New Hampshire hunting and fishing laws
The New Hampshire rules that catch people out, in plain English: hunter education, minimum age, blaze orange, Sunday hunting, shooting hours, baiting, night hunting, tagging and private land. Each one links to the state's own text.
Season dates for 2026-27. Page updated October 12, 2026.
These pages sum up the rules to help you find them. They are not legal advice. The state's own regulations govern, so check them before you go.
Hunter education in New Hampshire
Hunter Education is required for New Hampshire hunters age 16 and older who have not previously held a hunting license. To buy a license online or at Walmart you must have held a hunting or archery license, or passed Hunter or Bowhunter Education in New Hampshire, in 2000 or later. An Apprentice Hunting License allows a one-time deferral of the previous-license or Hunter Education requirement.
Minimum hunting age in New Hampshire
Hunting licenses are required for persons 16 years of age and older.
Blaze orange in New Hampshire
No mandatory blaze orange requirement was found. The digest only urges it: wear hunter orange to make yourself more visible to other hunters. For deer, bear and small game it says it's hard to overstate the importance of wearing a fluorescent orange hat, vest, or jacket, and turkey hunters should always wear blaze orange as they enter and leave an area.
Sunday hunting in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no Sunday hunting restriction; legal hunting hours (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset) apply every day of the week during open seasons.
Shooting hours in New Hampshire
Applies to: Deer
Deer hunting hours run from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Baiting in New Hampshire
Baiting is permitted under a baiting permit, with limits. No bait may be placed during the spring and summer closed period set in the regulations. A baited area shall be considered an active bait site until any and all bait material is completely removed.
Applies to: Deer
Only persons holding a Disabled Veteran License or Paraplegic License may bait deer, statewide, during the period set in the regulations. Products that are 100 percent salt are prohibited as deer bait.
Applies to: Bear
No person shall establish, tend, or hunt bear over a bait containing chocolate or any cocoa derivative. White chocolate may be used as bait.
Night hunting in New Hampshire
It is unlawful to possess a firearm with ammunition, bow and arrow, or crossbow and bolt while attempting to locate or illuminate wild animals at night, with exceptions for coyote during the winter period set in the regulations and for raccoon hunting and trap checking. It is also unlawful to illuminate wild animals during the fall period set in the regulations.
Tagging and reporting a harvest in New Hampshire
Applies to: Deer
The tag must be immediately detached, filled out and attached to the deer. Register the deer online or at the closest open registration station within 24 hours. In-person registration is required during the first 2 days of muzzleloader season and the first 3 days of firearms season.
Hunting on private land in New Hampshire
All state, federal, municipal, county, and private lands are considered open to hunting unless posted otherwise. It is unlawful to enter posted land without permission of the owner or fail to leave when requested, or to deface posted signs. The agency recommends personally contacting the landowner for permission before hunting any private land, particularly smaller parcels.
Can you show your New Hampshire license on your phone?
Hunting license must be printed and signed.
New Hampshire’s licensing site says “In order for a license to be valid it must be printed out and signed by the applicant.” Only fishing is different: “For fishing licenses (NOT HUNTING) a pdf or other fixed image of a valid license visible on a smart phone is sufficient,” with photo ID. Deer and bear tags are physical: the tag must be “filled out and attached” immediately at the kill.
Printed, signed license and paper tags
New Hampshire hunting season dates, 2026-27
The main seasons, from the state's published dates. Zones and units can differ; each season links to the state's own page for it.
| Season | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer — archery | Sep 15 – Dec 15, 2026 | WMUs B–M | WMU A closes Dec 8 |
| Deer — muzzleloader | Oct 31 – Nov 10, 2026 | Statewide (all WMUs) | Any-deer days vary by WMU; WMU A antlered only |
| Deer — regular firearms | Nov 11 – Dec 6, 2026 | WMUs B–M | WMU A closes Nov 29; any-deer days vary by WMU |
| Moose | Oct 17 – Oct 25, 2026 | Permit WMUs | Lottery permit holders only |
| Black bear — general (still hunting) | Sep 1 – Nov 30, 2026 | WMUs C1, D2, E, F, G, H2, I1, J1, J2, K, L, M | Other WMUs close Nov 10; bait season Sep 1-28 or Oct 5 by WMU |
| Turkey — spring | May 1 – May 31, 2027 | Statewide | Youth weekend Apr 24-25, 2027 |
| Turkey — fall shotgun | Oct 12 – Oct 18, 2026 | WMUs D2, H1, H2, I1, J2, K, L, M | Fall archery Sep 15-Dec 15 (WMU A to Dec 8) |
| Ruffed grouse and pheasant | Oct 1 – Dec 31, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Ducks — first segment | Oct 13 – Nov 11, 2026 | Inland & Connecticut River Zone | Second segment Nov 25-Dec 24; Northern Zone Oct 2-Nov 30 |
What you can hunt in New Hampshire
Big game
- White-tailed deer General season
- Moose Draw or limited entry Lottery, by permit only
- Black bear General season Bear permit required
Upland and small game
- Wild turkey General season
- Ruffed grouse General season
- Pheasant General season
- Quail, chukar, gray partridge General season
- Cottontail rabbit General season Closed in New England cottontail protection areas
- Snowshoe hare General season
- Gray squirrel General season
- Raccoon, opossum, skunk General season
Waterfowl and migratory
- Ducks and geese General season
- Sea ducks General season
- Woodcock and snipe General season
Furbearer and predator
- Coyote General season Year round
- Red and gray fox General season
- Fisher General season Limit of two
- Bobcat No season Explicitly closed
- Lynx and pine marten No season Closed
What you can fish for in New Hampshire
Freshwater license covers all species; separate saltwater license
Fishing licenses sold: 1-day, 3-day, 7-day, Annual
Trout and char
- Brook, brown and rainbow trout General season No trout stamp in New Hampshire
- Lake trout General season
Salmon and anadromous
- Landlocked salmon General season
- Rainbow smelt General season
- Sea-run Atlantic salmon No season Prohibited
- American shad No season Catch and release inland; closed in salt water
- River herring No season No open season
Warmwater
- Largemouth and smallmouth bass General season Catch and release in late spring
- Northern pike General season
- Walleye General season
- Chain pickerel General season
- Yellow perch, crappie, sunfish and horned pout General season
Saltwater and marine
- Striped bass Needs a stamp New Hampshire saltwater license
- Bluefish, black sea bass, cod, haddock and flounder Needs a stamp
- Lobster Tag or permit Recreational lobster and crab license, five traps
- Sturgeon and Atlantic wolffish No season Closed
Other
- Cusk / burbot General season
- Lake whitefish General season
- Round whitefish No season Release immediately
Official New Hampshire links
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Carry your New Hampshire license on your phone
Sportsmen Ledger holds your hunting and fishing licenses and tags, these rules and your harvest log, and it works with no signal. Free to start.
Compare with other states
- Hunter education requirements by state
- Minimum hunting age by state
- Blaze orange requirements by state
- Sunday hunting laws by state
- Legal shooting hours by state
- Baiting laws by state
- Night hunting laws by state
- Tagging and harvest reporting by state
- Hunting on private land, state by state
- Can you show your hunting or fishing license on your phone? Every state