2024 Fall Shotgun Season for Turkey Opens on October 14

CONTACT:
Andy Timmins: (603) 271-1742
October 9, 2024

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reminds hunters that the Granite State’s 7-day fall turkey shotgun season begins on October 14 and runs through October 20, 2024. Of the 18 New Hampshire Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the state, 10 are open to the fall shotgun season including D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2, J2, K, L, and M. Additionally, New Hampshire offers a fall archery season for turkey from September 15 through December 15 in WMUs B through M (ends December 8 in WMU A).

“The fall turkey harvest is very dependent on turkey nesting success the previous spring and the distribution and abundance of fall foods,” said Andrew Timmins, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Game Program Supervisor. Due to the dry, warm spring and summer, poult to hen ratios were higher this year compared with the recent past, resulting in more young turkeys maturing into the fall population. The ability to locate fall turkeys will be very dependent on fall foods. When hard mast crops such as acorns are absent in the woods, turkeys spend more time in fields where they are easier to locate and target. During years with abundant acorns and beechnuts, turkeys spend the majority of their time in secluded woodlands. As a result, harvest rates of turkeys during the fall decline when hard mast is more abundant. Beechnuts seem nearly nonexistent this fall but there are acorns in some locations. The crop appears very spotty, but scouting and time in the woods should enable hunters to find localized pockets of acorns.”

The purchase of a turkey permit, and a New Hampshire hunting license for those ages 16 or older, allows for the harvest of two turkeys per year, one of which may be a male or a hen turkey taken during the fall.

Shooting hours for the fall season begin one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset. All New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) rules and regulations associated with the state’s fall turkey season remain in effect, and hunters will continue to have the option of registering harvested birds either in person or online. Regardless of registration method, the tag that is issued with the hunter’s turkey license must be affixed to the bird and hunters must register their turkey within 24 hours of harvest.

Check Station Registration: New Hampshire Fish and Game works with many registration stations statewide to provide locations for hunters to register their birds. It is recommended that hunters contact their local registration stations to determine their hours of operation. For a list of registration locations in New Hampshire visit: www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/check-stations-registration.

Online Registration: If birds are not registered in person, they must be registered online within 24 hours of take. To expedite online registration, hunters must have a reliable internet connection and the following information readily available:

• Hunting/turkey license information
• License plate number of the vehicle used while hunting
• Town and Wildlife Management Unit where the turkey was harvested
• Sex of the bird
• Age of the bird (adult vs. juvenile)
• Weight of the bird (to the nearest 1/4 pound)
• Beard length (to the nearest 1/4 inch)
• Spur lengths (to the nearest 1/16 inch)

Successful registration, whether in person or online, will result in the generation of a confirmation number upon completion. Hunters must retain a copy of this confirmation as proof that their turkey was legally registered by saving a digital or printed version for their records. Accurately entered registration data is imperative because the information is used by wildlife biologists and Conservation Officers who depend on its accuracy. To register turkeys online, and for tips on how to age, weigh, and measure birds, visit www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/turkey-hunting-new-hampshire.

Fall is a popular time for many outdoor enthusiasts. Hunters must always be aware of other people sharing the outdoors and be absolutely sure of their target and what lies beyond.

To learn more about turkey hunting in New Hampshire, visit www.wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/turkey-hunting-new-hampshire.

Wild turkey management is funded, in part, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Restoration Program.