Public land that may allow hunting in New Hampshire

38 named public land units in New Hampshire from PAD-US 4.1: 17 state wildlife & game areas, 13 forests & grasslands, 5 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 2 lake & reservoir project lands, 1 other public land units. The largest are White Mountain National Forest, White Mountain Purchase Unit, Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge.

Regulations & licenses: New Hampshire Fish and Game Department

This site does not list seasons, bag limits, license or permit rules. Those change every year and differ by area. Check them with New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (hunting information) before you go, and confirm the specific area is open to the hunting you plan.

All 38 areas, largest first

AreaAcres (approx.)ManagerAccessCounty
White Mountain National Forest
National Forest land
725,131U.S. Forest Service (USDA)Open accessGrafton County, Coos County + 1 more
White Mountain Purchase Unit
National Forest land
29,283U.S. Forest Service (USDA)Open accessCoos County, Carroll County + 1 more
Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
21,879U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceRestricted accessCoos County
Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
7,928U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceRestricted accessCoos County, Grafton County
William B. Ruger Wildlife Management Area - South
State wildlife / game area
1,904Not recordedOpen accessSullivan County
Surry Mountain Recreation Area
Army Corps of Engineers project land
1,697U.S. Army Corps of EngineersOpen accessCheshire County
Wapack National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
1,660U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceRestricted accessHillsborough County
William B. Ruger Wildlife Management Area - North
State wildlife / game area
1,280Not recordedOpen accessSullivan County
Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
1,115U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceRestricted accessRockingham County
Lower Shaker Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
1,103State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessGrafton County
Hubbard Hill State Forest
State forest
742State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessSullivan County
Otter Brook Recreation Area
Army Corps of Engineers project land
460U.S. Army Corps of EngineersOpen accessCheshire County
Richard Sargent Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
374State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessRockingham County
Litchfield State Forest
State forest
338State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessHillsborough County
Upper Merrimack Oxbow Project
State wildlife / game area
292State: fish and wildlife agencyOpen accessMerrimack County
Bellamy River Wildlife Management Area - West - Lot 1
State wildlife / game area
262State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessStrafford County
Connecticut River State Forest
State forest
227State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessSullivan County
Hinman Pond II
State wildlife / game area
222State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessMerrimack County
Urban Forestry Center
State forest
181State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessRockingham County
Cilley State Forest
State forest
176State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessMerrimack County
Dumpling Brook Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
164State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessHillsborough County
Berry Brook Forest
State forest
158State: department of conservationOpen accessStrafford County
Webster Lake Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
149State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessMerrimack County
Hirst Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
148State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessMerrimack County
Farrar Marsh Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
138Not recordedOpen accessHillsborough County
Russell-Shea State Forest
State forest
105State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessMerrimack County
Kimball Hill Wildlife Management Area - Merrill
State wildlife / game area
104Not recordedOpen accessGrafton County
Currier Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
97State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessRockingham County
Souhegan River Watershed Site #33
Other state land
94State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessHillsborough County
Pages Corner State Forest
State forest
84State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessMerrimack County
Ballard State Forest
State forest
82State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessRockingham County
John Hay National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
81U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceRestricted accessMerrimack County
Saltmarsh Pond State Forest
State wildlife / game area
71State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessBelknap County
Merrymeeting Marsh Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
58Not recordedOpen accessBelknap County
Ellingwood Street Wildlife Management Area
State wildlife / game area
54Not recordedOpen accessRockingham County, Hillsborough County
Shieling State Forest
State forest
50Not recordedOpen accessHillsborough County
Opechee Bay State Forest
State forest
48State: department of natural resourcesOpen accessBelknap County
Sandy Point - Conway
State wildlife / game area
45State: fish and wildlife agencyRestricted accessRockingham County

Acreage is calculated from simplified PAD-US boundaries for the portion inside New Hampshire. “Access” is the PAD-US public access field, not a statement about hunting. National wildlife refuges are generally coded “restricted” in PAD-US because of seasonal or area closures.

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