New Hampshire Deer Hunting Sees Record Harvest and Stable License Sales
New Hampshire experienced its largest white-tailed deer harvest in nearly a century in 2025, with 14,387 deer taken by hunters. This success is partly attributed to the increased use of archery and muzzleloader hunting methods, which benefit from longer or earlier seasons compared to modern rifle hunting. The rifle season for deer is scheduled from November 11 to December 6. The number of hunting licenses sold in New Hampshire has remained stable over the past decade, with almost 30,000 licenses issued by August 1, 2026, which is about 1,000 more than pre-COVID-19 levels for the same period. This stability marks an end to a previous decline in license sales from the early 1990s to the early 2010s. The state's deer population is estimated at 100,000, with a surplus in the southeast region, leading to special antlerless permits being issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Notably, chronic wasting disease has not been detected in New Hampshire, though strict rules on carcass movement are in place.
