NH Fish & Game National Hunting & Fishing Day Event

The first outdoor expo for the NHSHC went well, and hopefully the people who took information will sign up and become members.

I talked to so many people that my brain hurt at the end of the day. I did meet now new member Carter Heath and his son. We talked at length about shedding, wheres and whens He even told me his brother lives in my home town. Greatguys, and I can definitely see some team antler hunting in our future.

The one thing I noticed and really was encouraged by was all the kids that were interested in all the activities of the day. They came by the booth asked great questions and shared their shed hunting stories, it was great, the next generation getting interested in this.

I think having a kids outdoor and antler hunting seminar day is something that the club should do to reach out to the next generation.

Members Nancy and Dana Fogarty had brought this up at the annual meet this year at our 'round the table discussion and I've been thinking about this ever since. I think it's time start turning it into reality.
If anyone has any Ideas on this email me.

Now before I go I personally want to thank some very important people who have been so far instrumental to the club'ssuccess.
Chris Holmes who I believe has Been hunting antlers with me before I started this club thing. He built our display wall(which is totally awesome) and his lovely wife Lisa for making us a feast of a breakfast that morning.

Steve Bittner for helping with set up, financials and most of allbeing a good friend putting up with my insanity.

And Nancy and Dana Fogarty and Earl Gaudette for Being involved in the club, Giving up their personal time to attend and spreading the word and to Earl for donating those awesome hiking sticks to the club. (we still have some if anyone will be in the Keene/Brattleboro area and wants to get one)
In closing ,good luck during the hunting season ( Dana and Nancy, get a real big one!) and soon the bones will be dropping

NH Shed Hunter Club inaugural event/meet June 4-6, 2010

Even though the first annual NHSHC meet and antler hunt is in the history books, I am still wringing water and mud out of my socks!

To say it was wet would be a gross understatement. Pittsburg moose woods are a wet destination without any help from the sky opening up, and with that help it just gets water logged.

But being hardcore antler hunters we put on the rain gear and jumped in with both feet. You can't find antlers unless you are out there.

(MORE PICTURES at http://www.robrichardsonart.com/2010event2.html and http://www.robrichardsonart.com/2010nhshcevent.html )

Member Steve Bittner and I drove up on Friday. After unloading our gear at Spruce Cone cabins we did some scouting. We drove around and picked out some very promising spots. we then made our way to the Fogarty Camp on Indian Stream. We wanted to meet team members Nancy, Earl, and Dana in person to button down details for Saturday.

After we arrived and exchanged pleasantries, I gave Nancy an antler candelabra for her camp as a thank you for her help with the club and for making us some really great certificates for the hunt. We all sat down for a great visit and we even celebrated Earl's birthday.

We learned the history of the camp and heard numerous hunting adventures that have transpired over the years. We talked about antler hunting techniques that we each use. After buttoning down Saturday's agenda and deciding to meet back at Camp Fogarty Saturday evening between 3 and 4 pm for the awards ceremony. We said our goodnights and drove back to Spruce Cone.

Saturday June 5

Saturday morning broke with the promised rain that was forecast. We packed the rain gear in the truck and headed to Happy Corners Café for some much needed coffee and breakfast. We met the members who were there already waiting with a table. I could tell everyone was excited and raring to go. After ingesting the fine cooking at the Café we had the waitress take a group photo before we headed out.

We walked off into the rain and split off to go to our respective spots. Just behind happy Corners, between the restaurant and the hardware/lumber store a young cow moose was standing in the field drinking water from a moose wallow. It looked to me like she had shown up to say "good luck guys" as we stopped to take some photos.

We then headed on our trek some 20 miles to our spot off Route 3 and into the brush. The area we chose was looking even better to me this morning then it did last night. Steve was even anxious to get in there. We quickly geared up and slogged into the woods. This spot was a huge area of wintering ground for numerous bulls. It was a 4-7 year old cut surrounded by Moose maple and Spruce. Many streams and old tote roads intertwine this huge piece. In a word- PERFECT!

We first explored the old cut. Everywhere we saw wintering activity. Trees were tipped and bark chewed. We moved methodically but unfortunately, the grass and ferns were knee high and you could be within a foot from a big antler and never see it. June is a bit late for antler hunting, but in Pittsburg much of the area is gated and until the gates open it cuts your options in 1/2.

We worked our way up to the height of land and then moved over to the right of the cut. The whole area was bursting with old and new sign. we found tons of beds. It is amazing to me that moose will lay down to sleep in a wet grass bed that has water 3-4" deep! We followed some big moose runs on a hill side, when Steve was on another run in front of me, he yelled that he had found an antler. I hurriedly slogged to him. To his left was our first antler of the day. Steve had stopped to pee and just happened to look down to his right and there it was. It was a small 4 point paddle and while it was fresh, it was really chewed up. We strapped it to my pack after a few pictures and we moved on further to the right.

Steve followed one beat down moose path and I went even farther to the right and followed just inside the tree line following my own beat down moose trail. I lost sight of Steve for awhile. I slogged across a small meadow inside a small stand of spruce and once on the other side I noticed through the trees some IMMENSE antler rubs, NOT chews but true rubs. two of the spruce were bigger around then my thigh! There were six trees in close proximity. I called to Steve and got him to pose near some of these rubs. Towards the east and downhill through the open spruce and patches of moose maple, we just kept finding more and more rubs. Big, little, a real rub line of sorts. Steve and I split up again and I had him move over about 100 yards and follow along the rubs and a trail. I moved over to the left and after a short time I came out of a real swampy spot and back up on some more solid ground I found a place that all of the chest high spruce had been thrashed. The tops had been stripped and broken off. I started circling this scene because I have seen this type of activity before, and lo and behold! A fresh, dark antler laying at the base of this thicket of thrashed spruce. Not a huge antler, but decent. It had 5 points, dark color, about 29" long. I yelled to Steve and when he arrived, he modeled the antler for my picture taking and then we searched the immediate area for the match. We did not find it but it may still be there somewhere. It could be back in the grass and we'd never see it at this time of year.

We decided to move down to the East again. This way we could connect to the brook that leads down to where we parked the truck. On my way down we ran into even more rubs. Once back to the truck we quickly stowed our gear and the two antlers and motored out to Spruce Cone to gather up all the prizes and awards.

Anticipation was running high as we turned onto Indian Stream. I had recused myself from the contest as the judge, so my antler was not eligible for any awards or prizes, but Steve was in. Once we pulled up to the camp it was apparent that someone here would definitely be taking the Rack Track prize home. The deck of the camp was lined up with sheds and one was just a giant in comparison. When I walked around the back of the truck I could see earl holding his breath. I pulled out our antlers one at a time, alluding to the possibility of a monolithic antler. I see the sigh of relief as I pulled out my medium. We walk onto the porch and can see Earl's antler is a fine specimen. It is double palmed with 9 points, 33-36" long, 10-12" wide and triple eye guards. Bleached, algae covered and a little chewed but full of character. It was very obvious that THIS was the most Impressive antler. So Earl Gaudet was the Official Grand Prize winner of the rack trap. Nancy Fogarty won the 2nd prize painting for an old 5 point antler, Dana Fogarty got 3rd prize of a $20 gift certificate to Place in the Woods and Steve Bittner won 4th prize (a large coffee mug from Place in the Woods)

After visiting and celebrating our club's first meet, we all decided to get together on Sunday to do a group hunt.

Sunday June 6, 8 AM

After breakfast, Steve and I met Earl, Nancy and Dana at our spot in the clearcut. The rain was coming down and we decided to limit our hunt to about 3 hours. We all moved up the hill and made a "beater line" while searching towards where Steve and I had found my antler yesterday. Somehow in the search Steve and I lost track of Team Fogarty, we tried to circle around in front of them but got slowed down in a huge swamp. We finally made our way to the top of the hill and headed down to where we thought they would be. We found nothing but their tracks. We looked around the area where we found the antlers yesterday. Nothing here. Steve went to the east side of the brook and I went to the West side. I started tracking Team Fogarty down along the brook and while standing in their tracks looking at a big rub, I happened to look back and to my left and lying not 10" from the tracks was an old 3 point moose antler (looks like a ghost costume), at least a year old, a little green and in great shape. Had I NOT stopped and happened to look back I would never have seen it, and that is likely why Team Fogarty missed it. I called Steve over to show him the antler and we headed back down to the truck.

When we got back to the truck, we found a note from Nancy and they had gotten out about an hour ahead of us. we were hoping they'd be back at camp so we could show them the antler and leave it at their camp; but alas they had already headed out of town. So the little "ghost costume antler" was to make the journey home with me. We drove over to one more place and gave it a quick go, but we just did not have a lot left in us. The rain had really beat us up. Steve and I changed into dry clothes, loaded up and sadly lefts Pittsburg.We made a detour to Beaver Brook falls, I felt like a tourist but Steve had never seen it.

Before I close I want to thank Gary Bedell of Spruce Cone Cabins for his hospitality and advice. If you plan to go to Pittsburg and need a place to stay, try Spruce Cone. Gary has a very impressive taxidermy collection in his lobby and that alone is worth the visit

Also a HUGE thank you to our event prize sponsors; Rack Trap and Place In the Woods . ALL the winners were thrilled with their prizes.

Hopefully next year, MORE members can join us (there will be a next year) antlers still can be found in June, despite what many think. Everyone went home with at least one!

May 19 & 20th with Friend Steve B.

A few May days in the woods

Off to my home town to do a little more this year. The woods are greening up fast but they are still huntable, but a lot of the places dont have much ground cover anyways.

Have you ever gone christmas shopping on Dec 24 and found the store has picked clean except a calender with kittens and a Chia pet? Thats how I've felt this year. There is nothing worse than
getting to your best spot feeling good and meet someone walking out with antlers or finding an imprint in the leafs were someone pulled one out. Oh well thats the game I guess. Thats how it was Tues.

The place I went too, I found a nice one last year that I found late in the season. There is so much moose sign in there, there is a couple of 4-5 year old clearcuts, tote roads, three huge beaver bogs (beaver equal moose); It looks like the Yukon. This this place is just awsome.

I found where at least two antlers were taken out. I found huge rubs and wallows. If i get
unit G in the Moose lottery, I will be in here ( if one of you get lucky and get G let me know this spot rocks!)

I found one really eaten up piece and a cool beaver skull . I went in two days in a row and I'm still convinced there are some antlers still in there so I will go back.

It is about 6000 acres, there has to be more in there somewhere, maybe we will find out next week.

A couple days later I headed back into "moose town" down near Keene and I pulled out this Bull Moose skull (which I'd like to try mount my friend Steve's matching set of antlers onto). Also almost ran headlong into a last year's moose calf.

Lucky day

Every once in awhile I get lucky.

I woke up on the right side of the bed, had a premonition, whatever it was I knew right where I wanted to go. So I shoveled down some eggs and coffee and was off. (Did not take Itsy because the ticks are bad already here)

Now the Southwest corner of the State is not known for moose, but I have found an area that I like to call "Moosetown". The exact area shall remain nameless because it is especially easy to access, but it is in the Keene area.

I walked in off a tote road and was immediately overwhelmed with the amount of moose sign. This spot is near some power lines and my first mistake was to wander too far out into the brush. I started to lose sign and decided to back track. Usually I preach that you have to bushwhack way out to find anything, but this area is so simple that it has remained unmolested. I found most of the sign ran parallel to the power lines in a swath about 300 feet deep.

Once I got my search vector set, I began to search it in earnest. I moved along the edge of a swamp and found rub after rub. A large bull is running this trail a lot.

I followed along this trail and started into some moose maple that had all been chewed on. To my right was a small stand of hemlock and on top of a mossy hummock was the first antler. A small 5 point with a cool little kicker off the back. This antler was at least a year old but in great shape, no chews just a bit green. First decent moose shed all year for me, even if it was small. Lashed it to my pack and moved on.

Seeings how the antler was small there was no reason to look for the match nearby as the moose would likely have worn 1 side for awhile longer. So I started doing a loose grid search in the yarding area. It only took about 10 minutes and I found a second antler on the side of a small knoll along some more moose maple. An even smaller chewed up 3 point which I usually would have left lie, but we have been using the chewed up ones in the flower garden as ornaments.

I worked up and down a few more ridges until I ran into a cow moose. She was VERY pregnant and refused to move from this little hollow. She had scraped up this area and appeared to be in active labor. I watched her for near an hour just to see if she would give birth. She was a large mature cow around 600+lbs But alas I had to get moving. I decided to circle downwind out of her sight, I knew with the pending birth she would be very protective and I have experienced enough irate cow moose to last me a lifetime!

I dropped down into a hollow and up the other side. This whole area is just awesome. When I topped the ridge there was moose maple and sugar maple everywhere with some hemlock thrown into the mix. If I had previously been walking through "moose town" then this was the town common.

I found another main trail and a few more big rubs. Then I moved down this bench and I look to my left and "Behold the Holy Grail"! A big antler. I about tripped over myself to get to it. And it was a nice one! A big 6 point. It has a few chews and is a bit bleached but over all really nice. My first "big boy" for 2010.

I searched for about 15 minutes for the match, I know it must be there but it was getting pretty late and I was about 3 miles from my truck.

Before I wrap this blog entry up, one word about getting excited about antlers and setting your gear down. Don't. I looked for my stuff for about 10 minutes! Make sure you pay attention to your are setting your stuff down. I was actually more worried about the antlers on the pack then the pack. But I found it all eventually.

I carried the 50lbs of pack and antlers out to the truck with a second trip here already planned!

Moose town here I come

April 4-8

I took three days off to recharge my batteries and to me that means antler hunting.

After driving my daughter to Durham and then myself back to Springfield, I hit the big woods of the Gile State Forest at 8 AM. I headed in past our bear bait sites and over the mountain. My destination was a 3 year old clear cut about 2 miles in.

I saw plenty of sign at first but then it petered out. So I kept on searching through what seemed like hours of mooseless terrain. It was really off to experience that in the Gile but I believe they were wintering elsewhere.

After traversing a number of beaver ponds I ended up on the back side of the clear cut, and low and behold that's where the moose had wintered.

I moved along the edge of the clear cut and ran across this old moldy antler, it would have been a giant at one time. Ah well, it looks good in the flower garden!

The next day I searched the farm. I did a scout through my hunting spot, lots of huge buck sign but no antlers until I got over the other side of the hill. I found a chewed up 4 point side with good mass, another buck to add to my mental catalog of big deer using my mountain. Also found a portion of a deer jaw.

A weird year

What a strange year for me so far, for me it has been almost antlerless! It has been many years since I have gone through the end of February without at least a handful of antlers, both moose and deer.

I have pounded a lot of ground since starting in December. At this same point last year I had around 11 antlers, many of these being matched sets. I have covered all of the normally good spots throughout the last few months.

I have to tell you my faith in myself has been shaken, but any true antler hunter knows that you just can't give up. A few of you NH Shed Hunters Club members have done pretty good so far and thanks for submitting the pictures. I think I just need to change my search criteria.

If you recall, last season in the places I hunt (and possibly in areas where you hunt as well) we had a good crop of acorns in december. I was finding a LOT of feeding activity in the oak groves.

I have 5 days off the beginning of April and I plan to get out most days and hope for luck. I also have days off in May and June. Although June is typically my cutoff point for me because of greenup. Pittsburg is still huntable in June though, especially way up.

As most of you know, Diane has gotten the NHSHC website finally updated and we will be trying to add some more features and photos. Club members don't forget to get into the raffle for a NHSHC shirt and hat, check the website or yahoogroup emails for more info.

We have added a lot of cool stuff on the NHSHC store page so check it out.

NHSHC members please remember to write in to the yahoogroup about your own antler adventures, I love to read about other antler hunts. Also if any members have hunting photos remember to submit them to Diane to put on the hunting page of the website. Our hunting photo gallery page is pretty weak guys!

June is coming up soon and I am looking forward to meeting as many of you who can attend our first club Pittsburg antler hunt. A few things to remember for those planning on attending; it will be calving season- (1) STAY AWAY from all cow moose and keep your eyes sharp for them! My first hand experience posted here last year should tell you that this is a serious thing. (2) Bring PLENTY of bug spray. If we get a lot of warm weather the black flies will be out and HUNGRY. (3) bring exra shoes and socks or water proof boots. the one thing those of you who have hunted in Pittsburg know is that everywhere you go up there in the bush is WET. Muck boots or any of the tall water proof boots are great, like the ones you wear for bowhunting. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for us

Good luck
Rob

A long antler hunt with the dog

While driving to my wife's friend Maggie's , I thought that the chances of finding antlers was good. I was heading to 350 acres of corn and hay fields surrounded by CRP fields and hemlock groves. A roaring native trout brook tuns down a ravine that is full of deer travel. The day promised to be warm and sunny, in the 60's. A day antler hunters love, certainly for March. (Pre bug season).

With me I had my partner in training, Itsy (Little Bit), my trusty antler dog. Today would be a fine tuning trip for her blossoming skills.

When we reached Maggie's I ran into a logger who was eager to tell me where they had been seeing deer. Information considered, off we went. I had planned to go down into the ravine and work the dog in and around the deer trails. A lot of the upper piece had been select cut.

Within 50 yards of getting to the upper shelf, we got our first hit. Turned out to be a leg bone, but she's on the right track. I refocus Itsy and move along. 20 feet later and another bone. Down by the brook, you guessed it another bone. Did I mention none are antlers?

Well we quartered for quite awhile and I had planned on crossing the brook, but the water was still far too high. The deer trails showed that the deer had been crossing it most of the winter and last year I found a 5 point side over there, but no access yet.

The deer trails headed up the bluff and we found 3 huge rubs. We made our way along to the home stretch, we had been out now for over 5 hours and finally found an antler. Out in the middle of a field Itsy found the end of a main beam and part of a tine that had been broken by the hay mower. It was very weathered and had been out there a long time. I left it where it lay as there was not enough to bring home.

So what did we turn up? 10 legs, part of a hip, some cow bones, a chewed up doe skull, several turkey bones, the broken antler piece and LOTS of deer poop.

I think we are doing good for a 2 year old, barely worked pup. I just wish some more antlers would pop up, but it's only March

First 2010 trip out with the dog

Posted by Diane



Rob's antler dog, Itsy, broke a toe in December and has been unable to go antler hunting until she healed.



Rob took her out this week, for the first time in 2010 and he took her to Unity, NH an area they are familiar with.



Last fall a good friend called us because he had arrowed and lost a doe

We did not have our license (one of our other dogs, Annie, is a Wildlife recovery Dog) and could not legally go

The deer was not recovered and all we knew was an aproximate phone conversation about where it was shot and where they thought it went

Rob and Itsy went to the same property on March 11 to look for dropped antlers. To an antler dog a bone is a bone is a bone so she often finds more bones then she does antlers. Coyote skulls, pig and calf bones the coyotes have dragged away from the farm dump pile etc

Itsy has no blood tracking training (yet) and only a smidge of human tracking training, but when they got to this one area she locked onto a "trail" of some sort and was very obviously tracking something. She works off leash with Rob simply keeping her close verbally

He said he decided to let her follow this trail for a bit and after only a short distance became aware of flagging on branches (the type you leave while blood tracking with or without a dog). Rob started being aware that the trail Itsy was following matched the flaggging and so followed along to see where she'd end

Well she ended near a bog where the local coyotes had obviously pulled a dead deer out of the bog and consumed it. itsy picked up all the bones in the area and Rob says they amounted to about the whole rear 1/2 - 1/3 of what looked like a doe based on pelvis

Rob was fairly certain that this was the lost deer from his friend last fall.. This was 5 months ago.

While Rob could not say that Itsy was following a blood trail, the path she followed was right on with the flagging and she was obviously tracking/trailing not just air scenting the bones from a distance




Annie (left), Rob and Itsy (right) take a nap at the end of a fun, tiring day

December 28, 2009-February 11, 2010 recap

I decided to try to get a jump on finding some Moose antlers in the Gile Forest (Springfield and Wilmot, NH) so I went out for the first time on December 28,2009 with my friend Steve.

This was Steve's first time out looking for antlers of any kind and so we decided to go to one of my favorite spots in the Gile Forest. UNFORTUNATELY it was 9 degrees F with 45 MPH wind gusts and a constant 25 MPH wind. We did not stay very long and did not see ANY Moose tracks or any sign whatsoever. We did find some big deer rubs and some deer activity so will have to go back later in the season.

I have never experienced cold like this in my entire life! We were chipping ice out of our beards and mustaches after getting back to the truck.

Steve and I went out a few weeks later near Center Pond in Stoddard and saw LOTS of Moose sign but again no antlers. Another spot to return to.

I made a couple quick trips to Pisgah State Park which is near my house and again saw deer sign but no antlers.

I have been back to the farm in Springfield a number of times and seen lots of deer, lots of sign but also NO ANTLERS. (NOTE of interest: I was actually witnessing breeding activity as late as the end of December and beginning of January!)

I decided to go to a place with a very high concentration of deer in Unity. I've gone back 3 times now because of the amount of deer sign. Two of the trips were a wash out for deer antlers, but on my way back to the truck on the first trip in a whiteout I did find a rotting Coyote skull in the middle of a hay field.

And on the third trip to Unity, EUREKA! I finally found an antler. Well, half of one. After hiking through most of the bedding areas I meandered my way to a lower apple orchard and was working my way along the brook near the orchard looking at where the deer cross the brook and in the field adjacent to the orchard under a lone apple tree was an antler. The only way to get to this antler was to go onto private property, so I knocked on the man's door. After a brief conversation he graciously gave me permission to pick up any antlers out in his field and so I ran out and picked it up only to discover that the antler was broken clean off right after the G2. This is the second broken off antler I have found in this area.

The property owner then showed me the giant 8 point buck he had shot in the same area 4 years ago. It's a big typical 8 with a 20" inside spread and has 11" G2s and great mass. THEN the property owner proceeded to tell me about a GIANT deer on his lawn back in December that he claims had 16-18 points, this actually coincides with the stories my friend Dave has heard about a deer in the area that people have started calling "Stickers" and this is PROBABLY the buck that is snapping off other buck's antlers and responsible for the rub's I have seen on 25++" trees in the same area.

"Stickers" is now my main priority in this particular area and I'd love to find his sheds to prove his actual existence.

Today (2/11) Steve and I went back to Unity on the search for "Stickers" and we found some HUGE tracks and more BIG rubs but no antlers.