Hunting Season in New Hampshire!

This Saturday morning the kids, some seasonal friends, and I took a fall hike up to Mt. Mary (at Danforth Bay). On our way up we noticed a herd of dogs barking. We thought, "Wow those dogs are really loud and close by. I was wondering what neighbor would put up with that racket. When we got to the top we heard a LOUD single gunshot noise that seem to echo throughout the valley.

Our seasonal friend quickly pointed out that it was probably a hunter. I of course thought, "It must be something else of they wouldn't hike so close to a popular campground". We proceeded down the mountain and I didn't give it a second thought for the rest of the morning.

Later when I caught up with my seasonal friend again, I found out that the dogs that we heard were hunting dogs which chased a black bear up the tree, off the logging road, not too far from the Mt. Mary trail. In fact I immediately recalled a truck at the bottom of the hill with one of the dogs in the back. The hunter shot the bear in the tree and later "prepared the kill" (e.g., pulled out heart, skinned, etc.).

I further learend that my kids who were out with their friends saw the dead bear and the hunters. Now I'm neither pro hunting nor anti hunting (in fact some species are over populated and need to be controlled) but I find it kind of concerning that hunting would be happening on the doorstep of a popular campground? This type of hunting is legal due to they are killing the bear in the tree vs. in the woods.

However, my kids run though the forest playing manhunt and exploring (in fact they had a bug project due this week for school and were in the woods looking for bugs). I personally think campgrounds should not allow hunting near their property (if at all legally possible). Accidents could happen. It also makes sense to dress in BRIGHT colors and have your kids stay close to site at this time.