CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s hunting season for pheasants gets underway on Oct. 1 and continues through Dec. 31. This fall, some 10,000 adult ring-necked pheasants will be stocked in all 10 counties with an average of 130 pheasants per site.
The pheasant program relies heavily on cooperative relationships between landowners and the bird hunters who are permitted to use these private lands for hunting. Hunters should always respect the land and property owner’s privacy and safety wherever pheasant stocking and hunting are permitted.
All pheasant-stocking sites will be closed to pheasant hunting until noon on in-season stocking days, which are the first three Thursdays and Fridays in October in 2024: Oct. 3-4, Oct. 10-11, and Oct. 17-18. All stocking will be completed on or before Oct. 18.
The full list of towns to be stocked, including road names, can be viewed by visiting wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/nh-pheasant-stocking. Printed location lists are also available at NH Fish and Game headquarters and regional offices.
“Please make safe hunting your priority by wearing hunter orange, controlling your firearm muzzle and knowing where your hunting partners are at all times,” said Fish and Game’s Pheasant Project Leader Brett Ferry. “Shoot only within your zone of fire, maintain control of hunting dogs and respect adjacent property. Also be aware that many stocking sites, especially those on state and town lands, are shared multi-use areas so be on the lookout for and respect other users.”
“It’s also important to take the time to thank landowners,” Ferry said. “Your behavior on their property in conjunction with your thoughtfulness will help to keep these private lands open for hunting in future years.”
NH Fish and Game asks hunters to refrain from training dogs at release sites during the two days prior to Oct. 1. Dog training flushes pheasants from release sites, often onto posted property or other areas not suitable for hunting.
Pheasant hunters must purchase a $31 pheasant license, in addition to the regular New Hampshire hunting license or non-resident New Hampshire small game license. Licenses can be purchased at huntnh.com or from any Fish and Game license agent. Pheasants are purchased exclusively with revenues from the sale of pheasant licenses.
All pheasant hunters are urged to follow these basic safety guidelines:
- Wear hunter orange on your head, back and chest.
- 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.
- Always keep your hunting dog under control.
For more information on hunting in New Hampshire, including online license and permit sales, visit huntnh.com/hunting.
