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New Hampshire County Finder
Answer six questions and get New Hampshire counties ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 WMU season dates, public land and NHFG deer kill.
How the New Hampshire finder works
NH Fish and Game reports the year-end deer kill by county. This tool scores all 10 counties using that kill for 2021–2025 (2025 is the December estimate), USGS land-cover and elevation data, and the share of public land such as the White Mountain National Forest, state forests and wildlife management areas.
Season fit uses the 2026/27 New Hampshire Hunting & Trapping Digest for the Wildlife Management Unit covering most of each county: archery, muzzleloader and firearms deer seasons, bear general, bait and hound seasons, the Oct. 17–25 moose season, spring and fall turkey, upland birds and migratory birds.
Species covered
- White-tailed deer
- Moose
- Black bear
- Wild turkey
Upland birds (ranked by county)
- Ring-necked pheasant
- Forest grouse
- Quail
Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)
- Ducks
- Canada and dark geese
- Snow and Ross's geese
- American woodcock
About every species on the species page →
Data sources
- NHFG year-end deer kill by county (as republished at nhfishandwildlife.com)
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26NHHD_LR2.pdf
- https://services8.arcgis.com/hg1B9Egwk1I5p300/arcgis/rest/services/WMU/FeatureServer/0
- USGS PAD-US 3.0 (Fee); NPS parks and monuments excluded
- USGS NLCD 2021 Land Cover (250 m resample)
- USGS 3DEP elevation service
New Hampshire hunting FAQ
When is New Hampshire's 2026 firearms deer season?
Nov. 11–Dec. 6, 2026 (Nov. 11–29 in WMU A). Muzzleloader runs Oct. 31–Nov. 10 and archery Sept. 15–Dec. 15.
Which New Hampshire counties have the most deer?
Rockingham, Grafton, Hillsborough and Merrimack counties lead the 2021–2025 deer kill; Strafford and Rockingham have the most per square mile.
Can I hunt bears with dogs in New Hampshire?
Yes, from Sept. 21 to Nov. 10 in most WMUs, but not in WMUs H2, K, L or M.
New Hampshire harvest leaders
The counties with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.
Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)
- Rockingham County: 5,557 per year
- Merrimack County: 2,639 per year
- Hillsborough County: 1,778 per year
- Belknap County: 1,317 per year
- Grafton County: 1,037 per year
Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)
- Rockingham County: 1,558 per year
- Merrimack County: 1,037 per year
- Grafton County: 778 per year
- Sullivan County: 606 per year
- Strafford County: 544 per year