Title XVIII, Fish and Game

I. The commission, in consultation with the executive director, may designate one or more nonprofit foundations as an official nonprofit partner of the department for the purpose of accepting gifts, grants, bequests, and donations to further department goals. II. An official nonp…

I. The executive director may establish a wildlife legacy initiative that encourages gifts and donations to support fish, wildlife, and marine resource conservation projects, conservation education activities, and opportunities to use, access, and appreciate these public resource…

I. The executive director may donate up to 5 fishing licenses and hunting licenses along with any necessary permits to take up to 5 moose, up to 5 deer, up to 5 bear, and up to 5 turkeys, each calendar year to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, the official nonpro…

I. The executive director may charge a fee for the review of proposed projects which may adversely impact wildlife, including threatened or endangered species of wildlife, if such review is requested by a project developer, either public or private, regardless of whether such req…

The executive director may accept funds paid as mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wildlife or habitat of wildlife within the state of New Hampshire. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the executive director may accept and receive such funds without th…

The executive director may approve donation collection points and may accept funds paid from such donation collection points within the state of New Hampshire. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the executive director may accept and receive such funds wit…

I. The executive director of the fish and game department may establish, after consultation with the fish and game commission, a permit or fee structure for the provision of department personnel, equipment, or expertise to other state agencies or departments, when such support is…

I. The court or justice of any court in which a complaint for a violation of any law or rule relating to fish, game, fur-bearing animals, or marine species, or any complaint brought by an employee of the fish and game department for any violation of RSA 215-A or RSA 215-C, is pro…

All revenues accruing from sales of licenses and permits, donations solicited and collected at donation collection points approved by the executive director, and any other revenue received by the department, and any money reimbursed or granted to the department by the state or fe…

I. The state treasurer shall establish a separate nonlapsing account within the fish and game fund, to be known as the game management account. Each month the department shall determine the number of licenses, applications, or permits sold for moose, bear, turkey, and waterfowl a…

The expenses of the commission and the salaries, compensation and expenses of the executive director, conservation officers, superintendents of hatcheries, experts, and all other employees of the department authorized under the provisions hereof, including the premiums on any bon…

The state treasurer shall establish a separate account to which shall be credited all moneys collected by the fish and game department from issuance of pheasant licenses under RSA 214:9, X. The moneys in said account shall be used only for purchase or propagation of pheasants, as…

The executive director, under the supervision of the commission, shall have the exclusive power to expend for the protection, conservation, propagation and restoration of fish, game, fur-bearing animals and marine species, all funds of the state acquired for the protection, conse…

The department of fish and game is authorized to receive and expend with the approval of the governor and council any gifts and grants from any source including the United States of America and to hold property real and personal, acquired thereunder to complete any project author…

The governor, with the advice of the council, may remove a commissioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or misconduct in office, delivering to him a copy of the charges and affording him an opportunity of being publicly heard in person or by counsel in his own defense, upon no…

In addition to other duties provided by law, it shall be the duty of the fish and game commissioners, as the citizens' representatives, to be the stewards of the fish, wildlife, and marine resources of the state of New Hampshire and to set general policy in the following areas: I…

I. No member of the fish and game commission may be engaged or involved in any personnel matters of the department, including the hiring, disciplining, firing, promoting, evaluating, transferring, and any other matters associated with the classified employees of the department. I…

The department of fish and game shall file copies of any plans or requests for funds submitted to the United States government as part of an application for federal funds with the speaker of the house and the president of the senate within 7 days after said plans or requests for …

The additional fee of $1 collected under the provisions of RSA 270-E:5, II(b) for each private boat registered, under RSA 215-A:23, X for each OHRV registered, and under RSA 215-C:39, XI for each snowmobile registered, shall be paid over to the state treasurer who shall keep such…

The members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary travelling and other expenses, and disbursements incurred or made by them in the discharge of their official duties.

A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, for the performance of any duty, or for the exercise of any power, except that in any action upon the appointment or removal of the executive director, a majority of the commission must act a…

The members of the commission shall elect from their membership a chairman and a secretary. Regular meetings shall be held by the commission at its offices quarterly, and at such other times and places within the state as the commission shall select, for the transaction of busine…

I. The commission, following a comprehensive and equitable search, shall nominate, and the governor and council shall appoint, an executive director of the fish and game department. If the governor and council fail to appoint the nominee, the commission shall nominate another per…

The executive director shall make adequate investigation of the supply of wildlife in the state, shall authorize such scientific and other studies as may be deemed necessary to his work, and shall collect, classify, and disseminate such statistics, data, and information as in his…

I. The executive director of the fish and game department shall, within its biennial report pursuant to RSA 20:7, submit a report to the governor and council and to the general court to include: a summary report of department proceedings; a description of the license fee reductio…

Words and phrases used in this title shall be construed as follows: I. Air rifle: A gun operated by compressed air or nonflammable gas cylinder by which a projectile of any size or kind can be discharged or propelled. For use in taking small game, such device shall be not less th…

The provisions of this title shall not apply to ranch bred mink.

A trotline, tips-ups, set and trap lines, crossbows, spears, grappling hooks, naked hooks, snatch hooks, eel wires, eel pots, and nets, shall not be used in any fresh waters of the state to take fish, unless otherwise specifically permitted. No person shall possess, while hunting…

The provisions of RSA 207:10 relative to use of certain prohibited devices shall not apply to the fish and game executive director or his authorized agents when engaged in removing nuisance animals, birds or fish.

No person shall at any time of the year affix tags, markers, or radio transmitters on any fish, game, or fur-bearing animals, or any wild animals or birds without first procuring written permission of the executive director or his agent. It shall be unlawful to locate or attempt …

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…