region saw 44% success; and in the Southeast region, 30% of hunters got their moose.

A record 16,779 people entered the annual moose hunt lottery last spring for a chance to win a permit offering for this fall’s hunt. Applications for the 2008 moose hunt will be available in late January on the Fish and Game website at http://www.HuntNH.com.