Preliminary numbers are now available for fall hunting seasons.
The unofficial deer kill for New Hampshire’s 2016 hunting season was 10,702, down 2 percent from the 2015 final total of 10,895 deer taken. This estimate represents the 7th largest harvest in the last 9 years, and is similar to the 20-year average of 10,912. Deer hunting seasons are now closed.
"With nearly 11,000 deer taken by hunters, it has been another very good season overall in New Hampshire,” said Dan Bergeron, deer biologist with Fish and game.
He noted that the physical condition of deer was good again this year, and that a number of large bucks were harvested throughout the state, including a 266-pound buck taken in Success which made the top 10 list of biggest bucks ever harvested in the state for all hunting methods.
Bergeron also noted that “this season’s estimated total harvest ranks among the top 25 total harvests going back 95 years to 1922. In fact, 21 of the top 25 years have taken place from 1995-2016 during the last 22 years, and 9 of the top 10 years for adult buck harvests have taken place since 2000, although adult buck harvest numbers for 2016 have not yet been verified.
The unofficial deer kill for New Hampshire’s 2016 season by county, with comparisons to previous years, can be seen by clicking here.
Official harvest numbers will be available after all deer registration data are entered and verified.
Bear Hunt Success
The 2016 bear season concluded at 898 bears, which was 34 percent above the preceding 5-year average of 668 bears, and 19 percent above the 2015 level. The harvest consisted of 481 males and 417 females, resulting in an overall harvest sex ratio of 1.2 males per female. Method-specific harvest sex ratios included 1.3 males to females for bait hunters, and 1.0 males to females for both still and hound hunters.
For bear hunting results by region and method click here.
Fall Turkey Season
Preliminary figures show hunters took a total of 1,047 turkeys this fall, just a few more than the total of 1,043 taken in 2015. The harvest was comprised of 553 hens and 514 gobblers. The breakdown for the fall season was: 370 adult hens, 163 immature hens, 109 jakes, and 405 adult gobblers. The fall shotgun turkey season was lengthened by the addition of a weekend in 2016.
Moose Season
Preliminary figures for New Hampshire's 2016 moose season showed that 52 hunters succeeded in taking moose during the 9-day season. See a summary of the moose season by clicking here.
Regional moose hunt success rate data is available by clicking here.