STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WILDLIFE DIVISION

20 November 2025

As of  November 18th, 1025 bears (529 males, 496 females) have been reported to the bear project.  Bait hunters have harvested 714 bears (358 males, 356 females), still hunters have taken 236 bears (129 males, 107 females), and hound hunters have harvested 70 bears (38 males, 32 females). The current overall harvest sex ratio is 1.1 males per female.  Method-specific harvest sex ratios include 1.0 for bait, and 1.2 for still, and hound hunters, respectively.

Regionally, 199 bears (104 males, 95 females) have been taken in the North, 328 (162 males, 166 females) in the White Mountains, 285 (144 males, 141 females) in the Central, 101 (63 males, 38 females) in Southwest-1, 103 (50 males, 53 females) in Southwest-2, and 9 (6 males, 3 females) in the Southeast region. 

Below is a breakdown of the bear harvest through November 18th for the past 6 years. Currently, this year’s harvest is on track with the 5-year in-season average of 1,020 bears, and 14% below the 2024 tally (1191 bears) at this point in the season. Please note that these numbers are preliminary and only represent the number of bear registration forms that arrived in Concord by 11/18. 14 bear registration stations have been established around the state for the 2025 bear hunting season. The addition of these stations has been met with great popularity among bear hunters. So far this season, 65% of bears harvested have been brought to a registration station. It’s important to note that there is some lag time from when a bear is registered to when the registration forms arrive in Concord. The harvest trend seen to date may change in the coming weeks as increased registration forms are received.

2025 marks the second hunting season that New Hampshire hunters can harvest two bears. One bear may be taken statewide, with an additional bear eligible for harvest in the White Mountains region, (WMU’s C1, D2, E, F). So far this season there have been 38 hunters that have harvested two bears.

The bait and hound hunting portions of the season have now ended in all management regions.  The still hunting season will remain open through November 30th, with the exception of the North, and Soutwest-1 regions which closed on November 11th.

Thank you to everyone for promptly submitting registration slips.  Please continue to submit all bear registration slips and premolars with deer data mailings during the rest of the 2025 bear season. Your continued effort is much appreciated. This will be the last in-season update for the 2025 bear season. Final harvest tallies will be available by mid-December.

2025 IN-SEASON BEAR HARVEST TALLY COMPARED TO PREVIOUS 5 YEARS
AS OF 11/18/25 AS TALLIED ON 11/20/25