The preliminary bear hunting results are in and it will be a record-setting year. The reason these are preliminary is that the results are posted through Nov. 18 and the bear season officially closes in the White Mountains region on Nov. 24. As of the 18th, 708 bears had been registered by hunters. Bait hunters killed 370 bears; still hunters/stalkers took 256 bears; and hound hunters registered 82 bears. So far, this year's bear harvest is 48 percent above the five-year in-season average of 477 for the same time period.

Fish and Game bear biologists estimated that the total number of bears taken will be the second highest in history.

The record harvest of 803 bears was achieved in 2003. I can attest to the reason more bears are being taken, as bears are bulking up on acorns before winter weather and temperatures descend on New Hampshire. This is the same area where deer and turkeys are feeding. Deer hunters frequent these areas in search of whitetails and are coming in contact with the bears.

The New Hampshire bear population continues to expand. A sow will breed every two years and will have a minimum of two cubs, although having more than two cubs is not uncommon.

The numbers of bears harvested each year has little to do with the numbers of bears in the state. The key factor that determines the number of bears taken is access to hard and soft mast. This year, there was little mast for the bears to feed on therefore they had to travel greater distances to feed, giving them greater opportunity to come in contact with hunters. The increased number of bears taken over bait would give evidence to this. As long as the mild weather holds out and the bears find ample acorns, they will resist denning up. When the temperatures drop and the acorns become scarce they will den up.

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Every year the Fish and Game publishes deer kill numbers based on the registration numbers. It's summarized by the county the deer was registered in and not necessarily where the deer was killed. The F&G periodically updates the report with the latest published on Nov. 15. All told, the total kill is down by 8.4 percent when compared to 2008. That is 7,220 for 2009 compared to 7,886 in 2008.

One of the brighter spots in the reported data is Merrimack County reports a 16 percent increase in registered deer. What intrigues me about this increase is that there are fewer registration stations in 2009. Clearly, Merrimack has benefited from back-to-back deer-friendly winters and back-to-back good acorn crops.

Rockingham County is a bit off this year by 12.7 percent and the bonus deer permits were not fully subscribed this year.

The regular firearms deer season runs through Dec. 6 in all WMU's except WMU-A, which has the deer season ending Nov. 29. WMU-A also has an antler point restriction.

"Thanksgiving week should continue to provide good firearm and archery hunting opportunities as breeding activity is peaking," said Kent Gustafson, Fish and Game deer project leader. "For many families, this is a traditional time to get out and enjoy the pursuit of whitetails, a time when deer hunting stories and Thanksgiving dinner are both shared with family and friends."

I think the prospects of the remainder of the deer season are pretty exciting. The temperature is about to take a dip, the moon is waxing and the prospects of snow are improving. All of these factors and the peaking of the rut suggest greater deer movement, and with that a better chance to bag your buck.

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Hunting on Thanksgiving morning has been a long treasured Washburn tradition. I have usually let Robb make the choice of ducks or deer. With an unseasonably warm November, none of the ponds have iced over and there is little motivation for the ducks and geese to continue with their annual migration. As a result, we have more ducks and geese in the greater Concord area than we normally have. So this year waterfowl gets the nod.

Are you ready to go on a wild shopping spree? If there is a hunter, angler or wildlife watcher on your shopping list, Fish and Game just made it easier with the new online store at shopwildnh.com. When you get there be sure to check out the closeout section for super bargains. If you are thinking about giving that special person in your life a gift certificate or their 2010 hunting or fishing license you will need to visit wildnh.com. or stop and visit with the friendly folks at Fish and Game headquarters. You can also check out the 2010 fish and wildlife calendar. The photography in this calendar is truly exceptional.

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