WMU H1, New Hampshire
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear, Moose
- Group
- Zone H
- Area
- 410 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
Season & harvest data is published for no species so far. Deer, Turkey, Bear, Moose also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedWMU H1 covers western New Hampshire along the Connecticut River corridor, spanning Sullivan and Cheshire counties from Lebanon south through Grantham, Newport, and Marlow to Walpole — a mix of hardwood ridges, river bottomlands, and working farm country with solid deer and turkey populations. Hunting pressure is moderate, access is largely private land that is open by NH default unless posted, with scattered state WMAs and town forests filling in the public land picture. This is a quality deer unit for archery and firearms hunters willing to knock on doors or scout the WMAs, and one of the stronger turkey units in central-western NH.
Mixed northern hardwood and softwood forest on rolling hills and ridges, with agricultural bottomlands and hayfields along the Connecticut River valley and its tributaries (Sugar River, Cold River). Elevation ranges from roughly 300 ft at the river to 1,800+ ft on inland ridges. Edge habitat between fields and forest is productive for deer and turkey. The Cold River and Connecticut River provide natural travel corridors.
moderate
WMU H1 is managed via NHFG either-sex day allocations rather than special antlerless permit quotas (high-quota permits are concentrated in southern units L and M). Crossbow is legal during the archery season in H1. Antlerless harvest controlled through limited either-sex days during firearms season — hunters should verify current-year either-sex day schedule from NHFG digest before hunting does.
DEER: Archery Sept 15 - Dec 15; Firearms (regular season) late Oct through Dec; Muzzleloader season follows firearms. Crossbow legal during archery season in H1. Either-sex days set annually by NHFG — check digest. TURKEY: Fall shotgun season Oct 13-19 (H1 is included in designated fall shotgun units); Fall archery Sept 15 - Dec 15; Spring season late April through late May (2 bearded birds). Permit required (~$16 resident/$31 non-resident). BEAR: Season Sept 1 - Nov 11 in H1 zone. Permit required (~$16 resident/$48 non-resident), registration within 24 hours at designated station. MOOSE: H1 is not a primary moose management unit; moose permits are lottery-only statewide and allocated predominantly to northern WMUs (A, B, C). Incidental moose present but permit draw odds in H1 are very low.
Connecticut River bottomland fields and agricultural edges are top producer for deer and turkey. River corridor travel routes concentrate deer movement. Strong fall turkey population with shotgun-season access (H1 is one of the designated fall shotgun turkey units). Bear are present and huntable Sept 1 through mid-November. Moderate pressure compared to southern NH units.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU H1— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about WMU H1.
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Boundaries: NHFG official Wildlife Management Units. Community info last updated 23d ago.