CONTACT:
Mark Ellingwood: (603) 271-2461
Julie Robinson: (603) 868-1095
Liza Poinier: (603) 271-3211
August 25, 2004

Small-Game Hunters Needed for Annual Survey; Chance to Win a Shotgun

CONCORD, N.H. -- If you hunt small game in the Granite State, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department wants to hear from you. By filling out the Small Game Survey -- a simple form that tells when and where you hunt and which game species you encounter while hunting -- you can help Fish and Game biologists collect data on the abundance and distribution of New Hampshire's small game species, including ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbit and gray squirrel. If you are a small-game hunter and would like to participate, call (603) 271-2461; email wilddiv@wildlife.state.nh.us, or write 11 Hazen Dr., Concord, NH 03301.

This year, hunters have an added incentive to participate in the project. All those who complete the Small Game Survey during the 2004-05 season will be entered into a raffle for a Ruger Red Label 20-gauge shotgun (retail value: $1,545), generously donated by the Sturm Ruger Company to help boost participation in the survey.

Data collected in the Small Game Survey helps to improve Fish and Game's management of small game, for the benefit of those species and their ecosystems, as well as those who appreciate these wildlife resources -- hunters and nonhunters alike. Each year the results of the small game survey are compiled in a summary report of small game taken or observed during the previous year. This data not only helps biologists better manage game populations, it also aids hunters in deciding when and where they have the best chance of bagging their intended game. All survey participants are sent a copy of the Department's annual small game summary report.

"Historically, a lack of solid information on the densities and distribution patterns of small game has made it challenging to manage these species and their habitats," said Julie Robinson, the wildlife biologist who heads up the Department's Small Game Project. Fish and Game relies on input from hunters to get the data needed to provide an accurate wildlife profile because small game harvest is not registered or tagged like deer, bear and turkey. It can take several years of data to identify trends in small game populations.

"The dynamic nature of small game populations and the state's fast-changing environment have made it tough to track populations," Robinson said. "We've got a good initial base of information to work from, but for us to realize the greatest benefit from this project, we need more hunters to take part."

Funding for the Small Game Survey project comes from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program, supported by hunters (through their purchases of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment) and the unrestricted Fish and Game fund (sales of licenses and permits).

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state's fish, wildlife and marine habitats.

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