Moose Hunting in New Hampshire

As part of a sound management strategy, the moose hunt has been an annual event in New Hampshire since 1988. The moose population, which was only about 50 animals in 1950, had grown to over 1,600 by the time of the first moose hunt in 1988, when 75 permits were issued, primarily for the northern parts of the state. The success rate for that first year of the moose hunt was about 76 percent. For those lucky winners who take part in the hunt, it is often the adventure of a lifetime.

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Moose Lottery Application is currently closed. 

Bonus Points

NH Fish and Game has a bonus point system to improve the chance of success for unsuccessful applicants who apply each year. Unsuccessful applicants accrue one point for each consecutive year that they apply for the lottery. Each point translates to a chance in the drawing. Don't forget: Applicants lose all accrued points if they do not apply to the lottery for one year, or if they are offered and accept a moose permit.

Lottery Drawing/Unit Assignment

Permittee candidates are selected through a computer-generated random number draw.

Each applicant selected in the lottery drawing is assigned to hunt within a unit of his or her choice, except when the permit quota for that unit has already been filled. In cases where the quota in the applicant's first choice unit has been filled, the applicant will be assigned to the next unfilled unit of his or her choice, as indicated on the application. Applicants are considered for antlerless-only permits if no either-sex permits are available and the application indicates the applicant is willing to accept an antlerless-only permit. Any unit not ranked on the application form indicates that the applicant does not wish to hunt in that unit, even if it is the only unit where a permit quota has not yet been filled. Alternate candidates are selected to fill any permits not taken by the original applicants selected.

Your chance of being drawn and offered a permit in the lottery will be improved if you rank all wildlife management units on your application. You will have the option to decline a permit if drawn for a unit you prefer not to hunt.

Notification of Winners

Successful applicants are notified within 10 working days of the drawing. Moose hunting information packets are mailed in mid-August, and permits are mailed in mid-September.