Current through Register No. 40, October 3, 2024
(a) No person shall
at any time hunt, shoot, pursue, kill, or take wild turkey in this state
without first procuring a turkey permit and the applicable license required
under RSA 214.
(b) For purposes of
this section, the state shall be divided into wildlife management units as
described in Fis 301.02.
(c) The spring turkey season shall be May 1
through May 31.
(d) The fall turkey
seasons shall be as follows:
(1) The archery
season shall be September 15 to December 15, provided that in WMU A the closure
date shall be December 8; and
(2)
In wildlife management units D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2, J2, K, L, and M, the
shotgun season shall be 7 consecutive days in length, beginning 5 days
immediately preceding the moose season as specified in
Fis
301.07(c).
(e) Shooting hours shall be as follows:
(1) The shooting hours during the spring
turkey season shall begin one half hour before sunrise and end at 12:00 noon;
and
(2) The shooting hours during
the fall seasons for the taking of wild turkeys shall begin one half hour
before sunrise and end one half hour after sunset.
(f) Persons licensed to take turkeys shall be
entitled to take no more than 2 turkeys per year as follows:
(1) One bearded or male turkey may be taken
in the spring season described in paragraph (c) above and one turkey of either
sex may be taken during the fall archery season or during the fall shotgun
season described in paragraph (d) above; or
(2) Two bearded or male turkeys may be taken
in the spring season described in paragraph (c) above, provided that:
a. No person shall take a second turkey until
the first turkey has been legally registered; and
b. One turkey may be taken statewide, and the
other turkey shall only be taken in wildlife management units H1, H2, I1, J2,
K, L, or M.
(g) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a
properly licensed turkey hunter, who has taken a turkey, from assisting another
properly licensed turkey hunter by calling only. The person assisting by
calling shall not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow that could
lawfully be used for the purpose of a take.
(h) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Fanning" means the practice of staying
in a stationary position while holding, wearing, or using a real or artificial
turkey fan as camouflage to entice a turkey to approach the hunters' position;
and
(2) "Reaping" means the
practice of stalking or approaching a turkey while holding, wearing, or using a
real or artificial turkey fan as camouflage.
(i) No person shall employ the practice of
fanning or reaping for taking turkey.
(j) The lawful methods of take shall consist
of:
(1) Shotguns, with the following shot and
loads:
a. Between 10 and 20 gauge inclusively,
with shot size of #4 and smaller, in hunting rather than target loads;
or
b. 28 gauge and .410, with shot
sizes #7 through #9, a minimum shot density of 18 grams per cubic centimeter
(G/CC), and a minimum barrel length of 18 inches; and
(2) Bow and arrow or crossbow in accordance
with Fis
301.041.
(k) No person shall use live decoys,
electronic calling devices, baiting, cooperative drives, or dogs during the
spring turkey season.
(l) No person
shall use live decoys, electronic calling devices, baiting, or cooperative
drives during the fall archery season and fall shotgun season.
(m) No person shall shoot at or take a turkey
while the turkey is in a tree, regardless of the method of take.
(n) The licensed hunter taking the turkey
shall register and report the kill as follows:
(1) Immediately upon killing a turkey, the
licensed hunter shall:
a. Detach the turkey
tag from his or her license;
b.
Fill out the tag with the name and address of the licensee who killed the
turkey, the date and time of kill, and the WMU where the turkey was
killed;
c. Securely attach the tag
to the leg of the turkey; and
d.
Keep the carcass fully feathered and intact, except that the carcass may be
eviscerated before completing the registration process;
(2) Not attach a turkey tag to a turkey that
person did not kill;
(3) Not
possess a turkey tag that was not issued to that person; and
(4) Not transport a wild turkey unless it is
tagged with a turkey tag and is accompanied by the licensed hunter who took the
turkey.
(o) Any turkey
taken during the special youth hunting days for turkey in accordance with
Fis
1204.03(a) or during any other turkey
season shall be registered within 24 hours of taking in accordance with one of
the following methods:
(1) Completion of a
turkey registration report and receipt of a confirmation number from a
department approved registration station in accordance with
Fis
302.012; or
(2) Completion of all required fields in an
online registration report using the link available at
www.wildlife.state.nh.us
and receipt of an electronic confirmation that the report was completed and
accepted by the department.
(p) Each hunter shall maintain proof of
completion of the registration process for a minimum of 180 days in the form
of:
(1) The confirmation number from a
department registration station; or
(2) An electronic or printed copy of the
computer screen that acknowledges the filing of the registration survey in the
online registration tool described in subparagraph (o)(2) above and which shows
the confirmation number issued by the online system.
(q) If requested, the carcass of the turkey
shall be exhibited to a conservation officer for examination to determine the
method of kill.
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