When is Turkey Season in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire offers turkey hunters excellent opportunities to pursue wild turkeys during both spring and fall seasons. The Granite State has a healthy and growing turkey population spread across the state, providing a chance to harvest these challenging birds. Knowing the different turkey hunting seasons in NH will help you plan a successful hunt.

Overview of NH Turkey Seasons

New Hampshire has a spring turkey season and a split fall turkey season with separate archery and shotgun segments. Key details on the turkey seasons include

Spring Turkey Season – Held for the entire month of May statewide This is the most popular and productive season
Fall Archery Turkey Season – Runs from mid-September through early-mid December depending on the wildlife management unit. Prime time during the fall rut.
Fall Shotgun Turkey Season – A short 1-week season in mid-October limited to certain WMUs. Shotguns and muzzleloaders only.
Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend – Special 2-day spring hunt in late April for hunters age 15 and under. A great intro to turkey hunting.

Bag limits and allowed hunting methods also vary by season. Review the current NH Hunting & Trapping Digest for full regulations.

Spring Turkey Season Dates

The New Hampshire spring turkey season always runs for the entire month of May.

In 2023, spring turkey season dates are:

Opener: May 1, 2023
Closer: May 31, 2023

Hunters can pursue turkeys statewide on both private and public lands throughout May. This 4 week season allows plenty of time to scout birds and find success as the weather warms.

During the spring season, hunters can harvest 1 bearded turkey statewide. In some WMUs, a second bird is allowed. The spring season limit is 1 or 2 birds total.

Spring is open for archery, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, and youth hunters. Hens with visible beards are legal to take during spring. Electronic calls and baiting are prohibited.

Fall Turkey Hunting Season Dates

The fall turkey season in New Hampshire is split into two segments – an archery-only season and a separate shotgun-only week.

Fall Archery Turkey Season

In 2023, the fall archery turkey season runs from September 15 to December 8, 2023 in WMU A and September 15 – December 15, 2023 for WMUs B through M.

Archery turkey hunting is allowed statewide on both public and private land. Hunters can use bows, crossbows, and vertical bows to harvest either sex during the archery season.

Fall Shotgun Turkey Season

The 2023 fall shotgun turkey season is only open for 1 week, from October 14 – 20, 2023.

Shotguns and muzzleloaders are permitted. This 1-week season is limited to only some WMUs including D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2, J2, K, L, and M. Check the digest for exact areas.

During the combined fall archery and shotgun seasons, the limit is 1 turkey of either sex across all WMUs.

Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend

To introduce younger hunters to turkey hunting, New Hampshire holds a special 2-day youth turkey hunting weekend each spring.

In 2023, the youth weekend will be held on April 29-30. Youth under age 16 can hunt turkeys statewide during this weekend. An adult must accompany hunters under age 16.

The youth weekend has the same bag limits as the regular spring season – 1 or 2 birds depending on the WMU. All legal hunting methods are allowed.

This special weekend is an excellent opportunity to take a new turkey hunter into the field before the regular season opens.

Turkey Season Outlook for 2023

The spring and fall 2023 turkey seasons in New Hampshire look very promising.

Winter flocks surveys showed good overwinter survival. Spring and summer counts indicated strong reproduction and poult numbers.

With turkeys going into fall in great shape, the hunting outlook is excellent. The chances to fill your spring or fall tag are high across most of New Hampshire.

Now is the time to start scouting birds and getting permission for the 2023 spring gobbler season!

Hunting Tips for NH Turkey Seasons

Here are some tips to have success during New Hampshire turkey seasons:

Know the terrain – Scout areas in advance and become very familiar with terrain features that turkeys prefer. Look for strutting grounds, roosting sites, and feeding areas.
Use decoys and calls – Set up realistic decoys and use turkey calls to draw in gobblers during spring. Locator calls can work in fall.
Try running and gunning – Move through areas until you hear or see birds, then set up quickly to call them in. Be mobile.
Focus on food sources – Find food sources like acorns and green pastures that attract turkeys and set up nearby.
Be patient – Calling takes patience. Stay still and quiet in your hide and keep calling until that gobbler finally commits.
Follow the rules – Carefully follow the hunting regulations for your season and WMU. Ethics and identification matter.

With preparation and persistence during the spring and fall turkey hunting seasons, your next New Hampshire gobbler is within reach. Good luck on your turkey hunts!

when is turkey season in nh

Turkey Hunting Licensing Requirements

Adult hunters (16 or older) must have a Regular N.H. Hunting, Combination, or Archery License and a Turkey License to hunt turkeys. A Small Game License does not allow for the hunting of turkeys. Youth hunters (under 16 years of age) do not need a Hunting, Combination, or Archery license, but they do need a turkey license. Each Turkey License comes with 2 tags which may be used in any order and allow the take of two (2) turkeys per year. Turkey hunters may take one (1) bearded or male turkey during the spring season and a second turkey of either sex during the fall. Or, hunters may take two (2) male or bearded turkeys during the spring season. However, the first spring turkey shall be legally registered before the second spring turkey can be taken. One of the spring turkeys may be taken statewide, but the other spring turkey shall only be taken in WMUs H1, H2, I1, J2, K, L, or M. A hunter may not take two (2) spring birds in WMUs A-G, I2, or J1. One (1) or two (2) turkeys may also be taken during the youth weekend, however all spring season registration and WMU regulations apply. The total fall season bag limit is one (1) turkey and hunting may be done statewide with bow and arrow or a crossbow during the archery season, or with a shotgun or crossbow during the fall shotgun season in those units where allowed (see Turkey Hunting Seasons).

Hunting Hours:

Fall: Â½ hour before sunrise to Â½ hour after sunset.
Spring: Â½ hour before sunrise to 12 noon.

Turkeys must be tagged immediately upon killing. Registration of a fully feathered intact carcass is required online or at the closest open registration station within 24 hours. The turkey may be gutted. See Deer/Turkey Registration Stations for a list of Turkey Registration Stations.

Shotguns, with the following shot and loads:

between 10 and 20 gauge inclusively, with shot size of #4 and smaller, in hunting rather than target loads; or
28 gauge and .410, with shot sizes #7 through #9, a minimum shot density of 18 grams per cubic centimeter (G/CC), and a minimum barrel length of 18 inches

A person who has taken a turkey may assist another properly licensed turkey hunter by calling only. The person assisting by calling shall not possess a bow and arrow, crossbow or firearm (other than a pistol or revolver).

Archers and crossbow users must have their name and address on arrows or bolts. Fixed blade broadheads cannot be less than â inches wide; there is no upper size limit. Retractable blade broadheads are permitted (cannot be less than â of an inch wide when open). Minimum bow and arrow draw weight for turkeys is 30 lbs. Crossbows must meet the requirements on Deer Hunting Regulations, and are allowed as described in the Crossbows section in License Information.

NH Spring TURKEY Hunting Season is Starting Now.

FAQ

How many turkeys can you shoot in NH?

Turkey hunters may take one (1) bearded or male turkey during the spring season and a second turkey of either sex during the fall. Or, hunters may take two (2) male or bearded turkeys during the spring season. However, the first spring turkey shall be legally registered before the second spring turkey can be taken.

Can you hunt on your own land without a license in NH?

Resident landowners and their minor children under the age of 16 may hunt and trap on their own land, in season, without a regular hunting or trapping license.

Is it turkey season in NH?

Spring Turkey Season Opens May 1 in New Hampshire. Concord, NH –The Granite State’s spring turkey hunt opens on May 1 and runs through May 31.

What is the first day of turkey season?

California. SEASON DATES: General Season: March 30 – May 5, 2024. Archery Season: March 30 – May 19, 2024.

When is the youth turkey hunt in New Hampshire?

The youth turkey hunt takes place the preceding weekend, Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department urges hunters to take advantage of the state’s weather, woodlands, and natural resources this year with hunting safety in mind.

How many turkeys did New Hampshire hunters eat in 2022?

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) urges hunters to take advantage of the state’s weather, woodlands, and natural resources this year with hunting safety in mind. During 2022’s youth weekend, young hunters took 428 turkeys or 7.5% of the total spring harvest.

When is the spring turkey hunt in Concord NH?

CONTACT:Allison Keating: (603) 352-9669Andy Timmins: (603) 271-2461April 10, 2024 Concord, NH – The Granite State’s spring turkey season opens on May 1 and runs through May 31. The youth turkey hunt takes place the preceding weekend, Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28.

When did turkeys re-nest in New Hampshire?

“Last year was a tough breeding season for turkeys in New Hampshire,” Keating said. “Frost during the month of May followed by consistent rain throughout the spring and summer led to many hens re-nesting,” she said.

When does hunting season start in New Hampshire?

The first of New Hampshire’s fall hunting seasons started on September 1, with the opening of black bear, gray squirrel, and resident Canada goose seasons. Archery seasons for turkey and white-tailed deer started September 15, which gets all hunters excited for the the much-anticipated regular firearms deer-hunting season starting November 13.

Are there wild turkeys in New Hampshire?

No wild turkeys in New Hampshire have yet tested positive for the virus. Hunters are encouraged to take extra precautions including: Do not harvest or handle birds that are obviously sick or found dead. Dress and dispose of game birds in an area away from domestic birds. Where rubber gloves when field dressing your bird.