By1854, turkeys had completely disappeared in NH because of habitat loss and market and subsistence hunting. In 1975, NH Fish and Game released 25 wild turkeys into the state. Today there are an estimated 40,000 birds.

The average tom weighs 18 – 24 lbs. A 24 lb. tom is not uncommon in southern NH. Some of my personal bests are a 20 lb. and a 20 1/2 lb. Both sporting over 10 inch beards and 1 inch spurs. Their home range can be as much as 5 square miles so sometimes keeping up with them is a task, especially in the over populated souteastern part of the state.

Most hunts are conducted around the seacoast area. I have key areas that I have been hunting for years and I am always on the lookout for new areas to hunt with less pressure. I spend countless hours in the woods prior to the season scouting and patterning birds. Spring hunts are from 1/2 hour before sunrise until noon. Hunters can expect to be in the woods and set up well before legal shooting time. If an area dries up we we will leave in search of strutting toms, we will not sit in an area after the birds have left unless I know they will return.