STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WILDLIFE DIVISION

18 December 2025
Estimated 2025 Total Deer Kill

The unofficial deer kill for New Hampshire’s 2025 season is listed below with comparisons to final kill totals for the previous 9 years. Since registration forms from physical registration stations are still being entered, deer registered at physical registration stations are listed in the county total estimates where they were registered (not necessarily killed). Online deer registration details are available immediately, so deer registered online are included in the county total where they were killed. The 2025 numbers are estimates and do not represent complete data from all stations. Data for the previous years are final kill figures for each county and hence the estimated registration distribution for 2025 is not directly comparable to the previous years’ final kill totals.  

The estimated 2025 statewide harvest of 14,487 is an 11% increase over the previous 5-year average and represents the highest harvest total on record dating back to 1922. The previous record of 14,202 deer harvested was set in 1967. This year marks the third time in the last decade that the deer harvest has surpassed 14,000. These high harvests are likely in part the result of increasingly mild winters that have allowed the state’s deer herd to increase. In response to deer numbers exceeding the objective in many units, opportunity for harvesting antlerless deer has been expanded in recent years. Additionally, this year also saw excellent hunting conditions throughout much of the season, with the arrival of early snow that persisted the remainder of the season in many parts of the state. Snow excites deer hunters and results in increased participation and a corresponding increase in success. Deer are easier to see, pattern, and track when snow is present. Once all deer harvest data has been received, a full analysis will indicate which factors such as hunter effort, expanded either sex opportunities, expanded use of cross bows, and special deer tags contributed to the increased harvest.

All registration forms should be received within the next week and verified against forms issued and returned. Data entry, verification, and analysis should be complete by early spring when the Wildlife Harvest Summary will be available. Thanks to all who helped make these deer season updates possible and Happy Holidays.

REPORTED DEER KILL

*2025 gives estimated number of deer registered in each county, not actual kill as in 2016-2024.