Pheasant Hunting in NH
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| Successful thirteen-year-old Chris Forsey, with Rick Orford, both from Webster, hunting in Hopkinton. Photo by Eric Orff. |
New Hampshire's pheasant hunting season runs from October 1 through December 31. This fall, 13,000 adult ring-necked pheasants will be released in all 10 counties during the three-month season, an average of 160 birds per site.
The ring-necked pheasant is one of the most colorful of the game birds. It can run like the wind and disappear instantly into a hedgerow. It takes to the air only as a last resort, testing the skills of many hunting dogs with its hide-and-seek behavior.
Pheasant hunting has a long history in New Hampshire -- the first pheasants were stocked here over a hundred years ago. Today the time-honored tradition of pheasant hunting is possible in the state only because private landowners continue to allow hunters access to their land. Hunters can strengthen this important relationship with landowners by closing gates, controlling their dogs and parking in designated areas to avoid blocking driveways and entrances. Please take the time to be courteous and thank these landowners for their generosity.
Click here for tips
on Pheasant Hunting Safety
2012 Pheasant Season Dates and Stocking Details
Pheasant season: Oct. 1-Dec. 31
Daily limit: 2
Season limit: 10
Pheasant license required ($26)
Pheasant season opens October 1 and continues through December 31. There is a daily bag limit of 2 and a season limit of 10. A hunter may harvest two hens as part of the daily limit. To hunt pheasant, you need a valid New Hampshire hunting license and a pheasant license. Non-residents may hunt with a pheasant license and either a non-resident N.H. hunting license or a non-resident N.H. small game license. The $26 pheasant license fee is in effect for both residents and non-residents.
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| The Fish and Game stocking crew unloads crates of pheasants. Photo by Eric Orff. |
This year, 13,000 adult ring-necked pheasants will be purchased and released across the state. There will be approximately 75 stocking sites in 50 towns. Fish and Game will continue to release birds as close to opening day as possible and to consistently stock a Thursday/Friday schedule in-season
Hunters are asked to refrain from training dogs at pheasant release sites for three days prior to October 1. Dog training flushes pheasants from the release sites, often onto posted property or other areas not suitable for hunting.
The southern portion of the Mascoma River Wildlife Management Area in Canaan will not be accessible for pheasant hunters this year via the culvert and road that is typically used to cross the Mascoma River. Pheasant will continue to be stocked on the Mascoma WMA in the extensive old-field habitat on the north side of the river. Click here for more information.
Pheasants are purchased with revenues derived from the sale of pheasant licenses. Of the $26 fee, $1 is retained by the agent and $25 is available for purchase of the birds.
Youth Pheasant Event Applications Sporting clubs interested in holding youth pheasant hunting events may contact Karen Bordeau at N.H. Fish and Game's Region 2 Office at 603-744-5470 to request an application packet. Participating youth must be between 12 and 15 years of age, and must have completed their Hunter Education certification. Events may be held ONLY on the Saturday prior to September 29. |
The following list provides a road name for sites in New Hampshire stocked with pheasant. Locations with italicized bold print are state-managed lands, while the rest of these sites are on privately owned land open to public hunting. Locations with more than one stocking site on the property are noted.
The tradition of pheasant hunting is available only because landowners continue to allow hunters access and areas to hunt pheasants. Please respect their property and take the time to thank them for their generosity.
TOWN |
ROAD NAME |
| Allenstown | Black Hall Road, Bear Brook State Park |
| Belmont | Mile Hill Road |
| Bennington | Route 202/Contoocook River |
| Benton | Route 25 |
| Boscawen | River Road (2 release sites) |
| Brentwood | Pine Road, Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area |
| Canaan | Goose Pond Road, Mascoma River Wildlife Management Area* |
| Candia | Patten Hill Road |
| Charlestown | Route 12/Great Meadows |
| Charlestown | Hidden Valley Road/Conn. River |
| Charlestown | South Hemlock Road |
| Claremont | Route 12/Grissom Lane |
| Claremont | Sugar River Drive/Case Hill Road |
| Claremont | Route 12A/Jarvis Hill |
| Claremont | Route 12A/Intersection of Grissom Lane |
| Conway | Route 16 |
| Conway | West Side Road |
| Croydon | Route 10 |
| Dover | Old Garrison Road, Bellamy Wildlife Management Area |
| Dublin | Route 137, Edward McDowell Dam |
| Enfield | Route 4A, Lower Shaker Village Wildlife Management Area |
| Epsom | Off River Road |
| Exeter | Route 101, Conner Farm Wildlife Management Area |
| Grafton | Hardy Hill Road |
| Greenland | Post Road |
| Haverhill | Route 10 |
| Henniker | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area (2 release sites) |
| Hill | Franklin Falls Flood Control Area (5 release sites) |
| Hopkinton | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area (2 release sites) |
| Hopkinton | Maple Street |
| Hopkinton | Penacook Road |
| Jaffrey | Route 124/Wit Hill Road |
| Loudon | Captain French Road |
| Lyndeborough | Cemetery Road |
| Marlborough | Richardson Road/Horse Hill Road |
| Milan | East Milan Road (2 release sites) |
| Milford | North River Road, adjacent to Milford State Fish Hatchery |
| Milford | Off of Route 101-A |
| Monroe | Route 135 |
| Mont Vernon | Lamson Drive |
| New Hampton | Franklin Falls Flood Control Area |
| Piermont | Route 10 |
| Pittsburg | River Road |
| Pittsfield | Webster Mills Road |
| Pittsfield | Range Road |
| Rollinsford | Rollins Road (1 release site) |
| Salisbury | Blackwater Flood Control Area |
| Sanbornton | Franklin Falls Flood Control Area (3 release sites) |
| Sandwich | Bearcamp Pond Road |
| Sandwich | Route 113 |
| Sandwich | Intervale Road |
| Seabrook | Route 107 |
| Stewartstown | North Hill |
| Strafford | Whig Hill Road |
| Success | Success Pond Road |
| Surry | Surry Flood Control Area/Route 12A (2 release sites) |
| Unity | Mica Mine Road |
| Unity | West Unity Road |
| Walpole | Whipple Hill Road/County Road |
| Weare | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area |
| Wentworth | North Dorchester Road, Foster and Colburn State Forest |
| Westmoreland | Route 63/Conn. River (2 release sites) |
| Westmoreland | River Road/County Farm |
| Winchester | Old Westport Road (4 release sites) |
* Pheasant will be stocked only on the north side of the river in the Mascoma River WMA in Canaan; pheasant hunters will not be able to access the southern portion of the WMA this year. Click here for more information.
Hunt Pheasants Safely: Follow these tips!
With the October 1 start of pheasant hunting season comes a reminder from Fish and Game to hunt carefully. "We urge hunters to follow a few simple guidelines to hunt safely and enjoy their times hunting pheasants," says Josh Mackay, Fish and Game's Hunter Education Coordinator. "Pheasant hunting is a lot of fun. It's a great time to be out there, but we want people to do it safely."
Incident numbers from the year 2000 underscore this point: that year, there were four hunting-related shooting injuries in New Hampshire involving all kinds of hunting, none of which was fatal. Three of those four involved pheasant hunting. In one case, a hunter lost an eye, and in the other case, a hunter was shot in the face.
Don't be a pheasant hunter statistic -- follow these safety tips:
- Control your firearm muzzle at all times.
- Always wear safety glasses.
- Know where your hunting partners are at all times.
- Shoot only within your zone of fire.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
- Always keep your hunting dog under control.
- Wear hunter orange on your head, back and chest.
One last point -- watch out for the guys and gals in green! Pheasant hunters should not begin hunting at a pheasant release site until all stocking activity is completed.
