STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WILDLIFE DIVISION
19 December 2024
2024 Bear Season Update - FinalThe statewide bear harvest for 2024 totaled 1,191 bears, representing a new record. The 2024 harvest surpassed the previous record tally (1183 bears), set during the 2020 season. This season’s harvest was 24% above the 5-year average (961 bears) and 66% above the 2023 harvest (716 bears). The harvest consisted of 640 males and 551 females resulting in an overall harvest sex ratio of 1.1 males per female. Method-specific harvest sex ratios included 1.2 m:f for bait hunters, 1.1 m:f for still hunters, and 0.8 m:f for hound hunters. A breakdown by region and method can be found below.
| North | WMUs | A, B, C2, D1 |
| Region | Total Harvest | 235 bears (124 females, 111 males) |
| Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (176), Hound (28), Still (94) | |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 190 bears; +23% | |
| White | WMUs | C1, D2, E, F |
| Mountains | Total Harvest | 337 bears (145 females, 192 males) |
| Region | Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (321), Hound (18), Still (78) |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 276 bears; +22% | |
| Central | WMUs | G, I1, J1, J2 |
| Region | Total Harvest | 338 bears (154 females, 184 males) |
| Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (216), Hound (28), Still (94) | |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 293 bears; +15% | |
| Southwest-1 | WMUs | H1, I2 |
| Region | Total Harvest | 120 bears (52 females, 68 males) |
| Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (81), Hound (14), Still (25) | |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 92 bears; +30% | |
| Southwest-2 | WMUs | H2, K |
| Region | Total Harvest | 137 bears (66 females, 71 males) |
| Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (76), Still (61) | |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 102 bears; +34% | |
| Southeast | WMUs | L, M |
| Region | Total Harvest | 15 bears (6 females, 9 males) |
| Harvest by method (# bears) | Bait (8), Still (7) | |
| 5-year mean harvest (2019-2023); % change | 12 bears; +25% | |
Interpretation of harvest data and ages of harvested bears will be complete and available by spring.
2024 IN-SEASON BEAR HARVEST TALLY COMPARED TO PREVIOUS 5 YEARS
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Sum | Sum | Sum | Sum | Sum | Sum |
| 886 | 1183 | 892 | 1128 | 716 | 1191 |
