CONTACT:
Jessica Carloni: (603) 868-1095
Dan Bergeron: (603) 271-2461
April 16, 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2020-21 waterfowl hunting season after considering emailed comments from the sporting community.

The regular duck season is 60 days long with a daily bag limit of six birds. The Canada goose season is 60 days long with two birds in the daily bag. The season dates and bag limits as well as a map of the waterfowl zones can be viewed at www.huntnh.com/hunting/waterfowl-season.html.

The following are the waterfowl seasons for ducks, mergansers, coots, and Canada geese:

  • The Northern Zone waterfowl season opens on October 2 and runs through November 30, 2020.
  • The Inland and Connecticut River Zone waterfowl season opens on October 6 and runs through November 8, and then reopens November 17 through December 12, 2020.
  • The Coastal Zone waterfowl season opens on October 7 and runs through October 18, and then reopens November 17, 2020, through January 3, 2021.

The sea duck season opens on November 18, 2020, and runs through January 16, 2021, in all coastal waters, rivers, and streams seaward from the first upstream bridge. The daily bag limit for sea ducks is 5 birds, which shall include no more than 4 scoters, 4 eiders, or 4 long-tailed ducks.

To hunt for migratory birds, Granite State residents must have a current Regular New Hampshire Hunting, Combination, or Archery License. All nonresidents must have a Regular New Hampshire Hunting, Combination, Archery, or a Small Game License. No license is required for hunters under the age of 16. However, youth hunters must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult age 18 or older. In addition, duck and goose hunters age 16 and older must have a:

  • NH Migratory Waterfowl License;
  • National Migratory Bird Harvest Information or “HIP” certification number to hunt ducks, geese, woodcock, and snipe; and
  • Federal Duck Stamp with the hunter’s name signed across the face.

The Federal Duck Stamp can be purchased at many U.S. Post Offices and at New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Headquarters in Concord, NH.

HIP permit numbers can be obtained by calling 1-800-207-6183 or by going to the “Buy Your License Online” section of the Fish and Game website at huntnh.com to receive a permit number. This number should be written on your valid New Hampshire hunting license. Harvest information from HIP helps Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service make more reliable estimates of the number of all migratory birds harvested. Each year, random selections of hunters are asked to complete a voluntary harvest survey.

Hunters are asked to report all banded birds at www.reportband.gov. Note that the phone-in (1-800-327-BAND) reporting method has been discontinued. After you report a band, the U.S. Geological Survey will send a certificate with information about the bird.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in New Hampshire visit www.huntnh.com/hunting/waterfowl.html.