New Hampshire

The Granite State offers an abundance of natural resources and with 85% of its area forested, a variety of sporting pursuits. Home to the native Abenaki tribes and founded by European settlers in 1623, New Hampshire’s history runs deep through the roots of the United States. With an array of natural beauty and a diverse terrain, opportunities for hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing make it a wildlife enthusiast’s dream. Home to over 500 different species, some iconic animals in New Hampshire include whitetail deer, moose, black bears, various waterfowl, wild turkeys, pheasants, and a variety of small game.

For more information on the elected officials protecting and promoting the sportsmen’s traditions in New Hampshire, please contact: Fred Bird

Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus

Senator Jeanne Shaheen

New Hampshire Governors Sportsmen's Caucus Member

Governor Kelly Ayotte

New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Leadership

Senator Kevin Avard Representative Will Darby Senator Howard Pearl Representative James Spillane

New Hampshire Policy Highlights

An attempt to prohibit the importation of bait fish from outside New Hampshire, threatening commonly used fishing methods and preferred bait for New Hampshire anglers was defeated.

Conservation Funding was protected when the Executive Director of the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department was authorized to bring about an annual tag or institute a one-time stamp for the use of airguns to account for conservation funding.

CSF Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member, Gov. Kelly Ayotte issued a National Hunting and Fishing Day Proclamation recognizing the deep-rooted outdoor heritage and traditions of NH’s sportsmen and women as well as the financial impacts of the sporting community in the Granite State.

Paid Hunting License Holders

Paid Angling License Holders

.4 M

Generated for Wildlife Conservation

Crossbows

Over the last decade, many states have expanded opportunities for archery hunters wishing to use crossbows. Incorporating crossbow hunting opportunities into game management may increase… Read more.

Discharge Distance Restrictions

Defined as the distance from an occupied dwelling, public road, or city limits that is required to legally discharge a bow or firearm, legal discharge… Read more.

Federal Land Hunting & Angling Access

Many sportsmen and women depend on federal lands managed by agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and… Read more.

Off Highway Vehicles (OHV)

In recent years, Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use has increased rapidly across the country.The unmitigated consequences of such growth not only threatens the environmental health… Read more.

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March 16, 2026

New Hampshire’s Right to Hunt and Fish, CACR 15, Dealt a Disappointing Blow

Why It Matters: Though hunting, fishing, and harvesting wildlife (including by trapping) have long been an American tradition, dating back to before the first Europeans arrived in North America, only in recent decades has the “right” to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife come into question. To establish in perpetuity what has been assumed for centuries, twenty-four states have […]

February 17, 2026

First Hearing Held for New Hampshire’s Right to Hunt and Fish

January 26, 2026

Granite Staters’ Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity: Get Right to Hunt and Fish to the Ballot

November 3, 2025

New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte Continues Long Tradition of “Live Free or Die” on Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus

Why It Matters: One of the last lines of defense against attempts to undermine our time-honored outdoor traditions is located on a Governor’s desk. This is why the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) is a critical component of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) three-pronged approach to our mission. By joining the GSC, Governor Kelly Ayotte demonstrates…

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New Hampshire: American System of Conservation Funding Fact Sheet

2013 Sportsmen’s Economic Impact Report – New Hampshire

2006 Economic Impact Report — New Hampshire

View All New Hampshire Reports

Impact You Can See

Sportsmen and women in NH will not be subjected to additional wait times for firearm transfers.

Anglers in NH May continue to use live bait from out of state for their angling pursuits.

State agency authority was defended and/or enhanced in AL, CO, IN, MD, ME, MO, MT, NH, ND, NM, SD, TN, TX, and WA.

Air rifles will now be authorized for hunting in NH and can pay into conservation funding like all other methods of take.

Legislatures in AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, KY, LA, MS, NH, NV, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VT, and WV celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program and formally recognized the crucial role that sportsmen and women play in funding conservation efforts through the “user pays, public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding.