New Hampshire Hunting Laws
New Hampshire sets no minimum caliber for centerfire rifles: outside its restricted towns, any centerfire rifle is legal for deer and bear. What it does regulate closely: a genuine 'smart rifle' ban (no electronically-controlled triggers, target-tracking systems, or ballistics computers), a drone ban, and a patchwork of towns near Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Portsmouth where rifles aren't legal for deer or moose at all — only shotgun slugs, pistols, muzzleloaders, or archery.
Rules checked against New Hampshire Fish and Game Department regulations, August 30, 2026.
At a Glance
Check a Cartridge in New Hampshire
Local Ordinances Apply
A cluster of towns in southeastern New Hampshire (RSA 208:3, 208:3-a, 208:3-b, 208:3-c — Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth and roughly two dozen surrounding towns, plus Chester and Auburn) ban centerfire rifles for deer and moose entirely: only a pistol (.327 Federal Magnum or .357 Magnum and larger, 6-round max — RSA 208:3-d), a shotgun loaded with a single ball (buckshot allowed in most of these towns, but not in Portsmouth/Greenland/Newington/Stratham), a muzzleloading rifle, bow and arrow, or crossbow is legal there.
Sourced Rules
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.
Rifle
2 rulesNew Hampshire sets no minimum caliber for deer rifles in the statewide regular firearms season: the rule text (Fis 301.03) regulates season dates, WMU-specific antlered/either-sex days, and buckshot shot size, but sets no caliber or energy floor for rifles. (Bear and moose have their own explicit weapon rules — see those entries. Rifles aren't legal at all for deer in a cluster of towns — see the local-ordinance note.)
Fis 301.03(f)-(i) — Regular (firearms) deer season, reviewed in full · verified Aug 2026
Bear firearms must be larger than .22 rimfire — .22 LR/.22 rimfire itself is not a legal bear cartridge, but the rule doesn't otherwise set a caliber floor.
"Wild black bear shall be taken only in the places and during the times set forth in Table 300.1 below by means of: (1) Firearms of a size larger than .22 caliber rimfire"
Fis 301.06(a)(1) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
New Hampshire sets no minimum caliber for deer rifles in the statewide regular firearms season: the rule text (Fis 301.03) regulates season dates, WMU-specific antlered/either-sex days, and buckshot shot size, but sets no caliber or energy floor for rifles. (Bear and moose have their own explicit weapon rules — see those entries. Rifles aren't legal at all for deer in a cluster of towns — see the local-ordinance note.) | Fis 301.03(f)-(i) — Regular (firearms) deer season, reviewed in full | Aug 2026 |
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Black Bear
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Bear firearms must be larger than .22 rimfire — .22 LR/.22 rimfire itself is not a legal bear cartridge, but the rule doesn't otherwise set a caliber floor.
"Wild black bear shall be taken only in the places and during the times set forth in Table 300.1 below by means of: (1) Firearms of a size larger than .22 caliber rimfire" |
Fis 301.06(a)(1) | Aug 2026 |
Rifle and Shotgun
1 ruleMoose can't be taken with rimfire firearms of any caliber, or with a shotgun loaded with buckshot (a shotgun firing a single slug is fine).
"No moose shall be taken with rimfire firearms or with shotguns using shot loads including buckshot."
Fis 301.07(j) (Moose Season) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Moose
|
Moose can't be taken with rimfire firearms of any caliber, or with a shotgun loaded with buckshot (a shotgun firing a single slug is fine).
"No moose shall be taken with rimfire firearms or with shotguns using shot loads including buckshot." |
Fis 301.07(j) (Moose Season) | Aug 2026 |
Shotgun
3 rulesWhen hunting deer with shot (as opposed to a slug), it must be 00 buckshot or larger — ordinary birdshot isn't legal.
"No shell shot, other than those using shot sizes of 00 buckshot or larger, shall be used for the taking of deer."
Fis 301.03(h) · verified Aug 2026
Turkey shotguns must be 10–20 gauge with shot #4 or smaller, or 28 gauge/.410 loaded with dense (18 g/cc+) shot sizes #7–9.5 and at least an 18-inch barrel. Rifles aren't a legal turkey method; bow and crossbow are also allowed.
"Shotguns, with the following shot and loads: a. Between 10 and 20 gauge inclusively, with shot size of #4 and smaller, in hunting rather than target loads; or b. 28 gauge and .410, with shot sizes #7 through #9.5, a m..."
Fis 302.01(j) (Wild Turkey) · verified Aug 2026
Nontoxic shot is required statewide (not just on WMAs) for ducks, mergansers, coots, and geese.
"Non-toxic shot shall be required statewide for the taking of ducks and mergansers. ... Nontoxic shot, as defined in Fis 302.04(g) [sic], shall be required statewide for the taking of coots."
Fis 302.04(h), Fis 302.05(d) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
When hunting deer with shot (as opposed to a slug), it must be 00 buckshot or larger — ordinary birdshot isn't legal.
"No shell shot, other than those using shot sizes of 00 buckshot or larger, shall be used for the taking of deer." |
Fis 301.03(h) | Aug 2026 |
|
Wild Turkey
|
Turkey shotguns must be 10–20 gauge with shot #4 or smaller, or 28 gauge/.410 loaded with dense (18 g/cc+) shot sizes #7–9.5 and at least an 18-inch barrel. Rifles aren't a legal turkey method; bow and crossbow are also allowed.
"Shotguns, with the following shot and loads: a. Between 10 and 20 gauge inclusively, with shot size of #4 and smaller, in hunting rather than target loads; or b. 28 gauge and .410, with shot sizes #7 through #9.5, a m..." |
Fis 302.01(j) (Wild Turkey) | Aug 2026 |
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Waterfowl
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Nontoxic shot is required statewide (not just on WMAs) for ducks, mergansers, coots, and geese.
"Non-toxic shot shall be required statewide for the taking of ducks and mergansers. ... Nontoxic shot, as defined in Fis 302.04(g) [sic], shall be required statewide for the taking of coots." |
Fis 302.04(h), Fis 302.05(d) | Aug 2026 |
Muzzleloader
2 rulesMuzzleloaders for deer and bear must be single-barrel, single-shot, and at least .40 caliber.
"A muzzleloading firearm shall be a single barrel, single shot firearm of no less than .40 caliber. ... Muzzleloaders not less than .40 caliber."
Fis 301.03(e)(2); Fis 301.06(a)(4) · verified Aug 2026
Moose muzzleloaders must be at least .45 caliber — a higher floor than deer/bear's .40 caliber.
"A person holding a current moose permit or subpermittee's permit shall only hunt moose with a muzzleloading firearm of not less than .45 caliber."
Fis 301.07(k) (Moose Season) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
Black Bear
|
Muzzleloaders for deer and bear must be single-barrel, single-shot, and at least .40 caliber.
"A muzzleloading firearm shall be a single barrel, single shot firearm of no less than .40 caliber. ... Muzzleloaders not less than .40 caliber." |
Fis 301.03(e)(2); Fis 301.06(a)(4) | Aug 2026 |
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Moose
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Moose muzzleloaders must be at least .45 caliber — a higher floor than deer/bear's .40 caliber.
"A person holding a current moose permit or subpermittee's permit shall only hunt moose with a muzzleloading firearm of not less than .45 caliber." |
Fis 301.07(k) (Moose Season) | Aug 2026 |
Air Gun
2 rulesAir rifles for deer/bear must be at least .35 caliber, produce at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy, and be charged only from an external high-compression source (hand pump, tank, or compressor) — not a self-contained cartridge.
"Air rifles used for the purpose of take shall be charged from an external high-compression power source and meet the following minimum criteria: (1) Be 0.35 caliber or larger and produce at least 400 foot-pounds of en..."
Fis 301.041(d)(1) · verified Aug 2026
Air rifles for moose must be at least .45 caliber with at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy, same external-power-source requirement as deer/bear.
"Be 0.45 caliber or larger and produce at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, for taking moose."
Fis 301.041(d)(2) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
Black Bear
|
Air rifles for deer/bear must be at least .35 caliber, produce at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy, and be charged only from an external high-compression source (hand pump, tank, or compressor) — not a self-contained cartridge.
"Air rifles used for the purpose of take shall be charged from an external high-compression power source and meet the following minimum criteria: (1) Be 0.35 caliber or larger and produce at least 400 foot-pounds of en..." |
Fis 301.041(d)(1) | Aug 2026 |
|
Moose
|
Air rifles for moose must be at least .45 caliber with at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy, same external-power-source requirement as deer/bear.
"Be 0.45 caliber or larger and produce at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, for taking moose." |
Fis 301.041(d)(2) | Aug 2026 |
All Weapons
5 rulesRoughly two dozen towns in Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, and Strafford counties (including Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Portsmouth), plus Chester and Auburn, ban centerfire rifles for deer entirely. RSA 208:3-d pistols permitted in these towns are .327 Federal Magnum or .357 Magnum and larger, loaded with no more than 6 rounds. RSA 208:3-a (Portsmouth, Greenland, Newington, Stratham) additionally bans loose buckshot, allowing only a single-ball shotgun load. The same town list applies to moose (see the moose rimfire/buckshot rule).
"Wild deer shall not be taken by the use of a firearm, other than a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball or loose buckshot, muzzle-loading rifle, bow and arrow, or crossbow ... in the..."
RSA 208:3, 208:3-a, 208:3-b, 208:3-c, 208:3-d · verified Aug 2026
New Hampshire bans 'smart rifles' — firearms with target-tracking systems, electronically/computer-linked triggers, or onboard ballistics computers. The executive director can waive this for a hunter with a disability that prevents firing a traditional trigger.
"Smart rifle means any firearm that is equipped with one or more of the following: (1) A target tracking system; (2) An electronically-controlled, electronically-assisted, or computer-linked trigger; or (3) A ballistic..."
Fis 312.01(b), Fis 312.03(a) · verified Aug 2026
Drones can't be used to take game, scout/locate game for a hunt in progress, relay game locations to a hunter on the ground, or haze/drive wildlife.
"No person shall take or attempt to take wildlife by use of a UAV. No person shall use a UAV to: (1) Attempt to locate, surveil, or aid or assist in any attempt to locate or surveil any wildlife, for the purpose of tak..."
Fis 312.02 · verified Aug 2026
New Hampshire's hunter-orange statute is titled 'Recommendation,' not requirement — it uses 'should,' not 'shall,' and carries no penalty. (A tracker recovering wounded big game does have a separate, mandatory 2-article hunter-orange rule under Fis 301.)
"Any person hunting with a firearm or bow and arrow in this state during the hunting season, except for a person legally hunting waterfowl, should wear a hat, vest or other suitable article of clothing of material in t..."
RSA 207:38-b · verified Aug 2026
New Hampshire repealed its ban on using a silencing device to take wildlife in June 2016, under a bill titled the Hunters Hearing Protection Act which repealed both the prohibition and its penalty. Suppressors are legal for any species with no state permit and no paperwork condition, and Fish and Game did not replace the statute with a rule of its own — the current Fis 300 hunting rules never mention suppressors. Older guides listing New Hampshire as a state where you may own but not hunt with one are out of date.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"207:4 Repealed by 2016, 234:2, I, eff. June 10, 2016."
RSA 207:4 (repeal note); RSA 207:46, II (repealed) · verified Oct 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
Moose
|
Roughly two dozen towns in Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, and Strafford counties (including Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Portsmouth), plus Chester and Auburn, ban centerfire rifles for deer entirely. RSA 208:3-d pistols permitted in these towns are .327 Federal Magnum or .357 Magnum and larger, loaded with no more than 6 rounds. RSA 208:3-a (Portsmouth, Greenland, Newington, Stratham) additionally bans loose buckshot, allowing only a single-ball shotgun load. The same town list applies to moose (see the moose rimfire/buckshot rule).
"Wild deer shall not be taken by the use of a firearm, other than a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball or loose buckshot, muzzle-loading rifle, bow and arrow, or crossbow ... in the..." |
RSA 208:3, 208:3-a, 208:3-b, 208:3-c, 208:3-d | Aug 2026 |
|
All species
|
New Hampshire bans 'smart rifles' — firearms with target-tracking systems, electronically/computer-linked triggers, or onboard ballistics computers. The executive director can waive this for a hunter with a disability that prevents firing a traditional trigger.
"Smart rifle means any firearm that is equipped with one or more of the following: (1) A target tracking system; (2) An electronically-controlled, electronically-assisted, or computer-linked trigger; or (3) A ballistic..." |
Fis 312.01(b), Fis 312.03(a) | Aug 2026 |
|
All species
|
Drones can't be used to take game, scout/locate game for a hunt in progress, relay game locations to a hunter on the ground, or haze/drive wildlife.
"No person shall take or attempt to take wildlife by use of a UAV. No person shall use a UAV to: (1) Attempt to locate, surveil, or aid or assist in any attempt to locate or surveil any wildlife, for the purpose of tak..." |
Fis 312.02 | Aug 2026 |
|
All species
|
New Hampshire's hunter-orange statute is titled 'Recommendation,' not requirement — it uses 'should,' not 'shall,' and carries no penalty. (A tracker recovering wounded big game does have a separate, mandatory 2-article hunter-orange rule under Fis 301.)
"Any person hunting with a firearm or bow and arrow in this state during the hunting season, except for a person legally hunting waterfowl, should wear a hat, vest or other suitable article of clothing of material in t..." |
RSA 207:38-b | Aug 2026 |
|
All species
|
New Hampshire repealed its ban on using a silencing device to take wildlife in June 2016, under a bill titled the Hunters Hearing Protection Act which repealed both the prohibition and its penalty. Suppressors are legal for any species with no state permit and no paperwork condition, and Fish and Game did not replace the statute with a rule of its own — the current Fis 300 hunting rules never mention suppressors. Older guides listing New Hampshire as a state where you may own but not hunt with one are out of date.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"207:4 Repealed by 2016, 234:2, I, eff. June 10, 2016." |
RSA 207:4 (repeal note); RSA 207:46, II (repealed) | Oct 2026 |
Federal Rules That Apply in Every State
These federal requirements apply in New Hampshire on top of state law.
Sources
How to Use This Page
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current New Hampshire Fish and Game Department regulations are the final word.