Deer Hunting in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's 2007 hunter harvest of 13,559 deer was in many ways the best in history. It was the second highest since record keeping began in 1922 -- only exceeded by a kill of 14,204 in 1967. While the total kill was higher in 1967, that harvest was nearly 50% does. Today's harvests, comprised mostly of males, with record-setting adult buck kills, is much more sustainable.

General Deer Season Dates:

• Archery: Sept. 15 - Dec. 15, 2008 (end dates may vary by WMU)
• Muzzleloader: Nov. 1 - Nov. 11, 2008 (beginning dates may vary by WMU)
• Firearms: Nov. 12 - Dec. 7, 2008 (end dates may vary by WMU)
• Youth Deer Weekend: Oct. 25 - 26, 2008

Photo © Charles H. Willey

Deer-hunting links:

• 2008 deer season dates
• Click to download and print the handy 1-page WMU map and 2008 deer season dates(PDF, 1.06 MB)
• 2007 N.H. deer season report
  
• Maps of Wildlife Management Units
• Click to download a printable DEER TAG! (PDF) If possible, please use this instead of the back cover of the NH Hunting Digest. Thanks.
• How to field dress a deer - Click to download a step-by-step PDF pamphlet
• Special Unit M Deer Permits
• Where to hunt
• Check stations, special permits, CWD, etc.
• Deer harvest summary, 9-year comparison by county
  
• Deer harvest summary, 7-year comparison by WMU
• 2007 Wildlife Harvest Summary (click here and on publication cover; includes detailed data by town, sex, trophy stats)
• Buy your hunting license online - right now!

Special rules for WMU A: An antler point restriction remains in place in WMU A (click for background); also, the deer seasons have been shortened in that unit -- please note specific dates below.

New for 2008: Starting this year, non-resident youth hunters may participate in the N.H. Youth Hunt Weekend for Deer only if New Hampshire youth may hunt during special youth deer hunts in their state. Currently, Vermont youths may not participate because of residency restrictions on youth hunting in Vermont.

Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan for the Northeast region, approved by the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, November 2006 (219 KB, PDF format*)

Opening Day for regular firearm deer season in 2009 will be November 11, 2009.
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Click here for deer hunting rules and regulations

Click here for deer check stations

Click for deer season results by WMU for the last 6 years

Click for information on Special Deer Permit for Archery

Click here for information on Special Unit M Deer Permits.

For guides, butchers and taxidermists, click here to go to our main hunting page.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Update and Q&A -- click here.

A Look at the 2007 N.H. Deer Season

Another milder than average winter has again helped to increase deer numbers in many areas of the state and brought deer numbers closer than ever to the population objectives in many WMUs in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire deer harvest in 2007 increased 15%, from 11,766 in 2006 to 13,559 in 2007. The 2007 harvest respresent approximately 15% of the pre-hunt deer population.

For harvest information by WMU, click here and on the publication cover for the N.H. Wildlife Harvest Summary.

Biological data collected during the 2007 season continue to indicate that N.H. deer populations remain below the biological carrying capacity of our deer habitat and that the state's deer remain in good physical condition.

Deer seasons continue to be designed to implement the New Hampshire Big Game Management Plan which serves as the guide for deer (and other big game) management for the next decade (2006-2015). While the population is at or near the objective in many WMUs and efforts to stabilize the population will now begin, if average winters continue, we should see deer population continue to increase in those WMUs where current levels are below population objectives.

In the southeast part of the state (WMUs L and M), however, deer populations are at or above the objectives. These units continue to provide hunters with generous antlerless hunting opportunities during all seasons. In WMU M, 6,000 antlerless-only permits (500 more than in 2007) will be available for the 2008 season to help control deer numbers in this highly developed part of the state.

The 2007 special youth weekend resulted in a statewide harvest of 642 deer, nearly the same as the 2006 total of 668. The youth deer hunt weekend is a special chance for young hunters (15 and younger) to hunt under the guidance of a licensed hunter over age 18. Non-resident youth hunters may participate, provided N.H. youth can hunt during youth deer hunts in their state. Click here for more on youth hunting opportunities in New Hampshire.

In addition to establishing deer population objectives, the Big Game Plan calls for maintaining an adult buck population in which at least 50% of the kill is 2.5 years old or older, thereby providing the opportunity to take older more mature, "quality" bucks. In WMU-A this continues to be a problem. For 2008, measures will continue to be in place to try to increase the number of older age bucks in the population and harvest. Both the regular firearm and archery seasons end 1 week early, and the muzzleloader season is shortened by 2 days at the beginning of the season. In addition, a 2-point antler restriction applies in WMU A to all seasons (except for the youth weekend). Under this antler point restriction, a buck must have at least 2 points (1 inch or longer) on one side to be legal. See the N.H. Hunting Digest (click here and on orange publication cover) or the 2008 New Hampshire Deer Season Dates (listed above) for additional information.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a brain disease that is fatal to deer and elk, continues to be a concern to deer hunters and managers in New Hampshire and New England. Annual monitoring efforts from 2002 through 2007 have not detected CWD in any New England state. New York and West Virginia are the most recent states to find CWD-positive deer, bringing the total number of US states and Canadian provinces where CWD has been found to 16. Prevention of CWD in New Hampshire remains a top priority. Hunters are reminded that regulations prohibit the importation into New Hampshire of hunter-killed deer and elk carcasses or parts of carcasses from the 16 states and provinces where CWD has been found, except for de-boned meat, antlers, antlers attached to skull caps with all soft tissue removed, upper canine teeth with all soft tissue removed, hides or capes with no part of the head attached and finished taxidermy mounts.

Did You Know?

• OPEN LAND: NH has more than 200,000 acres of state land; 750,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest; and thousands of acres of private land open to hunting.
• SUNDAY HUNTING: We have it, some states don't... we won't name any names!

For lodging and camping information, visit the New Hampshire Office of Travel & Tourism Development at www.visitnh.gov.