New Hampshire this fall

[GSP9]

I'm headed to northern New Hampshire this fall to chase Grouse and do some fly fishing. We'll be staying north of Pittsburg. Anyone else ever hunt up there this time of year? I'm sure it will take some walking to get into birds since we are doing it ourselves, but I'm really looking forward to it. If anyone has been up that way and can give me some pointers I'd appreciate it.

[nj gsp]

Last fall, I made two trips up to Maine. I know some guys who went to northern NH and had a great time. My dad has a place in NH, but it;s in the southern part, not too many birds around there, although the state is actively managing their WMA's for grouse habitat.

[gar-dog]

If anyone needs someone to split the gas.... let me know! I have been itching to get on some grouse. Never done it. I plan to get up there this Fall but not sure how best to go about it.

I have just finished reading Grouse Feathers, written in the '30s - it will surely put you in the mood for a New england hunt.
G

[nj gsp]

If anyone needs someone to split the gas.... let me know! I have been itching to get on some grouse. Never done it. I plan to get up there this Fall but not sure how best to go about it.

I have just finished reading Grouse Feathers, written in the '30s - it will surely put you in the mood for a New england hunt.
G

I still am planning on two trips to Maine in October, but the place I stay is sorta expensive... I could camp in the woods, but I found out just recently (after over 12 years of marriage) my wife is actually afraid of the dark. Lions and tigers and bears, O my!

[The Zephyr]

GSP9,

You should have a good time in N.H. this year. It appears the weather hasn't been to severe this early spring. There are birds there in some spots more than others. But that's the fun of the game. Discovering your own covers. Once you're up there you'll recognize likely spots, you might see some trucks on the side of the road. Go up another 1/2 - 3/4 mile and give each other some room.
Regarding the fishing, you should check the season. It may close in early October.

Good Luck!

John L.

[GSP9]

John,

Thanks for the info. The streams we will fish in are open until October 15th.

I am excited. As long as gas isn't $6 a gallon by then I'm set.

[gar-dog]

I still am planning on two trips to Maine in October, but the place I stay is sorta expensive... I could camp in the woods, but I found out just recently (after over 12 years of marriage) my wife is actually afraid of the dark. Lions and tigers and bears, O my!

Where do you stay when you go? A lodge? If there is a spa that is the kind of place I could bribe my wife into coming along to one of these days - and she could antique around while I hunt. My sons have gone to summer camp in Maine - just a few miles from the NH border, and we thought the area was amazing when we would go up to drop them off. We have been toying with buying property up there. The wife wants the vintage '30s lake house on Squam Lake. I want the 200 acres with cabin. Can't afford both

Is there plenty of available public land?

How do the local "pa'htridge" hunters feel when they see the SUV with NJ tags pulled off the side of the road?

One of the reasons i got my dog is so I can load up the truck and hit the road for "real" bird hunting.

[mudhunter]

I have never hunt NH but I have grouse hunted in Maine and it was great. I might try to put together a hunt this year, it would have to be on a tight budget though. We stayed real far north in Maine and had no problems with people giving out of staters a hard time, it was actaully quite the opposite.

[The Zephyr]

The land in northern Maine and northern New Hampshire are not exactly public land. Most is paper company land with public access from sunrise to sunset. Some of the land is in public trust but the paper companies have priority. Be careful of the logging trucks, they stop for no one. There isn’t any camping allowed on the land itself, so a cabin rental is the best alternative. Book your rooms early as most people book when they depart the year before.

The local pah’tridge hunters don’t mind out-of-staters. People from away bring much needed income to the areas restaurants and lodges. They just can’t fathom the value of feeding and keeping dogs just to hunt a few bush chickens. Also, we hunt the woods, whereas they hunt the roads. Probably the worst thing is getting behind a local at 3 mph as he scans the roadside for birds and won’t let you pass.


John L.

[gar-dog]

Zephyr - that's good to hear.

And Mud - high budget or low budget wouldn't matter to me. While my login says, NJ, I am a quail hunter from Texas. I wouldn't know a grouse if it jumped in my lap so i need someone to show me the ropes as they say. Up here it is waterfowl, grouse, and woodcock if you want wild birds. So I need to adjust my sights to these other quarry.

[nj gsp]

I still am planning on two trips to Maine in October, but the place I stay is sorta expensive... I could camp in the woods, but I found out just recently (after over 12 years of marriage) my wife is actually afraid of the dark. Lions and tigers and bears, O my!

Where do you stay when you go? A lodge? If there is a spa that is the kind of place I could bribe my wife into coming along to one of these days - and she could antique around while I hunt. My sons have gone to summer camp in Maine - just a few miles from the NH border, and we thought the area was amazing when we would go up to drop them off. We have been toying with buying property up there. The wife wants the vintage '30s lake house on Squam Lake. I want the 200 acres with cabin. Can't afford both

Is there plenty of available public land?

How do the local "pa'htridge" hunters feel when they see the SUV with NJ tags pulled off the side of the road?

One of the reasons i got my dog is so I can load up the truck and hit the road for "real" bird hunting.

Nope, it's not hardly a spa, it's a sporting camp. As I said a bit pricey though, but I've been going there for years to fly fish for salmon with my dad & brother, so we're all just old friends now. Doesn't mean I get a discount, but they're good people up there, and three great meals a day to boot. Some people might actually share good coverts with you. My wife loves it up there, it's what got her interested in bird hunting, but she is still upset she hasn't seen a moose up close, and I've run into more than my share I guess which really makes her mad.

My dad & I were thinking about buying a camp up there about 7-8 years ago, and we both wish we did. Waterfront then was going for 80-120K depending on how nice it was. Now there's nothing there on the water for less than $250K. @#^%!

No one ever gave me a hard time with NJ plates, far from it. A couple things you need to know about driving the log roads up there - First, always get out and look first before driving across anything suspicious. Second, everything is suspicious, unless you see a log truck or skidder drive over it first. Next, never drive up anything you're not willing to back down. Finally, if you are worried about the paint job on your truck, say home or rent something. Remember that four wheel drive will always get you into more trouble than it will get you out of, and that puddle is a LOT deeper than it looks.

No trouble with locals, and there are always a few road hunters. They just think you're like all the other sports "from away", They love to tell you they got three birds and one more to go, when you've been stumping around the cuts and bog slogging. If it was only about the killin' I doubt us gun dog types would do it anyway.

[gar-dog]

FYI, via the NH F&W website, a free "hunters packet" is available that includes a map and some other stuff I assume. I just ordered it so I haven't received it yet. It appears that unless posted, all federal, state, local, and private land is available to hunting. Not too shabby...

[The Zephyr]

Ok guys, I just got off the phone with my friend the wildlife biologist. He said although it’s supposed to be pretty nasty this weekend weather wise, overall the spring has been good to the birds. Looks like an upswing in bird numbers.

Now we’ll just have to wait a few months to verify his prediction……..

Also, I recently returned from upstate. I met with some local friends up at the camp and the discussion turned to grouse (of course!!!). Paulie said one hit the windshield of his truck on the way over that morning.

Birds, Birds, Birds.

John L.