×

2016 New Hampshire fishing, hunting licenses available

CONCORD – New Hampshire fishing and hunting licenses for 2016 are now available.

Buy yours today and be set for a wild year of outdoor adventure, from ice fishing this winter to bagging your deer next fall.

Licenses are good for the calendar year. They may be purchased at www.nhfishandgame.com, at the Fish and Game Department in Concord, or from Fish and Game license agents across the state.

Your annual hunting or fishing license – or, best of all, your "combo" license – is your year-round ticket to New Hampshire’s great outdoors. Seacoast anglers will need a saltwater recreational fishing license to fish in coastal or estuarine waters.

When you get your new license, be sure to check out the 2016 New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing and Saltwater Fishing digests, both hot off the press. Read them at www.fishnh.com/fishing/publications.html, or pick up a copy at license agents or Fish and Game Department offices. These handy publications include summaries of important fishing rules and regulations, plus photos for identifying fish and more.

The pricing structure for hunting and fishing licenses has changed for 2016, with the cost of basic hunting and fishing licenses up by $10 from 2015.

"This is the first increase in basic hunting and fishing license fees in New Hampshire since 2003," Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau said. "We had to make the adjustment in order to maintain services for sportsmen and women in New Hampshire.

"Even with the small increase, hunting and fishing licenses are still one of the best deals around because they bring you a full year of outdoor recreation," he said.

Another change for 2016 affects New Hampshire residents who turn 68 on or after Jan. 1, 2016. This group will qualify for a discounted senior license (fishing or combination hunting/fishing), which costs $5 and must be purchased annually (habitat and transaction fees apply). Residents who reached their 68 birthday by Dec. 31, 2015, are grandfathered in and can obtain a free permanent license.

For hunters and anglers concerned about maintaining access to pursue their sports, the $10 Wildlife Legacy donation (a check-off on the multiform license) provides an opportunity to support Fish and Game’s Landowner Relations Program, which works in partnership with hunters, anglers and landowners to maintain hunting and fishing access to private lands.

For more information, visit www.wildnh.com/landshare/donate.html.

Fishing and hunting license revenue directly supports wildlife and fisheries management, law enforcement and conservation education in New Hampshire.

Submitted by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department