Pheasant Hunting in NH
The Fish and Game stocking crew unloads crates of pheasants. Photo by Eric Orff.
Successful thirteen-year-old Chris Forsey, with Rick Orford, both from Webster, hunting in Hopkinton.
Photo by Eric Orff.
New Hampshire’s pheasant hunting season runs from October 1 through December 31. This year, 11,535 adult ring-necked pheasants will be purchased and released across the state. There will be approximately 62 stocking sites in 43 towns this year. Pheasant sites will be closed to pheasant hunting statewide until noon on in-season stocking days. In-season stocking days are October 4-5, October 11-12, and October 18-19. The former pheasant sites on West Unity Road (Unity, NH), and the East Milan Road (Milan, NH), will not be stocked anymore.
The tradition of pheasant hunting is available only because landowners continue to allow hunters access and areas to hunt pheasants. Please, respect their property. Take the time to thank them for their generosity and help keep the lands open.
The following list provides a road name for sites stocked with pheasant. Locations with italicized bold print are state managed lands while the rest of these sites are on privately owned land open to hunting. Locations with more than one stocking site on the property are so noted.
| Pheasant Stocking Sites | |
| TOWN | ROAD NAME |
| Allenstown | Black Hall Road, Bear Brook State Park  |
| Belmont | Mile Hill Road |
| Brentwood | Pine Road, Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area |
| Canaan | Goose Pond Road, Mascoma River Wildlife Management Area |
| Candia | Patten Hill Road |
| Charlestown | Route 12/Great Meadows |
| Charlestown | Hidden Valley Road/Conn. River |
| Charlestown | South Hemlock Road |
| Claremont | Route 12/Grissom Lane |
| Claremont | Sugar River Drive/Case Hill Road |
| Claremont | Route 12A/Jarvis Hill |
| Claremont | Route 12A/Intersection of Grissom Lane |
| Conway | West Side Road |
| Dover | Old Garrison Road, Bellamy Wildlife Management Area |
| Dublin | Route 137, Edward McDowell Dam |
| Enfield | Route 4A, Lower Shaker Village Wildlife Management Area |
| Epsom | Off River Road |
| Exeter | Route 101, Connor Farm Wildlife Management Area |
| Grafton | Hardy Hill Road |
| Haverhill | Route 10 |
| Henniker | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area (2 release sites) |
| Hill | Franklin Falls Flood Control Area (5 release sites) |
| Hopkinton | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area (2 release sites) |
| Hopkinton | Penacook Road |
| Jaffrey | Route 124/Wit Hill Road |
| Loudon | Captain French Road |
| Lyndeborough | Cemetery Road |
| Marlborough | Horse Hill Road |
| Milford | North River Road, adjacent to Milford State Fish Hatchery |
| Monroe | Route 135 |
| Mont Vernon | Lamson Drive |
| New Hampton | |
| North Conway | Balcony Seat Road to Dugway Road |
| Piermont | Route 10 |
| Pittsburg | River Road |
| Pittsfield | Webster Mills Road |
| Pittsfield | Range Road |
| Rollinsford | Rollins Road (1 release site) |
| Salisbury | Blackwater Flood Control Area |
| Sanbornton | Franklin Falls Flood Control Area (3 release sites) |
| Sandwich | Bearcamp Pond Road |
| Sandwich | Beede Flats Road off Route 113 |
| Seabrook | Route 107 |
| Stewartstown | North Hill |
| Strafford | Whig Hill Road |
| Success | Success Pond Road |
| Surry | Surry Flood Control Area/Route 12A (2 release sites) |
| Unity | Mica Mine Road |
| Weare | Hopkinton-Everett Flood Control Area |
| Wentworth | North Dorchester Road, Foster and Colburn State Forest |
| Westmoreland | Route 63/Conn. River (2 release sites) |
| Westmoreland | River Road/County Farm |
| Winchester | Old Westport Road (4 release sites) |
History
The ring-necked pheasant is one of the most colorful of the game birds. It prefers to run rather than fly and can test the most skilled bird hunting dog with its hide-and-seek behavior.
Pheasant hunting has a long history in New Hampshire – the first pheasants were stocked here over a hundred years ago.
Thank the Landowners
Today the time-honored tradition of pheasant hunting is possible in the state only because private landowners continue to allow hunters access to their land. The pheasant program relies heavily upon cooperative relationships with landowners.
Please remember to respect the land and property owner’s rights to privacy and safety on all lands open to pheasant hunting and stocking. Respect farmland and do not drive on agricultural fields or block gates or bar ways to pastures and croplands with vehicles.
Responsible behavior towards other hunters and other outdoor users will keep property open for everyone for years to come. Please take the time to be courteous and thank these landowners for their generosity.
See Also:
Youth Pheasant Events
Sporting clubs interested in holding youth pheasant hunting events may contact Karen Bordeau at NH Fish and Game's Region 2 Office at
(603) 744-5470 to request an information packet. Participating youth must be between 12 and 15 years of age. Events may be held on Saturday and Sunday of the two full weekends in September immediately prior to September 29.
![NH Fish and Game Department: Connecting You to Life Outdoors [tm]](/images/cytlo.png)
nh.gov