New Spring “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” Programs Offered

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program is offering three exciting new “Beyond BOW” workshops this spring, giving women a chance to explore turkey hunting; overnight backpacking; and map and compass skills.

“Beyond BOW” courses expand the offerings of the traditional Becoming an Outdoors-Woman fall and winter workshops. These in-depth courses are designed to give women the skills to do the outdoor activity on their own. It also gives participants a chance to network with other like-minded women with whom to share these activities.

Brochures and registration materials will be available at http://www.nhbow.com on the registration opening date for each course. Participation is first-come, first-served, so sign up right away if you’re interested. The new spring courses include:

BOW Turkey Hunting Weekend — Friday-Sunday, April 23 – 25 (the weekend just prior to New Hampshire’s spring gobbler season) at the Woodbound Inn in Rindge, N.H. Participants will learn everything they need to know to set out on a turkey hunt of their own, including calling, habitat, equipment, shotgun patterning, safety, ethics and cleaning/cooking game. Limited to 14 participants. Cost of $295 includes instruction, materials, use of equipment, meals and two nights lodging. Registration opens March 8.

Overnight Backpacking Adventure — The backpacking adventure (moderate pace) will take place on May 8-9 in the Upper Valley area (western N.H.). To participate in this workshop, you must first attend a gear/planning day in Warner, N.H., on April 17. Participants will learn what it takes to backpack and camp out in the wilderness and be self-sufficient. Limited to 6 participants. Cost of $20 includes group meals. Registration opens March 22.

Navigational Workshop – May 1 at Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness. During this one-day workshop, participants will learn how to use a compass and topographical map and use them together to find their way in the woods. The workshop will also include an introduction to a simple hand-held GPS unit. Limited to 15 participants. Cost: $15. Registration opens March 29.

To register and for more information on these and other BOW offerings in New Hampshire, visit http://www.nhbow.com.

N.H. Becoming an Outdoors-Woman programs are co-sponsored by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (http://www.WildNH.com) and the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation (http://www.nhwf.org).

March 17 Fish & Game Commission Meeting to Be Held in Greenland NH

CONCORD, N.H. – A location change has been announced for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission’s monthly meeting on March 17, 2010. The Commission will meet at 1:00 p.m. at Fish and Game’s Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center in Greenland, N.H. (The Great Bay Discovery Center is also located at this site.) For directions, visit http://www.greatbay.org.

Commission meetings are open to the public. As they become available, meeting agendas and minutes are posted at http://www.wildnh.com/Inside_FandG/commission.htm.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit http://www.wildnh.com.

Introduction to Fly Fishing Classes Offered – Manchester/Nashua Area

CONCORD, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Let’s Go Fishing Program, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, is offering several “Introduction to Fly Fishing” classes that are open to the public. Classes are free unless otherwise noted. Classes are open to anyone, however those 16 and under are encouraged to be accompanied by an adult. Be sure to register early to reserve your space; class size is limited. Each course includes one of the following indoor sessions, as well as a combined field day in Manchester.

* Nashua Public Library:
March 1, 10, 15 and 22
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Register at the Nashua Public Library website http://www.nashua.lib.nh.us

* Amoskeag Fishways, Manchester:
March 22, 29 and April 5, 12
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Register at the Fishways website – http://www.amoskeagfishways.org

* Manchester City Library:
April 8, 15, 22 and 29
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Register at the Manchester Public Library website – http://www.manchesterlibrary.org

* Pelham Fish and Game Club, Pelham, N.H.:
Saturday, April 10
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
To register, e-mail Gerry Crow at gerrycrow@charter.net

All the fly fishing classes include an indoor session where students learn about basics of equipment, fly casting, stream ecology, knot tying, and safety; plus a field day where students head out to a local pond and put their newly learned skills to the test! The field day (casting day) for all of the classes listed above will be:

Saturday, May 1, 2010
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Lake Massabesic in Manchester

New Hampshire Fish and Game’s “Let’s Go Fishing” program has taught thousands of children and adults to be safe, ethical and successful anglers. Find out more at http://www.fishnh.com/Fishing/lets_go_fishing_class_schedule.htm.
The program is federally funded through the Sport Fish Restoration Program.

Visit the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department online at http://www.fishnh.com.

Register Online for Hunter and Bowhunter Education Classes

CONCORD, N.H. – Don’t miss opening day of your favorite hunting season because you didn’t get the Hunter Education certification class you needed. Now is the time to register online for Hunter and Bowhunter Education classes, so you can get your license and head for the woods!

New hunters must take a hunter education course before they can purchase their first hunting license in N.H. (those age 16 and older need a license to hunt). To meet this requirement, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department offers Hunter and Bowhunter Education classes around the state, as well as Trapper Education. Courses are available from now through October, but fill up quickly in the early spring and fall months, so sign up soon!

Registering for a Hunter Education class is now easier than ever with the new online registration process that Fish and Game has rolled out this year. With this new system, you can go online anytime to sign up for a course. Just visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm and follow the links.

You’ll be able to search for hunter or bowhunter education classes by town, zip code or date. With a few clicks, you can see all the details; times and dates, locations, class and instructor information in files you can download and print. You can also get there by going to the Fish and Game website http://www.huntnh.com and typing “Hunter Ed” into the search box.

“We couldn’t be happier to offer online registration for our Hunter and Bowhunter Education Certification classes, as well as Online Hunter Education Course Field Days,” said Pete Davison, Fish and Game Hunter Education Coordinator. “We’ve greatly improved access and simplified the process for hunters who need certification.”

To register for a class, simply type in your information, creating your personal account. Easy-to-follow directions are listed for every location. Have questions? Email your instructor. Need parental approval? Print out the permission form and bring it signed to the first day’s class.

If you don’t have time for a traditional class, you can sign up to take the online Hunter Education Course (must be age 15 or older). Complete each chapter at your own speed, in the comfort of your own home, office, public library or school computer lab. Then take the online exam ($15 charge) and register for a Hunter Education Field Day (required for certification). For more information or to sign up for the online Hunter Ed course, visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm.

Traditional Hunter Education courses average about 16 hours of classroom instruction, with hands-on demonstrations, small-group activities and a live-fire experience on a shooting range. A Bowhunter Education course typically runs for 8 – 10 hours, both in and out of the classroom. Courses are taught by trained, certified volunteer instructors according to national guidelines and state standards. Classes cover safe handling and identification of firearms, bows and arrows; wildlife identification and management; shot placement; hunter ethics and responsibility; outdoor safety and survival; and hunting rules and regulations. Each class concludes with a written test, and firearm courses include a practical field exam. Students must successfully pass these tests to receive a hunter or bowhunter certification card.

Hunter education instruction and course materials are provided free of charge; instructors may charge up to $5 per student to cover the use of facilities. To receive a certificate of completion in basic Hunter Education or Bowhunter Education, participants must be at least 12 years old by the end of the course.

Trapper Education classes are also offered throughout the year. To find a class, visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed_schedule.htm.

In 2009, 150 classes for basic Hunter, Bowhunter and Trapper education were held around the state, taught by more than 550 trained volunteer instructors. An additional 20 field days were provided for online Hunter Ed course participants. Each year, more than 4,400 people are certified in hunter, bowhunter and trapper education in New Hampshire. Classes are already underway for 2010.

For more information on Hunter Education in New Hampshire, or to find a class if you do not have computer access, call N.H. Fish and Game’s Hunter Education Program at 603-271-3214.

Hunter Education in New Hampshire is funded by federal Wildlife Restoration Funds, a user-pay, user-benefit program.

NH Fish and Game Seeks Hunter Education Instructors

CONCORD, N.H. – Are you an avid outdoorsman or woman? Are you comfortable working in a team environment, helping young and old learn new knowledge and skills? If the answer is yes and you’re willing to invest 10 – 20 hours of your time each year to bring the love of the outdoors to a new generation, why not think about becoming a volunteer Hunter Education instructor! The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is looking for energetic people to join the 500+ volunteer instructors who have been helping teach Hunter Education in New Hampshire since 1948.

Far from being just a “safety” course, Hunter Education emphasizes core hunting ethics and safe practices, responsible gun handling and knowledge of firearms and ammunition. Participants take part in a supervised live-fire exercise, putting these core competencies into practice. Students also learn about wildlife identification, conservation and the role of the hunter in wildlife management. In addition, Conservation Officers from the Fish and Game Department provide expert advice on N.H. hunting rules and regulations as part of the class. The course culminates in a written examination and practical Field Day test in which participants demonstrate their new knowledge and skills.

The Bowhunter Education course also covers the core concepts of ethics, wildlife conservation, identification and management, but emphasizes bowhunting safety, archery equipment, tree-stand safety and proper shot placement. Becoming a volunteer Hunter or Bowhunter Education instructor takes an investment of your time and energy, but your efforts are well supported by the Hunter Education Office.

Prerequisites for becoming a certified instructor are:
a) Complete an instructor application (hunter or bowhunter) and criminal records release form, and submit to the Hunter Education Office (forms can be downloaded from http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm);
b) Complete the basic course as a student (hunter or bowhunter education);
c) Be 18 years of age or older;
d) Be free of misdemeanor or felony convictions, or Fish and Game violations, within the past 7 years.

Once the application process is completed, attend one of the following training workshops coming up this spring (each session is one day, from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.):

* February 20, 2010 – Hunter Ed: Pelham Fish & Game Club, Pelham, N.H.
* April 24, 2010 – Bowhunter Ed: Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord N.H.
* May 8, 2010 – Hunter Ed: Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, Holderness N.H.
* May 22, 2010 – Bowhunter Ed: Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, Holderness N.H.
* June 5, 2010 – Hunter Ed: Fish and Game Region 1 Office, Lancaster N.H

“Training for new instructors is intensive and hands-on, but will prepare you for instructing the Hunter and Bowhunter Education courses in a way that will make learning fun, easy and rewarding for your students,” said Pete Davison, Hunter Education Coordinator for N.H. Fish and Game. “As an instructor, you will be eligible for discounts at various retailers, awards and prizes at our annual recognition banquet, and professional development opportunities like CPR training and First Aid certification. The Hunter Education program depends on our volunteer instructors, and we hope to add you to the ranks.”

Hunter Education in New Hampshire is funded in by federal Wildlife Restoration Funds, a user-pay, user-benefit program.

East Hampstead Man Seriously Injured in Snowmobile Accident

CONCORD, N.H. — On Thursday, February 4, 2010, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Bernard Czeremin, age 52, of East Hampstead, N.H., suffered life-threatening injuries from a snowmobile accident on Big Island Pond in Hampstead. Czeremin was operating his snowmachine on a drawn-down section of the lake with exposed logs and lake bottom. He struck a dirt mound, went airborne and was thrown from the snowmobile, sustaining serious injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. Czeremin was transported by DHART helicopter to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The accident is under investigation by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement Division. High speed is believed to have been a factor.

Emergency responders included personnel from Hampstead Police and Fire departments and Derry Police and Fire departments.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department urges snowmobilers to ride safely and at a reasonable speed for the existing conditions, and to stick to the designated trail system.

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For tips on safe and responsible snowmobile operation, visit http://www.ride.nh.gov.