New Hampshire Hunting & Fishing
Season Calendar 2026
New Hampshire has moose hunting (limited permits), whitetail deer, black bear, ruffed grouse, woodcock, and waterfowl hunting. The state's 750,000 acres of state forest land provide good public access, and turkey hunting has expanded significantly.
New Hampshire 2026 — Season Overview
Verified January 2026
🦌
Open Now
Deer (Archery)
Oct 1 – Jan 15
🦌
Open Now
Deer (Rifle)
Nov 25 – Dec 8
🦌
Open Now
Deer (Muzzleloader)
Oct 17 – Dec 26
🦃
Open Now
Turkey (Spring)
Apr 19 – May 31
🦃
Open Now
Turkey (Fall)
Oct 21 – Nov 18
🐦
Open Now
Duck & Waterfowl
Oct 6 – Jan 21
🐦
Open Now
American Woodcock
Oct 1 – Nov 30
🐰
Open Now
Cottontail Rabbit
Oct 1 – Feb 28
🐦
Open Now
Ruffed Grouse
Sep 15 – Nov 30
🐿️
Open Now
Squirrel
Sep 1 – Nov 30
🐻
Open Now
Black Bear
Sep 15 – Nov 30
🦢
Open Now
Canada Goose
Oct 1 – Jan 25
🎣
Open Now
Largemouth Bass
Mar 1 – Oct 31
🎣
Open Now
Rainbow Trout
Apr 1 – May 31
🎣
Open Now
Walleye
Apr 15 – Oct 15
🎣
Open Now
Ice Fishing (Perch)
Dec 1 – Feb 28
🎣
Open Now
Smallmouth Bass
Jun 15 – Oct 31
🐟
Open Now
Catfish
May 1 – Sep 30
🎣
Open Now
Striped Bass
Apr 1 – Nov 30
🎣
Open Now
Crappie
May 1 – Sep 30
🐟
Open Now
Flounder
May 1 – Oct 31
Source: New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (www.wildlife.nh.gov) · Verified January 2026
Complete Visual Reference
New Hampshire Season Calendar — All Species × 12 Months
Every hunting and fishing season mapped across all 12 months. Color-coded by activity type. Scroll horizontally on small screens to see all months.
| Species / Season | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Seasons | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Largemouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Rainbow Trout | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Walleye | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Ice Fishing (Perch) | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Smallmouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| 🐟Catfish | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Striped Bass | ||||||||||||
| 🎣Crappie | ||||||||||||
| 🐟Flounder | ||||||||||||
| Hunting Seasons | ||||||||||||
| 🦌Deer (Archery) | ||||||||||||
| 🦌Deer (Rifle) | ||||||||||||
| 🦌Deer (Muzzleloader) | ||||||||||||
| 🦃Turkey (Spring) | ||||||||||||
| 🦃Turkey (Fall) | ||||||||||||
| 🐦Duck & Waterfowl | ||||||||||||
| 🐦American Woodcock | ||||||||||||
| 🐰Cottontail Rabbit | ||||||||||||
| 🐦Ruffed Grouse | ||||||||||||
| 🐿️Squirrel | ||||||||||||
| 🐻Black Bear | ||||||||||||
| 🦢Canada Goose | ||||||||||||
Fishing (all species)
Archery Hunting
Rifle Hunting
Muzzleloader
Spring Turkey / Upland
Fall Bird / Bear
Waterfowl
Draw Only / Application
Ice Fishing
Hunting
New Hampshire Hunting Season Details — 2026
New Hampshire has moose hunting (limited permits), whitetail deer, black bear, ruffed grouse, woodcock, and waterfowl hunting. The state's 750,000 acres of state forest land provide good public access, and turkey hunting has expanded significantly.
White-tailed Deer
2 of 2 seasons open
🏹
Open Now
Whitetail Deer Archery
Archery
Sep 15 – Dec 15
🔫
Open Now
Whitetail Deer Firearms
Firearms
Nov 9 – Dec 7
Wild Turkey
1 season
🌿
Open Now
Wild Turkey Spring
General
May 14 – Jun 1
1 gobbler
Black Bear
1 season
🌿
Open Now
Black Bear
General
Sep 1 – Dec 15
Moose
1 season
🔫
Draw Required
Moose
Firearms
Oct 1 – Oct 15
Fishing
New Hampshire Fishing Season Details — 2026
New Hampshire features beautiful trout fishing in the White Mountains, landlocked salmon in Winnipesaukee and Squam lakes, bass and pickerel statewide, and a brief but productive run of striped bass along the short Atlantic coastline.
🎣
Open Now
New Hampshire Landlocked Salmon
Fly Fishing
Apr 1 – Sep 30
April through September.
🎣
Open Now
New Hampshire Brook Trout
Fly Fishing
Apr 1 – Oct 15
April 1 through October 15.
🐟
Open Now
New Hampshire Lake Trout
Fly Fishing
Jan 1 – Sep 30
January through September.
🎣
Open Now
New Hampshire Largemouth Bass
General
Jun 21 – Nov 30
June 21 through November 30.
🎣
Open Now
New Hampshire Striped Bass
General
May 1 – Nov 30
May through November.
Critical Dates
New Hampshire Draw Application Deadlines 2026
Jun 30, 2026
Moose Draw Deadline
Submit your draw application by this date.
2026 Pricing
New Hampshire License & Tag Fees — 2026
Hunting Licenses & Tags
| License / Tag | Resident | Non-Resident | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire Annual Resident Hunting License | $23.50 | — | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Annual Non-Resident Hunting License | — | $131.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Youth Hunting License (Under 16) | $8.23 | — | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Senior Resident Hunting License (65+) | $11.75 | — | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Spring Turkey License | $16.00 | $100.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Fall Turkey License | $12.00 | $100.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
Fishing Licenses
| License Type | Resident | Non-Resident | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire Annual Resident Fishing License | $23.50 | — | Residents 68+ and youth under 16 free |
| New Hampshire Annual Non-Resident Fishing License | — | $53.50 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License | — | $30.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire 3-Day Non-Resident Fishing License | — | $23.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire 1-Day Fishing License | $11.00 | $20.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Senior Resident Fishing License (65+) | $11.75 | — | Free for residents 65+. Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Youth Fishing License (Under 16) | $0.00 | — | Free for anglers under 16. Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Combination Hunting & Fishing License | $42.00 | — | Includes base hunting and freshwater fishing privileges. Additional tags, stamps, and endorsements may be required for specific species. Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
| New Hampshire Trout & Salmon Stamp | $12.00 | $20.00 | Estimated — verify current price at official agency website before purchasing. |
Questions & Answers
New Hampshire Season Calendar — FAQs
Browse More States