New Hampshire Hunting License: Cost, Online Purchase & Permit Fees (2026)

New Hampshire hunting licenses are valid for the calendar year (January 1 through December 31). The Resident Hunting license costs $32 plus a mandatory $2.50 Wildlife Habitat Fee (charged once per year on the first license purchased) and a $2 transaction fee — total approximately $36.50. A Resident Combo (hunt + fish) costs $56. Non-residents pay $113 for an annual hunting license plus the same $2.50 Wildlife Habitat Fee. A 3-day NR Small Game license is available for $43 (small game only, not valid for deer, turkey, or bear). Youth under 16 need no license but must purchase individual species permits ($26 deer, $16 turkey, $16 bear).

New Hampshire's senior license system is tiered by birth year. Residents born 1947 or earlier (age 79+ in 2026) receive a FREE permanent hunting license — no annual renewal ever required. Residents born 1948 or later who are 68+ pay $7 per year for a senior combo (hunt + fish). The $2.50 Wildlife Habitat Fee still applies to seniors. This tiered system creates an unusual age boundary where two neighbors could pay dramatically different rates. Disabled veterans with 100% service-connected disability receive free licenses and permits. Active duty military stationed in New Hampshire pay resident rates. First-time NH license buyers must appear in person at NHFG headquarters in Concord, a town clerk office, or an authorized agent — subsequent years can be purchased online.

Hunter education is required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1960. The free online course requires a mandatory in-person field day. An apprentice program allows supervised hunting without completed education for one year. First-time license buyers should also note that online purchase depends on hunter-education or prior-license records being in the NH Fish and Game system; otherwise the first purchase may need to be handled through an authorized agent or department office.

New Hampshire holds an annual moose lottery issuing just 50–86 permits per year — one of the most limited moose hunts in the Northeast. The application fee is $15 resident / $25 NR. If drawn, permit cost is $150 resident / $500 NR. A unique sub-permit holder system (similar to Maine) allows a second person to accompany and assist the permit holder during the 9-day October hunt. Draw odds are very competitive; many applicants wait 20+ years before drawing. New Hampshire's moose population is estimated at approximately 3,000–4,000 animals — concentrated in the North Country (Coos County) and White Mountain National Forest.

New Hampshire is one of a small number of states where bear baiting remains legal. The early bear season (September 1 through mid-October) allows hunting over bait stations; hound hunting is also permitted during this period. A second bear season runs concurrently with the November firearms deer season. Two bear licenses are available per hunter per year ($16 resident / $48 NR each) — allowing a second tag after the first bear is taken. New Hampshire's black bear population is estimated at approximately 5,000–6,000 and concentrated in the White Mountains and North Country. The growing bear population has expanded southward into Carroll and Belknap counties in recent years.

The White Mountain National Forest — approximately 800,000 acres spanning north-central New Hampshire into Maine — is the dominant public hunting landscape. Ruffed grouse, woodcock, and snowshoe hare hunting are accessible across the White Mountain backcountry with outstanding September and October opportunities. Daily bag limits: 5 ruffed grouse, 3 woodcock, 5 snowshoe hare. A $20 Pheasant Stamp supports NHFG's pheasant stocking program on WMAs, with birds released October through December. New Hampshire's 3-month archery deer season (September 15–December 15) and deer firearms season (November 12–December 1) provide structured multi-weapon opportunity in the rugged forest terrain.

New Hampshire manages deer through a Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) system. Archery deer season opens September 15 and runs through December 15 — three months of bow hunting that overlaps both the muzzleloader and firearms seasons. An archery permit costs $26 (same price for resident and non-resident). Crossbows are legal throughout. The muzzleloader season runs October 25–November 4, requiring a separate $16 resident / $41 NR permit. The main firearms season runs November 12–December 1 — a 20-day window during the peak rut. Rifles are legal statewide.

Antlerless deer harvest in New Hampshire requires a Unit L permit — a WMU-specific lottery permit ($26) available only in units where population management objectives call for antlerless harvest. Some units have ample Unit L availability; others have none. The standard deer limit without a Unit L is 1 antlered buck. A drawn Unit L permit allows 1 additional antlerless deer. Hunters may apply for Unit L permits through the annual lottery at wildlife.nh.gov. Youth Deer Day provides a one-day exclusive deer hunting opportunity for hunters ages 12–15 with a licensed adult in late September — typically one of the best single-day harvest opportunities of the year.

New Hampshire's deer population is concentrated in the southern and central portions of the state — Hillsborough, Rockingham, and Merrimack counties have the highest densities. The North Country (Coos County) has lower densities due to deep snow and northern forest character. CWD has not been detected in New Hampshire wild deer, but carcass-import restrictions prohibit bringing whole deer carcasses or high-risk unprocessed parts from CWD-positive jurisdictions into NH. Hunters should check the current NH Fish and Game CWD and import guidance before traveling.