NH Bow Season

I've been bow hunting NH since 2006. I hunted all state land in the town of Winchester, NH. The park is called Pisgah and it is 21 square miles all big woods. I like hunting NH bow because the season lasts from Sept. 15 - Dec. 15. The hunting pressure is so light that rarely do I see a hunter anytime of the year that I go up.

The season started out promising as I actually saw part of a deer the first day. It passed behind me about an hour before dark but all I saw was the front shoulders back so I don't know what it was. I would spend the next 3 months trying to see another one and as of right now I haven't. I walked miles and miles scouting, had trail cameras out and sat over 200 hours in my stands.

I found very little sign and when I scouted during the rut I found only two scrapes. I think the area got hit really hard last winter and the herd took a heavy loss. I've hunted that state for 3 years and have gotten a deer every year and have always seen at least one buck during the bow season, not this year. I do have several bucks on camera one 8 and a nice 6. The 8 was taken the next morning and afternoon just after I hung a stand. I hunted that area for two weeks after that on and off morning and night and never saw a deer or got another picture. The six was a regular during the week of Thanksgiving and then he disappeared. But he returned on Dec. 4 so I know he is still alive. With this snow I'm sure the gate to the park is closed and my chance of getting back up there is about zero.