CONTACT: Dan Bergeron: (603) 271-1126 Danielle Beard: (603) 271-2461 September 3, 2021

Concord, NH – New Hampshire’s fall hunting seasons kicked off on September 1 with the opening of black bear and gray squirrel seasons. Archery seasons for turkey and white-tailed deer get underway September 15, and the statewide resident Canada goose hunt runs September 1-25.

Highlights of New Hampshire’s hunting seasons can be found in the New Hampshire Hunting and Trapping Digest, which includes New Hampshire hunting season dates, bag limits, check station locations, and more. Hunters and trappers can pick up a free copy at New Hampshire Fish and Game Department headquarters or their local license agent when they buy their license. The Digest can be viewed online at www.huntnh.com/hunting/publications.html. Other helpful online resources include the most recent Wildlife Harvest Summary Report and the Small Game Summary Report.

Hunters look forward to the opening day of deer season all year, and the much-anticipated regular firearms deer hunting season starts on November 10. Both the archery and regular firearms seasons for deer will again end one week early in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) A. Check the Hunting Digest for WMU-specific either-sex deer hunting regulations and additional bear hunting opportunities. This fall’s shotgun turkey season will again run for 7 days (October 11-17) and includes a full weekend.

The following is a general overview of New Hampshire’s fall hunting seasons. Be sure to consult the Digest or visit www.huntnh.com for additional information.

2021 New Hampshire Hunting Seasons

• WHITE-TAILED DEER:
  • Archery: September 15-December 15 (ends December 8 in WMU A)
  • Youth Deer Weekend: October 23-24
  • Muzzleloader: October 30-November 9
  • Firearms: November 10-December 5 (ends November 28 in WMU A)
• BLACK BEAR: Starts September 1 (end date varies by WMU)
• GRAY SQUIRREL: September 1, 2021-January 31, 2022
• SNOWSHOE HARE: October 1, 2021-March 31, 2022 (bag limit varies by WMU)
• RUFFED GROUSE: October 1-December 31
• MOOSE: October 16-24 (by permit only)
• FALL TURKEY:
  • Shotgun: October 11-17 (certain WMUs)
  • Archery: September 15-December 15 (ends December 8 in WMU A)

Apprentice Hunting Licenses are an option for people age 16 and older who want to try hunting but have not taken Hunter Education, or who have not been able to schedule a field day. The Apprentice Hunting License allows unlicensed people to hunt under the guidance of a licensed hunter age 18 or older. Apprentice licenses are available only at NH Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord. Learn more at www.huntnh.com/hunting/apprentice.html.

As the fall hunting seasons begin, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department implores hunters not to use natural urine-based deer lures. These products can potentially spread Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a neurological disorder that is always fatal to white-tailed deer and moose. Synthetic lures are suggested. Do your part and help keep our deer herd free of CWD. Learn more at www.huntnh.com/wildlife/cwd.

New Hampshire hunting licenses and permits can be purchased online anytime at www.nhfishandgame.com.

Get out and enjoy New Hampshire’s big woods safely by wearing hunter/blaze orange. With more than a million acres of public land open to hunting and outdoor recreation, blaze orange is the safe choice for all outdoor enthusiasts this fall. Find more information about hunting in New Hampshire at www.huntnh.com/hunting.