NATURE’S VIEW

Share the Woods During Hunting Season

By Dave Anderson

Fall foliage season ends abruptly as bright leaves fade on the forest floor. Hikers leave the spare beauty of the late autumn woods, some grumble, “We can’t go in the woods during hunting seasons. ” Some resent sharing their favorite properties with people wearing camouflage and blaze orange clothing and carrying compound bows, muzzle loaders, or rifles. The presence of hunters can offend or even frighten hikers unaccustomed to hunting activity. But, how safe is it to be in the woods during hunting season?

Comparative risk statistics for hunting accidents involving non-hunters don’t necessarily align with the extensive fear regarding the risk of hiking during deer season. According to New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) records, there have been a total of two incidents in the past 30 years involving non-hunters: The first occurred in 2015 when a nonhunter out of sight of a shooter was hit by a pellet discharged from a bird hunter’s shotgun. The second incident occurred in 2017 when a deer hunter did not identify what lay beyond his target.

According to New Hampshire Hunter Education Coordinator Joshua Mackay, New Hampshire’s excellent record for hunter safety is attributable to effective education. The average number of hunting-related incidents per year has gone down every decade since hunter education classes began in the 1960s when an average of 21.4 incidents occurred per year. Since hunter education became mandatory for all first time hunters in 1977, incidents declined steadily from an average 6.5 per year in the 1990s to 3.3 per year after 2000. Hunter education classes train hunters to identify the target and to know what lies beyond it before pulling the trigger. The average for the past decade has been 2.9 incidents per year with 55 percent of these incidents being selfinflicted due to careless firearms handling or falls from tree-stands. The chances of being involved in a hunting incident are low; just .0048 percent of hunters since 2000 were involved in an incident. Deer hunters, who far outnumber hunters of other species, were involved in 45 percent of the total incidents recorded, and upland bird hunters of grouse, woodcock, and pheasant are a distant second with 24 percent of the total since 1977.

According to the National Safety Council, you are more likely to be injured playing sports or using exercise equipment than while hunting. In 2020, the rate of injury per 100,000 people for hunting totaled 3.1, a relatively low number compared to 129 for cycling, 65 for basketball, 39 for swimming, and 16 for golf. * The comparative risk analysis of sports and recreational injuries reveals hunting to be one of the safer outdoor recreation activities.

When conducted responsibly, hunting reconnects people to the land.

How Many Hunters?

In 2019, approximately 50,000 individuals purchased hunting licenses with approximately an additional 19,000 archery and 17,000 turkey hunting licenses sold. This does not include licenses sold specifically for waterfowl, bear, or small game. Deer are by far the most popular game for hunters buying hunting licenses in the state.

The 2021 muzzleloader season for deer opened October 30. The regular firearms season opened November 10 and runs through December 5. Season end dates

* U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“Sports and Recreational Injuries. National Safety Council Injury Facts. National Safety Council. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/ home-and-community/safety-topics/sports-and-recreational-injuries/. Accessed 4 November 2021.

and either-sex deer days vary by wildlife management unit. Typically the latter deer season is designated for antlered-only deer. By this time, there are far fewer hunters in the woods. For a summary of hunting seasons, visit: https://wildlife.state.nh.us/ hunting/hunt-dates.html.

Thank a Hunter

Hunting is an essential wildlife management tool that has also helped to fund the permanent protection of thousands of acres in the state for wildlife.

Since the passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act, in 1937, New Hampshire has received nearly $80 million dollars for habitat management and the purchase of lands for wildlife, research, and hunter education. The act’s funds derive from a federal excise tax on the sale of hunting and fishing equipment, including firearms and ammunition,

In FY2021, the tax generated $4.1 million in funds that will be used in a variety of ways across the state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website states “the Wildlife Restoration Program, [which is authorized by the Wildlife Restoration Act], provides grant funds to the states and fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. Projects also include providing public use and access to wildlife resources, hunter education, and development and management of shooting ranges. ”

The funds also provide for NHFG land acquisition and management. According to Jim Oehler, NHFG habitat program supervisor, the department now owns more than 60,000 acres in over 100 Wildlife Management Areas, properties focused on wildlife and habitat conservation and wildlife-based recreation, and it holds an additional 25,000 acres in conservation easements. Most of the land was acquired using federal funds. A state lands management team, including NHFG biologists and foresters at the Division of Forests and Lands, works cooperatively to plan, implement, and influence habitat management on those and an additional 178,000 acres of state forests and parks.

Additionally, state hunting license sales dollars in the wildlife habitat dedicated accounts are used to conserve habitat through land acquisition and to help manage that habitat on private and public lands. Every year, $40,000 is allocated from the habitat account to fund an average of 25 grant projects which reimburse private landowners for preapproved habitat management projects. Created in 1998, the fund requires purchasers of hunting and trapping licenses to contribute $2.50 to a dedicated wildlife habitat account. Since its inception in 2001, the Small Grants Program, has invested over $1 million in 928 habitat improvement projects on public and private lands.

“Hunters have contributed tens of millions of dollars to wildlife conservation in New Hampshire, ” Oehler says. “Their contributions help sustain wildlife populations and conserve lands that are enjoyed by all of the state’s outdoor recreationalists—whether they are hunters, hikers, or others.

Hunting Season Safety

There are a few simple steps you can take to enjoy hiking during deer hunting seasons: 1) Wear blaze orange clothing (e.g., a vest, hat, and gloves) which is easily distinguished from any other color in the woods. 2) Avoid wearing white socks or gloves that could be mistaken for the flash of a deer’s white tail. 3) If you hike with dogs, keep them leashed and outfit them with blaze orange dog vests, leashes, and collars. You can also tie an orange bandanna around your dog’s neck.

4) Get a free copy of the NH Hunting and Fishing Digest at a local sporting goods store, tackle shop, hardware store, or deer checking station to learn dates of local hunting seasons, including the busy “either sex” firearms season for deer in your local wildlife management unit. There are a limited number of days when does can be hunted. Peak numbers of hunters are in the woods during the early “either sex” portion of deer season. The NH Hunting and Fishing Digest is available online at: eregulations.com/newhampshire/hunting. 5) Stay on designated hiking trails; avoid bushwhacking. If you remain concerned about sharing the woods with hunters, consider walking roads or visiting parks and areas that don’t allow hunting. 6) Be courteous and respectful to hunters and non-hunters alike. Respect the rights of others to share the woods.

When conducted responsibly, hunting reconnects people to the land. A successful hunter must be wise in woods lore, learning the habits and preferred habitats of their quarry. The culling of individual animals from a regional population helps strengthen the overall herd. It takes experience with deer population fluctuations and available food supplies and winter severity to appreciate the role that hunting plays in maintaining a healthy regional population.

Hikers needn’t fear the woods or perpetuate the myth that it’s unsafe to hike during hunting season. Hikers and hunters share a love of the woods and can work to understand shared values rather than accentuate differences regarding consumptive versus non-consumptive use. Outdoors people are on the same side when it comes to responsible use and permanent conservation of public land in New Hampshire.

For more information, visit the NHFG website: wildlife.state.nh.us.

Naturalist Dave Anderson is senior director of education for the Forest Society.