CONTACT:
Karen Bordeaux: (603) 744-5470
NHFG Wildlife Division: (603) 271-2461
September 28, 2022
Concord, New Hampshire – Pheasant hunting season in New Hampshire begins October 1 and continues through December 31. This fall, about 10,000 adult ring-necked pheasants will be stocked across the 10 counties with an average of 130 pheasants per site.
The pheasant program relies heavily on cooperative relationships between landowners and bird hunters who are allowed to use these private lands to hunt. Hunters should always respect the privacy and security of the land and property owner wherever pheasant hunting and planting is permitted.
ALL pheasant storage sites will be closed to pheasant hunting until noon on seasonal storage days, which are the first three Thursdays and Fridays in October 2022: October 6-7, October 13-14 and October 20-21. All storage will be completed by October 21.
The pheasant storage site in Marlborough will no longer be overcrowded due to owner’s rescission of permit. Hunters should investigate nearby sites in the towns of Mont Vernon and Lyndeborough.
The full list of towns to be stocked, including road names, can be viewed by visiting www.huntnh.com/hunting/pheasant.html. Printed location lists are also available at NH Fish and Game headquarters and regional offices.
“Keep safety in mind and wear hunter orange, control the barrel of your firearm and know where your fellow hunters are at all times,” said Karen Bordeau, Small Game and Pheasant Project Leader for Fish and Game. . “Shoot only within your fire zone, maintain control of hunting dogs, and take time to thank owners. Your hunting ethic on your property coupled with your thoughtfulness will help keep these private lands open for hunting.”
Fish and Game asks hunters to refrain from training dogs at release sites for two days prior to Oct. 1. Dog training drives pheasants away from release sites, often onto marked 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 the non-resident New Hampshire small game license. Licenses can be purchased at http://www.huntnh.com or through any Fish and Game license agent. Pheasants are purchased exclusively with proceeds from the sale of pheasant licenses.
All pheasant hunters are urged to follow these basic safety guidelines:
- Wear hunter orange on the head, back, and chest.
- Control the muzzle of your firearm at all times.
- Always wear safety glasses.
- Know where your fellow hunters are at all times.
- Shoot only within your fire zone.
- Be sure of your goal and what lies beyond.
- Always keep your hunting dog under control.
For more information about hunting in New Hampshire, including selling permits and licenses online, visit www.huntnh.com/hunting.