Maine vs New Hampshire Hunting License Cost

Compare Maine and New Hampshire for base-license cost, deer-tag structure, and the planning differences that matter for a northeastern hunt.

Last updated: April 22, 2026

Maine Resident $26 Resident Hunting (Big Game)

New Hampshire Resident $32 Resident Hunting

Maine Non-Resident $115 Non-Resident Big Game Hunting

New Hampshire Non-Resident $113 Non-Resident Hunting

By Kevin Luo Published April 22, 2026

Headline Takeaways

Maine is cheaper for the primary resident base license by $6.
New Hampshire is cheaper for the primary non-resident base license by $2.
Maine deer planning starts with "Expanded Archery: Sep 6 - Dec 13", while New Hampshire starts with "Archery: Sep 15 - Dec 15".

Side-by-Side Table

Resident base license $26 $32

Non-resident base license $115 $113

Hunter education Required for hunters born after 1976-01-01 Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01

Resident deer tag $26 $26

Non-resident deer tag $115 $26

Deer season snapshot Expanded Archery: Sep 6 - Dec 13 Archery: Sep 15 - Dec 15

Deer draw rule No deer draw required for the primary path No deer draw required for the primary path

Official agency Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife NH Fish and Game Department

Planning Notes

Maine official purchases flow through Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife; New Hampshire uses NH Fish and Game Department.
Maine: Required for hunters born after 1976-01-01. New Hampshire: Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01.
Maine: No deer draw required for the primary path. New Hampshire: No deer draw required for the primary path.