The 2013-2014 New Hampshire Hunting and Trapping Digest is out, featuring New Hampshire hunting season dates, bag limits, check stations and lots more info for the state’s hunters and trappers. Pick up a free copy from your local Fish and Game license agent when you buy your license, or view it online at http://www.huntnh.com/pubs/hunting.html.
New Hampshire’s hunting seasons kick off on September 1 with the opening of black bear and gray squirrel seasons. Archery seasons for turkey and white-tailed deer open September 15. The statewide resident Canada goose hunt runs Sept. 3-25 (waterfowl hunting dates are not in the digest, but are posted at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm).
New Hampshire’s regular firearms deer hunting season opens this year on November 13. As in recent years, both the archery and regular firearms seasons for deer will continue to end one week early in WMU A.
The Antlerless Deer Permits for Unit M in southeastern New Hampshire are still available. Hunters have the option of purchasing a permit with one tag for $13, or a permit with two tags for $26. Purchase online or at Fish and Game headquarters in Concord. Visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Unit_M_permits.htm.
Following is a general overview of New Hampshire’s fall hunting seasons (please be sure to consult the Digest for additional information and regulation details):
2013 NEW HAMPSHIRE HUNTING SEASONS
WHITE-TAILED DEER:
* Archery: Sept. 15-Dec. 15 (ends Dec. 8 in WMU A)
* Youth Deer Weekend: Oct. 26-27
* Muzzleloader: Nov. 2-12
* Firearms: Nov. 13-Dec. 8 (ends Dec. 1 in WMU A)
BLACK BEAR: Starts Sept. 1 (end varies by WMU)
GRAY SQUIRREL: Sept. 1-Dec. 31
SNOWSHOE HARE: Oct. 1-March 31 (bag limit varies by WMU)
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 1-Dec. 31
MOOSE: Oct. 19-27 (by permit only)
FALL TURKEY:
* Shotgun: Oct. 14-18 (certain WMUs)
* Archery: Sept. 15-Dec. 15 (closed in WMU A)
Get your 2013 moose hunt shirt while they last! This year’s New Hampshire moose hunt commemorative shirt collection is now available. You don’t have to have a permit to buy one. To order yours today, visit http://www.huntnh.com/mooseshirt.
Once again this year, New Hampshire is offering the exciting opportunity for sharing the hunting experience, the Apprentice Hunting License. This program allows people a chance to hunt under the guidance of an experienced hunter age 18 or older, without having to take a Hunter Education course first. Learn more at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/apprentice.html. The new license was a big hit in its first year (2012), with a total of 1,666 Apprentice Licenses sold. Of these 427 were purchased by women. “It was exciting to see the number of younger people who participated,” said Wildlife Programs Supervisor Kent Gustafson. The vast majority of the apprentice licenses were sold to people age 16-34, a demographic that bodes well for the future of hunting in New Hampshire.
So get out and enjoy New Hampshire’s big woods, with more than a million acres of public land open to hunting. If you need a hunter education class, don’t delay! Register online at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm.
N.H. hunting licenses and permits can be purchased online anytime at http://www.huntnh.com.