CONCORD, NH – If you want to hunt moose in New Hampshire this fall, now is the time to enter the lottery and try your luck on the adventure of a lifetime. Applications for the lottery cost $15 for residents and $25 for non-residents (nonrefundable) and are available online at huntnh.com or from any Fish and Game license agent. A total of 51 permits are proposed to be issued this year.
Lottery applications for 2017 must be postmarked or submitted online by midnight EST, May 26, 2017, or delivered to NH Fish and Game headquarters in Concord before 4 p.m. that day. Applicants are encouraged to apply online and early, so there is less chance of submitting an incomplete application. A printable version of the application is embedded at the end of this story.
⇒CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE APPLICATION
If you are applying, be aware that the estimated density of moose in the South West Region, comprised of Moose Management Units H2-North, H2-South, and K has declined to the cut-off threshold established in the Moose Management Plan. As a result, the proposal would suspend permit issuance in these three units (no permits would be issued) during the 2017 lottery. In addition, permits would also be reduced in the North and White Mountain Regions. Applicants should rank all units to maximize their chances of being offered a permit. If successful in the lottery and offered a permit for a unit they prefer not to hunt, the permit can be declined without loss of accumulated points.
New Hampshire’s nine-day moose hunt starts the third Saturday in October. This year’s hunt runs from October 17-29, 2017.
Each applicant can choose to be entered into the lottery or to accrue a point only and not be entered into the lottery. This benefits those hunters who know they will not be able to hunt this year and want to continue to accrue bonus points. A bonus point system improves the chances for unsuccessful applicants who apply each consecutive year. Don’t miss a year, or you’ll lose your points! Hunters who are drawn and accept a permit are not eligible to enter the lottery or to apply for a bonus point for the following three years.
New Hampshire has had an annual moose hunt since 1988, when 75 permits were issued for a three-day hunt in the North Country. The availability of moose hunting permits is made possible by careful management of moose populations. The resulting annual harvest of moose provides valuable information on the physical condition of moose, as well as a unique recreational opportunity.
Click here for more information on moose hunting in New Hampshire.
Printable application:
