CONCORD — New Hampshire’s fall hunting seasons kick off on Sept. 1, with the opening of black bear and gray squirrel seasons.
Archery seasons for turkey and white-tailed deer get underway on Sept. 15, and the statewide resident Canada goose hunt runs Sept. 1–25.
Highlights of New Hampshire’s hunting seasons can be found in the New Hampshire Hunting and Trapping Digest, which includes 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 at their local license agent. The Digest can also be viewed online at shorturl.at/1fIQT
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 muzzleloader deer season starts on Nov. 1 and runs for 11 consecutive days. The regular firearms deer-hunting season immediately follows starting on Nov. 12.
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.
WHITE-TAILED DEER:
Archery: Sept. 15–Dec. 15 (ends Dec. 8 in WMU A)—Special archery deer permits must be purchased with hunter’s annual archery licenses
Youth Deer Weekend: Oct. 25–26
Muzzleloader: Nov. 1–Nov. 11
Firearms: Nov. 12–Dec. 7 (ends December 1 in WMU A)
BLACK BEAR: Starts Sept. 1 (end date varies by WMU)
GRAY SQUIRREL: Sept. 1, 2025–Jan. 31, 2026
SNOWSHOE HARE: Oct. 1, 2025–March 31, 2026 (bag limit varies by WMU)
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 1–Dec. 31
MOOSE: Oct. 18–26 (by permit only)
FALL TURKEY: Shotgun: Oct. 13–19 (certain WMUs); Archery: Sept. 15–Dec. 15 (ends Dec. 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 shorturl.at/V8hbM