N.H. Code Admin. R. Fis 301.031 – Special Deer Permits – Units L and M, Archery, and Governor’s Island Permits

(a) Persons licensed to take deer under RSA 214:9, RSA 208:5, or RSA 208:5-a, or is a youth or resident landowner, may apply, as specified in subparagraph (4) below, for a special deer permit to take one additional deer in wildlife management units L and M subject to the following:
1. (1) Deer taken under this permit shall be antlerless deer only;
2. (2) Deer may be taken by any legal method during the archery season as specified in Fis 301.03(d), the muzzleloader season as specified in Fis 301.03(e), and during the regular season as specified in Fis 301.03(f);
3. (3) Persons taking deer under a special deer permit in wildlife management units L and M shall be licensed as follows:
  1. a. An archery license under RSA 208:5 shall be required to take deer during the archery season specified in Fis 301.03(d);
  2. b. A muzzleloader license under RSA 208:5-a and a regular hunting license under RSA 214:9 shall be required to take deer by a muzzleloader during the muzzleloader season as specified in Fis 301.03(e); and
  3. c. A license under RSA 214:9 shall be required to take deer during the regular hunting season as specified in Fis 301.03(f);
4. (4) There shall be up to 3500 special deer permits issued for wildlife management unit L and up to 8000 special deer permits issued for wildlife management unit M as follows:
  1. a. Three thousand five hundred special deer permits for wildlife management unit
    L shall be available on a first-come, first-served basis;
  2. b. Eight thousand special deer permits for wildlife management unit M shall be available on a first-come, first-served basis to 4000 applicants. Each successful applicant shall purchase 2 special deer permits for wildlife management unit M at the time of purchase;
  3. c. The department shall annually publicize the date when special deer permits will go on sale:
    1. 1. In the NH Hunting Digest;
    2. 2. On the department website; and
    3. 3. Using any other methods the department finds useful;
  4. d. An applicant shall complete the “Application for Antlerless Deer Permit for Unit L”, Rev 01/2026 or “Application for Antlerless Deer Permit for Unit M” form, Rev 01/2026, available on the department’s website at https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/deer-hunting-new-hampshire/unit-l-and-m-antlerless-only-deer-permits;
  5. e. Illegible or incomplete applications shall be returned for correction and not considered until corrected;
  6. f. Permits shall be issued on a first-come, first-served basis when received;
  7. g. No person shall submit more than 1 application for a special deer permit for wildlife management unit L;
  8. h. No person shall be issued or possess more than 1 special deer permit for wildlife management unit L;
  9. i. No person shall submit more than one application for 2 special deer permits for wildlife management unit M;
  10. j. No person shall be issued or possess more than 2 permits for wildlife management unit M;
  11. k. Applicants may apply for special deer permits as follows:
    1. 1. At the fish and game department headquarters at 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301;
    2. 2. By mail at the address in 1. above; or
    3. 3. From the department’s website at https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/deer-hunting-new-hampshire/unit-l-and-m-antlerless-only-deer-permits;
  12. l. The fee for a unit L permit shall be $26.00, of which $1.00 shall be an agent fee; and
  13. m. The fee for 2 unit M permits shall be $36.00, of which $1.00 shall be the agent fee.
(b) Persons may take by bow and arrow only one additional antlered deer under a special deer permit for archery from September 15 through December 15 in wildlife management units B through M and from September 15 through December 8 in wildlife management unit A subject to the following:
1. (1) The fee for the special deer permit described in (b), above, shall be $26.00 of which $1.00 shall be the agent fee;
2. (2) Immediately upon killing a deer, the permittee shall fill in the “Special Deer Archery Tag”, sign the tag, and attach the tag to the deer;
3. (3) The “Special Deer Archery Tag” shall contain the following:
  1. a. The licensee’s name and address;
  2. b. The date and time of kill;
  3. c. The wildlife management unit in which the kill occurred; and
  4. d. Signature;
4. (4) A person who purchases a special deer permit for archery shall purchase it at the same time they purchase an archery license pursuant to RSA 208:5; and
5. (5) Any person under the age of 16 and any person holding a valid permanent archery license pursuant to RSA 214:7-a, RSA 214:9-cc, and RSA 214:13 may purchase a special deer permit for archery at any time.
(c) Persons shall only take additional deer by bow and arrow on Governor’s Island, Town of Gilford under the provisions of a Governor’s Island special deer permit subject to the following:
1. (1) No person shall take deer on Governor’s Island, Town of Gilford, without a Governor’s Island special deer permit in addition to the appropriate license to take deer under RSA 208:5 for taking a deer with a bow and arrow;
2. (2) Each applicant for a Governor’s Island special deer permit shall provide written landowner permission on a form provided by the department;
3. (3) The landowner shall provide the following on the form “Landowner Permission to Hunt on Governor’s Island, Gilford, NH”:
  1. a. The landowner's full name and signature, signed subject to the penalties for making unsworn false statements under RSA 641:3;
  2. b. The hunter's full name and phone number;
  3. c. The physical address or tax map number for the parcel(s) of land on Governor’s Island for which permission is granted to hunt;
  4. d. An indication as to whether the landowner will allow baiting for deer;
  5. e. A list of any other landowner stipulations regarding the hunting activities on the property, such as:
    1. 1. The specific days of the week;
    2. 2. Dates on which hunting will not be allowed;
    3. 3. Parking locations;
    4. 4. Times of the day that hunting will not be allowed;
    5. 5. Locations and removal of deer stands; and
    6. 6. Distances from adjoining landowners;
  6. f. An attestation by both the landowner and the hunter that RSA 508:14 protects the
    landowner from any claims made for personal injury or property damage by the hunter
    provided no fee has been paid for access. The landowner and hunter understand that all the above referenced stipulations have been agreed to by both parties and will be adhered to at all times. In addition, all fish & game department regulations as specified in Fis 301.032 will be followed; and
  7. g. Date and signature;
4. (4) The hunter shall provide on the permission form their signature, signed subject to the penalties for making unsworn false statements under RSA 641:3, and the date signed;
5. (5) The landowner permission form shall be filled out in quadruplicate. The original shall go to the hunter, one copy to the local conservation officer, one copy to the wildlife division, and the other copy shall be retained by the landowner;
6. (6) The Governor’s Island special deer permit shall allow the taking of 6 deer of either sex;
7. (7) The taking of deer shall be in accordance with the manner and methods for taking deer with bow and arrow as specified in Fis 301.041;
8. (8) The open season shall be the first weekday in October through December 15, except:
  1. a. No person shall take deer on Saturday or Sunday until after October 31; and
  2. b. No person shall take deer on the second Monday in October or for 4 consecutive days beginning on Thanksgiving Day;
9. (9) The taking of deer shall be from a portable tree stand at least 10 feet off the ground;
10. (10) Safety belts or harnesses shall be used;
11. (11) Baiting for deer shall be allowed under the Governor’s Island special deer permit, provided baiting shall be permissible as indicated on the landowner permission form. A permit to bait wildlife as required by Fis 1102.04 shall not be required;
12. (12) The baiting season for deer on Governor’s Island shall begin on the first weekday in October and end on December 15th;
13. (13) Immediately upon killing a deer, the permittee shall fill in the “Governor’s Island Either Sex Deer Tag” with the date and time of kill and sex of the deer, sign the tag, and attach it to the deer;
14. (14) All entrails of harvested deer shall be removed from the island;
15. (15) Deer taken under this permit shall be registered as specified in RSA 208:15-d and shall comply with the requirements of RSA 208:16;
16. (16) All deer wounded and not recovered shall be reported by calling (603) 271-3361 as soon as possible but not longer than 24 hours after the time the deer was wounded;
17. (17) Any person who has taken 6 deer under a Governor’s Island deer permit as specified in this paragraph, and the deer have been legally registered, may purchase a second Governor’s Island special deer permit which shall allow the taking of 6 additional deer;
18. (18) Applicants for a second Governor’s Island deer permit shall provide the first permit which has had the deer tags detached;
19. (19) Governor’s Island special deer permits and the landowner permission form shall be carried by all persons while taking deer on Governor’s Island;
20. (20) The fee for a Governor’s Island special deer permit shall be $25.00;
21. (21) The permit and the landowner permission shall expire on December 15th; and
22. (22) Applicants for a Governor’s Island special deer permit shall provide the following on the “Special Deer Permit – Governor’s Island” form:
  1. a. Name, address, and telephone number;
  2. b. Date of birth;
  3. c. Current archery license number; and
  4. d. Signature, signed subject to the penalties for unsworn false statements under RSA 641:3.

Source. #6520, eff 5-31-97; ss by #6812, eff 7-23-98; amd by #7179, eff 12-24-99; ss by #7289, eff 6-1-00; ss by #7533, eff 7-24-01; ss by #7699, eff 6-5-99; ss by #7921, eff 7-24-03; ss by #8085, eff 5-26-04; amd by #8084, eff 1-1-05; ss by #8644, eff 6-1-06; ss by #8931, eff 7-6-07; ss by #9163, eff 5-28-08; ss by #9458, eff 4-21-09; amd by #9720-A, eff 6-5-10, (various paras (a), (b), & (c)); amd by #9720-B, eff6-5-10, (various paras (a), (b), & (c)); ss by #10142, eff 6-5-12; ss by #10619, eff 6-2-14; amd by #10981, eff 1-1-16; ss by #11114, eff 6-3-16; ss by #12591, eff 7-25-18; ss by #13644, eff 6-1-23; ss by #14308, eff 7-10-25; ss by #14494, eff 1-24-26, EXPIRES: 1-24-36