New Hampshire's spring gobbler season runs May 3-31. In 2009, N.H. hunters harvested 4,056 turkeys turkeys statewide (CLICK HERE for a summary of the 2009 spring gobbler season). A youth turkey weekend is held just prior to the opening of the spring gobbler season.
In the fall, New Hampshire offers turkey hunters a 3-month long autumn archery season starting September 15, as well as a limited fall shotgun opportunity in certain WMUs. New Hampshire has approximately 40,000 wild turkeys statewide.
2009
Spring Season
One bearded or male turkey may be taken by shotgun or bow per hunter;
hunters are encouraged to pass on bearded hens.
May
3 to May 31: Statewide
Limit: One
male or bearded turkey
Hunting hours:
1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon.
Legal methods:
Archery or shotgun (10, 12, 16 or 20 gauge shotgun using 2,
4, 5 or 6 size shot)
Registration:
The fully feathered, intact turkey must be registered and sealed
within 24 hours of the time of taking. <Return
to top>
Noah Davis, age 8, with his dad Bob Davis, of Claremont. Noah took his first turkey during the 2008 youth weekend.
N.H. Youth Turkey Hunt
The 2009 youth turkey hunt took place on April
25 - 26, 2009. The youth turkey weekend is held statewide the first weekend
prior to May 3. During
the weekend, youth hunters are allowed to take one male or bearded
turkey by archery or shotgun. Youth hunters are required to purchase
a turkey license in order to participate, although they do not
need to possess a hunting license. Youths must be age 15 or younger,
and must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult age
18 or older; the adult may not carry a firearm. The youth turkey hunt weekend was first offered
in New Hampshire in 2004.
During the 2009 youth weekend, an impressive total of 570 gobblers were
taken, or 14.1% of the total spring turkey harvest in the state, about the same as in 2008.
The 2010 youth turkey hunt will be held on May 1-2, 2010.
CLICK HERE and on "Turkey Tales" to download article from N.H. Wildlife
Journal magazine on two youth turkey hunt weekend experiences.
2009
Fall Archery Season
One wild turkey of either sex may be taken
by archery.
Areas CLOSED
to fall archery turkey hunting: WMU A
Limit: One
wild turkey, either sex
Legal methods:
Archery only
Hunting Hours:
1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Registration:
The fully feathered, intact turkey must be registered and sealed
within 24 hours of the time of taking.
2009 Fall
Shotgun Season
New Hampshire has a 5-day fall shotgun season only in WMUs
D1, D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2 and K (the Connecticut River Valley and
southwest portions of the state); these areas constitute the state's
most dense turkey populations. The 2009 fall shotgun turkey season
will run Monday through Friday, from October 12-16, 2009.
The fall shotgun permit entitles a hunter to
take a single bird of either sex with a shotgun. Hunters may take
only a single turkey during the fall, either with bow and arrow
during the archery season, or with a shotgun during the shotgun
season. The bird must be tagged with the "fall" tag
that comes on the turkey license.
Shooting hours for the fall season will begin
one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset.
The fully feathered, intact turkey must be registered and sealed
within 24 hours of the time of taking.
A single turkey license covers both the spring and fall turkey seasons in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire's fall shotgun
turkey season began in 2006 and stems from the state's
long-range Turkey Management Plan. Fall seasons are planned
only for WMUs with spring harvest levels of at least .5 birds per square
mile. <Return to top>
It is unlawful to
take a turkey with a rifle, dogs, electronic calling devices,
live decoys, or while it is perched in a tree.
EXCEPTION: Dogs are allowed during the NH fall turkey season only to facilitate the hunter in breaking up the flocks.
If using a bow,
it must be at least a 30-pound-pull bow.
The name and address of the archer shall be plainly printed on each
arrow. Fixed blade broadheads shall not be less than 7/8 inch wide. Retractable
blade broadheads may be smaller than 7/8 inch wide in flight, but not less than
7/8 inch wide when open. There is no maximum size restriction on fixed blade
or retractable blade broadheads.
The turkey must be tagged immediately upon
killing. Registration is required, and the bird must be fully
feathered and intact, but may be gutted. A $2 registration fee
is required.
Companion hunting: A person who has taken
a turkey may assist another properly licensed turkey hunter by
calling only. The person assisting by calling shall not possess
a firearm or bow and arrow.
Licenses
and Permits
The turkey license required to hunt turkey in New Hampshire now covers both the spring and fall turkey seasons; the price is $16 for residents and $31 for non-residents. Residents must also have a current N.H. hunting, archery or combination license.
Nonresidents must also have a big game hunting or archery license.
A Wildlife Restoration Success Story
New Hampshire offers excellent opportunities
for hunting wild turkey. This is possible today only because turkeys
have made an amazing comeback in New Hampshire. By 1854, the birds had completely disappeared
in the state because of habitat loss and market and subsistence hunting. Restoration efforts began in 1975, when Fish and Game released 25 wild turkeys in
New Hampshire; careful management based on good science has allowed
that initial introduction to grow
to more than 40,000 birds today. This population is a true wildlife
restoration success story in the Granite State
-- thanks to the Federal
Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program!
Know
Hens from Gobblers
It is against the law to kill a hen turkey during the spring season
(it is legal to take a bearded hen turkey, but hunters are encouraged
to pass on bearded hens in order to maximize turkey population growth).
Hunters are, therefore, legally obligated to know the difference
between hens and gobblers. This skill can be acquired through reading,
field observation, watching videos, and attending a turkey hunting
seminar.
The turkey "beard"
is not a reliable indicator of sex. The beard may be broken or obscured
from view. Many males, including jakes (one-year-old males) have
short beards that are difficult to see. Up to 10 percent of hens
will have thin 6- to 8-inch beards. These hens represent a valuable
segment of the turkey nesting population and hunters are urged to
pass on them whenever possible.
Physical characteristics
can be used to differentiate hens and gobblers. Gobblers have pronounced
red, white and blue head coloration during the spring season. The
white skull cap on the gobbler is distinct, as is the presence of
leg spurs and prominent red wattles on the neck. The body coloration
of a gobbler is distinctly dark, almost black. In contrast, hens
have a smaller, bluish-gray head, lack spurs and prominent wattles,
and are brownish in appearance. Finally, gobblers strut, fan their
tails and gobble; hens do not.
The sex of a turkey "in
hand" is readily determined. Look at a small chest or breast
feather. Gobbler feathers are black-tipped, while hen feathers are
buff-tipped.
The
National Wild Turkey Federation has some good tips on cleaning
your turkey once you succeed in getting it. Click
here.
Turkey
Hunting Safety
Never stalk a turkey.
It rarely works and increases the risk of an accident.
Never wear red, white
or blue or black over- or under-clothing, because these are the
prominent colors of displaying gobblers.
Never call from a
tree that is thinner than the width of your shoulders. Small trees
won't hide slight movements of your hands or shoulders, which
might look like a turkey to another hunter.
Never jump or turn
suddenly in response to a suspected turkey. When turkey hunting,
assume that every sound you hear is made by another hunter.
Never call from a
site where you can't see at least 40 yards in all directions.
Never imitate a gobbler
call while concealed in a stand.
Never presume that what you hear or what responds
to your call is a turkey.
Never think that your
camouflage makes you totally invisible. To ID yourself to other
hunters, wrap an orange band around a tree.
Never hide so well
that you can't see what's happening around you.
Never move or wave
to alert approaching hunters; shout "stop" instead. <Return to
top>
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New Hampshire has a 5-day fall shotgun season only in WMUs
D1, D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2 and K (the Connecticut River Valley and
southwest portions of the state); these areas constitute the state's
most dense turkey populations. The 2009 fall shotgun turkey season
will run Monday through Friday, from October 12-16, 2009.
