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Big Game Hunting |
"You Don't Have To Go West To Find The Best"
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The adventure of big
game hunting in the northern woods of New Hampshire is one
of Wayne Derby's specialties.
With an intimate understanding of the
wilderness and ability to interpret the environment, Wayne has
the ability to make your expedition an exciting and rewarding
trip - and maybe just a little educational. Wayne's knowledge
of the forest and all that live in it has a way of rubbing off
on his customers! |
"In all of my hunts I prefer to work
with one or two hunters. I can at times accommodate up to four.
My strive to give very personalized service. I don't hire other guides; I'm the only person with whom you
will be working. That is my trade mark and specialty."
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Archery is my preferred methods of Hunting in New Hampshire. Since 1993, 87% of the animals that I have harvested have been with my bow. I take great care of every bowhunter I guide; their needs and requirements. At each stand a bow hunter is supplied with a comfortable baby grand tree stands summit strap on ladder, a gorilla hanging bow holder, a buck wing umbrella, and a safety harness. It is required that the safety harness be worn. Many hunters prefer to wear their own, so feel free to bring one if you want. Some of the sites are set up with buddy stands so a parent and child can hunt together. Archery season for deer usually is from September 15th to December15t. Of course, if desired, a person can bowhunt for any legal game during any open New Hampshire Hunting season if the choose to.
Muzzleloading has become a very popular way to Hunt in New Hampshire. The blackpowder season is the ten days prior to
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the regular rifle season for deer, usually the last few days of October and the first few of November. This is when the annoying insects are gone from the woods but the temperatures are still often comfortable to hunt in. Because sometimes old man winter can creep in at that time of year, you will need to bring a wide range of clothing to cover any conditions. Of course, if desired, a person can go muzzleloader/blackpowder hunting for any legal game during any open season if he so chooses. |
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New Hampshire Turkey Hunting:
Turkey Hunting
in New Hampshire is simply the most addictive form of hunting that I have found.
The excitement is unmatched compared to any other form of big
game hunting. The fact that is you have to call the Tom Turkey,
imitating the cutting and yelping of a hen looking to be bred;
in addition to that fact the Tom turkey response gets your adrenaline
going like nothing else. Sometimes the action can be fast |
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furious. Other times it is a slow cat and mouse game. It often
depends on how experienced that Tom turkey is, and how patient
the hunter is.
Here in the North
Country we have been hunting turkeys since1995 and have taken
our share every year. The flock is healthy and expanding every
year and is becoming much easier to locate each passing year.
That's not to say that is easy to find and hunt Turkeys. A Turkey's
eyesight and hearing are unmatched in the natural world. While
Turkeys may not be the smartest game you may chase, they are
extremely wary. The slightest movement, or the softest sound
that is not in their natural world will often cause them to walk
the other way. Often we will use decoys in our attempt to lure
the birds within range. But even then a Wiley old Tom will tell
you, you not only have to talk like a turkey and look like a
turkey but you have to walk like a turkey or you're not a turkey.
There have been times when it's more effective to pattern and
ambush them like you would a dominant white tail buck. Whenever
it takes we will work as hard and long as necessary to achieve
your success. |
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New Hampshire Moose
Hunting: |
Moose Hunting New
Hampshire is done only by lottery. Moose Hunting with us
is unlike hunting with any other guide or outfitter. I am the
state champion moose caller and use calling exclusively to take
moose. Often we take moose in the trophy size category of a 50
in. spread and above. Calling moose can be very exciting. The
bull responds to the calls of the cow and comes to investigate.
As he is responding he makes his own grunt which can be heard
sometimes for well over a mile. Being the largest animal in the
woods there is little that stands in the way between him and
his desired destination, the calling cow in heat, or so he thinks.
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calling as he approaches, but you can
hear him crashing through the woods snapping off saplings and
barging through a blow downs in his attempts to reach his prospective
mate. Moose calling is the most exciting way to hunt moose; but
also very importantly we often can lure the bull moose to where
we want him to end up. Instead of finding the moose where they
are, and then harvesting them in that area, we get them to fall
down more where we want them. Usually this means it is a much
easier time for us to get to the animals and get them out of
the woods. Getting the animal out of the woods is where the real
work begins, and I will be more than happy to teach you all about
it.
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We offer fully NH Guided
Moose Hunts and semi-guided moose hunts with a scouting report
to fully accommodate anybody wishes on how they would like to
try and achieve their once in a lifetime trophy. No matter how
you want to achieve success you'll find we spend long and full
days scouting and observing, prior to this season; these days
are just as long are our days during the season. In our part
of the state moose hunting New Hampshire takes place in mountainous terrain
which is a very rugged and physically exerting too traverse.
So make sure you're in shape and prepare yourself to have unparalleled
fun and excitement on a moose hunt with us. |
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New Hampshire Bear Hunting: |
We offer several types of Bear Hunting in New Hampshire, baiting, travel corridors
and funnel areas, natural feeding areas, spot and stalk, still
hunting, and calling bear.
If you are an archer or pistol hunter we offer the option
of hunting over natural baits, or natural food sites. This is
close up and fast action. Usually the baits are located in heavily
wooded areas, while you are in one of our comfortable baby grand
tree stands. There is little more exciting or rewarding then
taking in animal of such potential danger in such close
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quarters with limited weaponry. Bears are very strong and very durable
and the shots have to be right on the mark. Otherwise we could
be in for a long and dangerous tracking job. Since we use only
natural food sources for baits you'll are very likely to also
see other species of animals such as deer, coyote or fox; even
turkey and partridge may show up at the site. Depending on what
time of the season it is, any one or all of them may be legal
to take. Of course you can always bring along your camera and
take pictures of what you may not want to harvest. In any event
you'll find this to be an exciting, heart pumping way to experience
harvesting of an animal.
Calling bear is an extremely exciting activity. The bear is
hunting you as a food source, while you are hunting him. This
can be very exciting, and if you're not being alert, it can be
somewhat dangerous. You will be sitting on the ground, well camouflaged,
waiting for your prey. While we're calling for bear we will often
have responses from anything in the woods that eats meat. I've
had everything from Fisher cat, to red tail hawk show up to try
and get their piece of the pie. While I was calling bear for
client, I have even been stocked and nearly attacked by a bobcat
that thought I would make it a nice dinner for him while I was
calling bear for client. Often the bear will come in silently
on their softly padded feet. So you need to make sure the you
keep yourself aware, and in tune to the language of the woods,
because it will tell you when the bear is approaching. Other
times they'll come in boldly and aggressively often breaking
branches and hurriedly passing through the woods.
In any event ground hunting while calling bear is a heart
pounding and hair raising experience. It is not for the faint
of heart, but definitely for those who want a new challenge in
their methods to taking and harvesting game.
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New Hampshire Deer Hunting: |
Deer
Hunting season is long in New Hampshire. There are many different
aspects of the season to be aware of, and take advantage of.
In the early part of the season it is archery only. During this
time we take revenge on natural travel corridors, natural funnel
areas, staging areas as well as natural food sources. We also
provide baiting over natural food sources throughout the entire
deer season for archery hunters only. As a season progresses
we move into the pre rut. During this time a combination of scents,
calling and rattling can be very effective to attract a bucks.
We will also still take advantage of the natural movements to
and from bedding and feeding areas during this time, as we did
earlier in the season. As we move into the rut the bucks are
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with the does, we will concentrate on
the doe's core bedding areas. Let's face it, if the bucks can
only get it one time of the year, then by God they're going to,
and the place to find them is with the does. During this time
of year calling and rattling are not nearly as effective as they
are during the pre and post rut. |
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Following the rut there is the
post rut, the breeding activity is slowing down and bucks are
finding it more tiresome to continue looking for does. Some still
are looking and the best way to get their attention is to go
back to the pre rut tactics and use calling, rattling, and scent
strategies to lure them within range. Even though to deer activity
is greatly slowed down and there are much less sightings of deer
in the woods, often the dominant bucks are still on the prowl
and can be vulnerable to the appearance of the presence of a
doe in heat. This can be a very deadly strategy for bucks because
there are so few does that are still in heat. So if you can make
them think that there is one, your chances increase greatly. |
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Much like calling bear, predator
calling can be very exciting, and if you're not being alert,
it can be somewhat dangerous. You will be sitting on the ground,
well camouflaged, waiting for your prey. While I have been calling
for predators, there will often be responses from anything in
the woods that eats meat. I have had everything from Fisher Cat,
to red tail hawk show up to try and get their piece of 'dying'
animal. Often animals will come in silently on their softly padded feet, while I was calling for client, I have even been stocked, and nearly attacked by a bobcat that thought I would make it a nice dinner for him. So you need to make sure that you keep yourself aware, and in tune to the language of the woods, because it will tell you when the animal is approaching. Other times |
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animals like coyote and fox come in boldly and aggressively,
often breaking branches and running through the woods, to get
their share of the meal. Winter is often the best time for predator
calling as there is less food in the woods to eat. |
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