New Hampshire Canned Hunt Statutes and Regulations

Complete Ban*

Statute

New Hampshire statutes specify that "no person shall propagate or sell, dead or alive, wildlife or the eggs or progeny thereof, or operate a hunting preserve, without first obtaining a permit from the executive director." The executive director may refuse to issue a permit if he determines that such issuance may pose significant disease, genetic, ecological, environmental, health, safety, or welfare risks to persons or wildlife. The executive director shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to the taking, permitting, inspection, possession, processing, sale, rearing, harvesting, identifying, releasing and transportation of wildlife as related to the propagation or selling of wildlife, or the operation of a hunting preserve. §212:25.

Moreover, the executive director shall…have the power and authority to adopt and enforce rules…for the adequate and effective control, management, restoration, conservation, and regulation of the fish, game, bird and wildlife resources of the state, including rules designed to prohibit or otherwise regulate non-agricultural activities which may cause the introduction or spread of infectious disease in the state's wildlife resources. Such power and authority shall include the right to open and close the season for taking fish, game, birds, and wildlife, the right to fix the size, number and weight limits, and other conditions governing the method and manner of taking the same. §206:10.

Additionally, it is illegal at any time to "fish, hunt, trap, shoot, pursue, take or kill freshwater fish, saltwater smelt, saltwater shad, saltwater salmonoids, wild birds, or wild animals in this state, without first procuring a proper and valid license to do so, and then only in accordance with the terms of such license." 214:1.

New Hampshire statutes define "wildlife" to mean "all species of mammals, birds, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles or their progeny or eggs which, whether raised in captivity or not, are normally found in a wild state." Id. at §207:1XXXV. This provision also provides the executive director with the authority to adopt rules governing the administration of this statute. Id. at §212:25II.

Regulation

According to an enforcement official with the Fish and Game Department (Bruce Bonenfant, 603-271-3127), New Hampshire law prohibits the introduction of any new "regulated shooting areas" on which mammals can be taken. A "regulated shooting area" is a hunting preserve and operation on privately owned or leased property which provides an opportunity for taking wildlife that have been placed on the property for such purposes, whether operated commercially or non-profit. As of this update (August 6, 2007), there were currently two operations that continue to operate that have been grandfathered in. 

A regulated shooting area shall include up to, but not exceed, 500 contiguous acres, Fis 808.03(a), and no regulated shooting area operation shall be conducted on land less than 50 acres. Id. at §808.03(b).

Each regulated shooting area shall establish rules for the regulated shooting area including but not limited to: shooting hours and qualifications for engaging in a shooting activity. Id. at §808.05(a)(1-2).

All regulated shooting area permittees must file an annual report with the executive director within 30 days of the expiration date of the permit or at the time of renewal containing the number of wildlife taken from the permittee's premises, the number of wildlife imported to the preserve, and the number and species of wildlife released on to the regulated shooting area. Id. at §808.08(a) and (b)(1-3).

Furthermore, it is unlawful to possess wildlife for all species designated as controlled. No live wildlife, or their hybrids, designated as controlled, the eggs or progeny thereof, shall be possessed without a permit to possess wildlife or except as otherwise permitted under RSA 207:1-a, 214:34-d and 209-A:3, IV. Id. at Fis 804.04. 

Any wildlife imported into the state must also be in compliance with any requirements of the New Hampshire and U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

*Grandfathered mammal shooting enclosures permitted; two currently in operation.

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