Title XVIII, Fish and Game

I. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 207:10, a crossbow permit may be issued to a person who has a permanent physical disability and as a result of that disability the person cannot operate a conventional longbow or compound bow safely. Such permit shall allow that person to …

I. Any person who is licensed to hunt within the state may be issued a training permit for the training of bird dogs and trail or tree hounds during the closed season on any wildlife, except deer, moose, caribou, elk, lynx, cougar, bobcat, and turkey, upon application and the pay…

I. Notwithstanding RSA 207:12-a, nonresidents from states or provinces or territories of Canada which allow the training or taking of bear with dogs, and who do not limit or prohibit New Hampshire residents from training or hunting bear with New Hampshire dogs, shall be the only …

Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, a handler with a leashed dog may track wounded deer, moose, or bear. The executive director shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the method and manner of take, time periods for training or using leashed …

I. Field trials for dogs may be held at such times, in such manner, and under such restrictions, as may be prescribed by the executive director. Any person wishing to hold a field trial shall first obtain a written permit from the person on whose land it is proposed to hold the t…

Any person, when hunting with dogs is permitted, may post along highways not more than 2 signs reading "Caution Hunting Dogs". These signs shall be 12 inches wide by 12 inches high with blaze orange letters on a yellow background and must be 40 inches over-all height, and shall b…

It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot any wildlife which has been treed or cornered by a dog, unless the owner of said dog, or a member of his hunting party, is present when the animal is shot. Persons violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemean…

I. (a) No person shall import, possess, sell, exhibit, or release any live marine species or wildlife, or the eggs or progeny thereof, without first obtaining a permit from the executive director except as permitted under title XVIII. The executive director shall have the authori…

The fish and game department shall monitor available information on animals and fish, not currently restricted under state and federal wildlife trafficking laws, that if transported into the state, will risk zoonotic disease transmission. The department may consult as needed with…

All fish or the fry thereof, living wild birds or the eggs thereof or wild animals imported or released in this state contrary to the provisions of this subdivision shall be seized and forfeited as provided in RSA 207:17.

Possession of fish, protected birds, game and fur-bearing animals during the closed season therefor, except as specifically permitted in this title, shall be prima facie evidence that the same were unlawfully taken by the possessor.

I. All fish and wildlife protected by this title, found in the possession of any person and not legally taken or possessed, shall be seized and forfeited. All such fish and wildlife so forfeited shall be disposed of by a conservation officer upon instructions from the executive d…

I. When a defendant is convicted of violating any of the provisions of this title, all fishing tackle, guns, shooting or hunting paraphernalia, traps, dogs, boats, decoys, bob houses or other appliances and vehicles except motor vehicles designed for use on the highway and requir…

A resident of the state may transport, within the state, during the open season therefor, the number or limit of fish or wildlife, except deer, that he may lawfully take in 2 days. If such fish or wildlife is placed in the custody of a common carrier or transported in a package, …

No person shall at any time of the year take, in any manner, number, or quantity, fish, game, fur-bearing animals, or protected birds, or buy, sell, offer or expose for sale the same, or any part thereof, transport or have the same in his possession, wherever taken or killed, exc…

I. No person shall knowingly permit any minor, including a nonresident minor, less than 16 years of age to hunt using a firearm, bow and arrow, air rifle, or crossbow and bolt, except when accompanied by a person at least 18 years of age who is properly licensed for said activity…

A nonresident license holder may transport or have transported within the state, or from a point within the state to a point out of the state, the number or limit of fish or wildlife, except deer, that he may lawfully take in 2 days. If such fish or wildlife be placed in the cust…

Any transportation of fish or wildlife, except deer, not provided for in this subdivision, shall be allowed only under the terms of a special permit issued by the executive director, provided that a child under 16 years of age, hunting without a license but accompanied by a licen…

I. Any person whose land is posted pursuant to RSA 635:4 to prohibit hunting shall forfeit the right to participate in the wildlife damage control program established pursuant to RSA 207:22-c, or to receive payment pursuant to RSA 207:23-a, except that this limitation shall not a…

There is established a wildlife damage control program which shall be administered by the executive director in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the New Hampshire department of agriculture, markets, and food. The program shall emphasize a comprehen…

I. Any person engaged in the husbandry and sale of at least $1,000 in agricultural products as defined in RSA 21:34-a who suffers loss or damage to livestock, bees, orchards or growing crops,in an amount of $250 or more at the current wholesale value of the items, by bear shall, …

A person may pursue, wound or kill, on land owned or occupied by such person, any unprotected bird or wild animal which the person finds in the act of doing actual and substantial damage to poultry, crops, domestic animals, or the person's property, and may authorize a family mem…

The person by whom or under whose direction any game or fur-bearing animal is wounded or killed shall, within 12 hours, report all facts relative thereto to the nearest conservation officer or to the executive director. Such report shall state the time and place of wounding or ki…

The conservation officer who receives such notice shall immediately investigate the report and satisfy himself whether the game or fur-bearing animal has been wounded or killed, as reported.

Any game or fur-bearing animal killed or wounded as provided in this subdivision shall, in the discretion of the executive director, be returned to the person who killed the same, be given to some charitable institution, or otherwise disposed of.

I. Wildlife shall be taken in the daytime between 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset with a gun, firearm, muzzleloader, or an air rifle which produces a quantity of foot-pounds of kinetic energy at the muzzle set by the executive director in rules adopted under RSA…

It is unlawful for a person to discharge a firearm or a .22 caliber or larger air rifle when used for hunting purposes or to shoot with a bow and arrow or crossbow and bolt within 300 feet of a permanently occupied dwelling without permission of the owner or the occupant of the d…

All hunting is forbidden in the following area of the town of Bow with any firearm other than a shotgun, muzzle loading rifle, bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a: Southeast from the Concord-Bow boundary line along the west bank of the Merrimack River, then west…

I. No person shall discharge a firearm, bow and arrow, air rifle, or crossbow and bolt from within 15 feet of the traveled portion of or across any class I through V highway of the state. This section shall not apply to those persons holding a special permit pursuant to RSA 207:7…

I. The executive director shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the opening and closing of the season for the practice of baiting for coyote, furbearing animals, game birds, or game animals with the exception of gray squirrel. II. No person shall engage in the act…

No person shall use a telemetry receiver to locate trail or tree hounds from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset while in any motorized vehicle or within 300 feet, as measured from the center of the traveled position, of any public highway or any private road open to…

The provisions of this subdivision shall not impair the constitutional rights of persons to protect themselves or their property from injury or destruction by wild birds, game, or fur-bearing animals, protected by the laws of this state.

The governor and council, upon the joint recommendation of the executive director of the fish and game department and the director, division of forests and lands, department of natural and cultural resources, when, in their opinion, the danger of starting fires in the woodlands o…

During periods when woodland is closed, the operation of sawmills and other machine units, except trucks and pleasure motor vehicles, in or near woodland may also be suspended and smoking prohibited. All persons engaged in lumbering operations may be required to furnish sufficien…

Woodland includes cut-over land, slash, and such other land as bears a sufficient amount of wood growth, wood, weeds, grass or other growth as to be likely to be burned over.

Such proclamation shall be published in 2 or more newspapers of the state and shall be posted in such places and in such manner as the governor may order.

No person shall drop a lighted cigarette, lighted cigar, lighted match or other article likely to cause fire, within 200 yards of any woodlands during the time such woodlands are closed by such proclamation.

No person shall tear down, damage or destroy any fence, wall, lock, boat or dock, or leave open any gate or bars, or trample or destroy any crop, on land of another person, while taking, trapping, hunting, or pursuing any fish, game or fur-bearing animal.

I. No person shall erect, build or use a tree stand or observation blind on land of another person that damages or destroys a tree by inserting into the tree any metallic, ceramic, or other object used as part of a ladder or observation deck, without express written permission fr…

I. No person shall put, place or leave, or cause to be put, placed or left, in or upon any way, public property, private property, into or on the ice over any public water, or into or on any waters of the state, any bottles, glass, crockery, cans, scrap metal, junk, paper, garbag…

Any person who shall negligently discharge any firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow and bolt while on a hunting trip, in the field, or while target practicing, in such a manner that the life of any person is endangered or so as to cause damage to the property of another person, sh…

I. Any person, while on a hunting trip or in pursuit of wild animals or wild birds or while target practicing, who is convicted of shooting and wounding or killing a human being shall not be issued a license to hunt or, if the person holds a hunting license, the license shall be …

I. Any person, while on a hunting trip, or in pursuit of wild animals or wild birds, or while target practicing, who negligently shoots and wounds any human being, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. II. Any person, while on a hunting trip, or in pursuit of wild animals or wild bir…

Any person who shall have shot and wounded or killed a human being shall forthwith render necessary assistance to the injured person and report immediately to the nearest conservation officer or law enforcement officer. Any person who knowingly fails to render such assistance sha…

Any person while hunting or in the field who shall cause any injury by shooting another human being shall report immediately to the nearest conservation officer or law enforcement officer giving his or her name, address, date of birth, hunting license number and any other informa…