New Hampshire Administrative Code

There shall be no open season for rails or for gallinules. Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 302.10 #1670, eff 11-20-80; ss by #2150, eff 10-6-82; ss by #2865, eff 9-27-84; ss by #4858, eff 7-5-90; ss by #6250, eff 5-22-96; ss by #7881, eff 4-26-03, EXPIRED: 4-26-11 New. #9977, INTERI…

(a) "Snare" means a device made of wire, synthetic cord, or other material that is in the form of a noose with a slipknot, stop, swivel, or, eyelet holes and is designed or set with the intent of capturing an animal by the neck, leg or body. Snares include but are not limited to …

(a) The open season for taking muskrat, mink, weasel, otter, and beaver by use of traps shall be: (1) October 15 through April 10 in wildlife management units A, B, C, D, E, and F; and (2) November 1 through April 10 in wildlife management units G, H, I, J, K, L, and M. (b) The o…

(a) The season for taking red and gray fox, raccoon, opossum, and skunk by use of traps shall: (1) Open in WMUs A, B, C, D, E, and F on October 15 and close on December 31; and (2) Open in WMUs G, H, I, J, K, L, and M on November 1 and close on January 15. (b) The season for taki…

(a) The open season for taking fisher by traps shall be December 1 through December 31. (b) The open season for taking fisher by firearms or bow and arrow shall be December 1 through January 31. (c) The statewide season bag limit shall be 2 fisher. (d) The lower jaw of a fisher h…

There shall be no open season for the taking of bobcat. Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 303.05 #1619, eff 8-8-80; amd by #1788, eff 7-29-81; ss by #2124, eff 8-17-82; amd by #2450, eff 8-19-83; ss by #2864, eff 9-27-84; ss by #3129, eff 10-1-85; ss by #4120, eff 8-21-86; ss by #4306…

(a) Coyote may be taken by use of firearm, crossbow, or bow and arrow year round 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. (b) Coyote may be taken by hunting at night in accordance with RSA 208:1-e and as follows: (1) The open season shall be from January 1 through March …

(a) There shall be no open season for taking American marten. (b) There shall be no open season for taking Canada lynx as it is listed as an endangered species in Fis 1001.01. (c) Any American marten or Canada lynx trapped shall be reported immediately by contacting the fish and …

(a) All persons licensed to trap furbearing animals shall provide an annual trapping report form to the department on or before April 30 of each year. (b) Any person licensed to trap furbearing animals shall complete the "Annual Trappers Report" form, Rev 12/23, available at http…

(a) All persons licensed to buy furs and hides under RSA 214:26, shall keep a record of all furs and hides bought on form F&G 152, "Fur Dealer's Record Book (Furs Purchased)", which shall be sent to the department on or before July 30 of each year. (b) The licensee shall include …

(a) In addition to any other requirements pertaining to trapping beaver and otter, the following rules shall apply to the taking of beaver and otter by snares: (1) Snares shall only be set in water or under the ice; (2) Each individual snare, whether set singularly or in the aggr…

(a) All furbearing animals, except otter and fisher, shall be exempt from the sealing requirements of RSA 210:8, I. (b) Upon sealing any otter or fisher in accordance with RSA 210:8, the trapper or hunter shall provide the following on a "Fur Sealing Record": (1) Name and address…

(a) No foothold trap with auxiliary teeth added shall be allowed. (b) No foothold traps shall be set on land with an inside jaw spread greater than 61/2 inches, measured between the inside edges of the opened jaws, across the trap trigger, and perpendicular to the trap base plate…

(a) Trapping rights on state managed lands shall be awarded for a 2 year period. (b) State managed lands shall be divided into trapping units. (c) The boundaries of each such trapping unit on state managed lands shall be outlined on maps maintained by the wildlife division, which…

(a) "Agent" means the person(s) authorized to take wildlife on behalf of the commercial grower or public airport under the pre-damage deer kill permit or the wildlife depredation permit. (b) "Public airport" means an airport that is registered with the state of New Hampshire as a…

(a) A commercial grower whose land is open to public hunting as described in RSA 207:22-a, may make application for a pre-damage deer kill permit or a wildlife depredation permit for use in the protection of commercial crops, to the NH fish and game department. (b) A commercial g…

(a) A commercial grower may request up to 2 pre-damage deer kill permits from the executive director. (b) Applications for pre-damage deer kill permits using the form specified in Fis 304.05 shall be submitted by email, regular mail, fax, or hand delivery to the New Hampshire Fis…

(a) In accordance with RSA 207:26, a commercial grower whose crops are being damaged by wildlife may submit an "Application for a Wildlife Depredation Permit", using the form specified in Fis 304.05, to the executive director. (b) Applications for wildlife depredation permits sha…

(a) The commercial grower shall provide the following on the pre-damage deer kill permit application: (1) The commercial growers' name, mailing address, and daytime telephone number; (2) The crop(s) subject to damage; (3) An indication that the applicant meets the statutory requi…

Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 304.06 #7291, eff 5-24-00; amd by #8576, eff 3-2-06; amd by #9236, INTERIM, eff 8-22-08, EXPIRED: 2-18-09 New. #9405, eff 3-7-09; para (o), amd by #9720-A, eff 6-5-10; para (q), amd by #9720-B, eff 6-5-10, Reserved by Volume XXXVI Number 23, Filed Jun…

(a) Agents involved in wildlife control at a public use airport shall be designated by the current airport administrator. (b) The current airport administrator or his or her agent may request the executive director to grant permission to take wildlife by documenting the presence …

Holders of dog training permits under Fis 1106.05 shall not train dogs at night except that night training shall be allowed when raccoons are the animal to be pursued. Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 305.01 #1670, eff 11-20-80; ss by #2832, eff 8-21-84; ss by #4858, eff 7-5-90; ss b…

Training of bear dogs in accordance with RSA 207:12-a shall be as follows: (a) Training shall be prohibited from March 1 through June 30 statewide; and (b) Training shall be prohibited during the open season in wildlife management units open to the taking of bear by any method. N…

(a) Because of the danger to human life and property, the following areas shall be closed to the specified type of hunting as follows:(1) The Winnipesaukee River from the former cement bridge at the south end of Lake Winnisquam to Silver Lake shall be closed to waterfowl hunting;…

(a) In addition to the requirements specified in RSA 207:3-d, a person engaged in the act of baiting furbearing animals or game animals with the exception of gray squirrel shall be in compliance with Fis 307. (b) No person shall engage in the act of baiting furbearing animals or …

(a) In addition to the requirements of RSA 207:3-d and Fis 307.01 relative to the use of bait, black bear may be taken by the aid and use of bait subject to Table 300.1 in Fis 301.06(e) and the following: (1) No person shall place bait for the purpose of attracting and taking bea…

(a) Except as provided by Fis 301.031(c) and Fis 301.032, and in addition to the requirements of RSA 207:3-d and Fis 307.01 relative to the use of bait, deer taken by the aid and use of bait shall be subject to the following: (1) The season for taking deer with the aid and use of…

No person shall use the aid of bait to take wild turkeys in any open season. Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 307.04 #8931, eff 7-6-07 (from Fis 1102.05); ss by #10142, eff 6-5-12; ss by #10347, eff 5-22-13 Amended byVolume XXXIV Number 24, Filed June 12, 2014, Proposed by #10619, Ef…

(a) A person may bait wildlife in accordance with RSA 207:3-d, Fis 307.01, Fis 307.02, and Fis 307.03 on lands assigned to or managed by the department, including: (1) Property of the fish and game department; (2) Property of the department of natural and cultural resources, divi…

(a) "Feeding of wild deer" means, for the purposes of this section, the intentional aggregation by a person of food for wild deer in a place where wild deer can access and consume such food between the dates of December 16 and April 16 of the subsequent year. (b) "Food for wild d…

(a) "Level I wildlife control operator" means a person who is a licensed trapper and who is also engaged in the practice of trapping nuisance animals under RSA 210:24-b. (b) "Level II wildlife control operator" means a person who is engaged in the commercial practice of trapping …

(a) A wildlife control operator shall obtain a level I or level II wildlife control operator's license. (b) All wildlife control operators shall meet the requirements of RSA 214:11-b relative to education. (c) Wildlife control operators may trap, in the performance of their licen…

(a) Traps shall be checked at least once in a calendar day pursuant to RSA 210:13 and the landowner or their agent may check box traps only for the wildlife control operator. (b) Snares shall only be used by wildlife control operators after completing a training course in the use…

(a) Any licensed trapper who holds a level I wildlife control operators license may trap nuisance animals outside the regular trapping seasons. (b) Level I wildlife control operator licensees may only charge for services for trapping furbearers, woodchucks, coyote, opossums, and …

(a) Applicants for a level II wildlife control operator's license shall have completed a 6-hour workshop, be certified by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA), or have held a previous level II wildlife control operator's license. (b) A workshop shall includ…

(a) Report information required in Fis 308.04(d)(2) and Fis 308.05(f) shall be submitted for the period June 1 through May 31 the previous year. (b) Wildlife control operators shall submit the wildlife control operator report no later than June 30. (c) Any licensee failing to rep…

(a) A person requesting a wildlife control operator's license shall provide, on the application available at, the following:(1) Name and address; (2) Date of birth; (3) Height and weight; (4) Telephone number; (5) Business name and address, if operating a business; (6) Level of l…

(a) The purpose of this rule is to minimize the risk of hunters bringing potentially diseased hunter killed carcasses or parts into New Hampshire and exposing wild and captive cervid populations to chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD is a fatal neurological disorder belonging to a…

No person shall use, place, provide, give, expose, deposit, scatter, or distribute any material that results in attracting black bears after receiving notice from the executive director or designee to cease the activity because the activity could result in injury to a person, dam…

(a) "Big game animal" means a bear, deer, or moose. (b) "Licensed tracker" means a person licensed to use leashed dogs to track deer, moose, or bear in accordance with RSA 207:12-c. Notes N.H. Admin. Code § Fis 311.01 #8839, eff 7-1-07 Amended byVolume XXXIV Number 24, Filed June…

(a) A leashed tracking dog licensee may use a leashed tracking dog to locate wounded or dead big game animals for another licensed hunter. (b) Applicants for a leashed tracking dog license shall complete the "Application for Leashed Dog Tracking License" form, Rev 08/2019, availa…

(a) A hunter who has killed or wounded or reasonably believes they have killed or wounded a big game animal during the applicable open season may engage a person licensed to use a leashed tracking dog to track and recover the animal. (b) A licensed tracker may use a leashed track…

(a) "Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)" means any device capable of flight which is remotely, automatically, or otherwise piloted without an occupant, including drones. (b) "Smart rifle" means any firearm that is equipped with one or more of the following: (1) A target tracking syste…

(a) No person shall take or attempt to take wildlife by use of a UAV. (b) No person shall use a UAV to: (1) Attempt to locate, surveil, or aid or assist in any attempt to locate or surveil any wildlife, for the purpose of taking or attempting to take the wildlife; (2) Communicate…

(a) All firearms used to take or attempt to take wild animals shall be fired only by humanly controlled, manually-operated, mechanical triggers. No person shall use a smart rifle to take or attempt to take wild animals. (b) The executive director shall waive the prohibition conta…

No person shall use a live-action game camera to locate, surveil, or aid or assist in any attempt to locate or surveil any game animal or fur bearing animal, for the purpose of taking or attempting to take said wildlife during the same calendar day and during the open season to t…

(a) "Angling" means those methods of taking fish defined in RSA 207:1, I-a. (b) "Artificial bait" means any fishing bait constructed by humans as an imitation or substitute for natural bait or fish forage and includes, but is not limited to spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs,…