Wildlife Baiting
Information About Baiting For Bear or Deer In NH
During the baiting seasons, hunters holding a baiting permit (and current NH hunting license and permits), are permitted to hunt select wildlife species over bait in certain locations. Hunters planning to hunt over bait must file for a permit from Fish and Game, which requires a landowner signature giving permission to place bait on their property. Baiting applications may be printed online or picked up at any Fish and Game office. There is no charge for a bait permit.
Printable Wildlife Baiting Permit
Note: This is the only form that will be accepted. We will not accept older versions (see revision date at top right corner of form).
Please print and submit the application found on this page.
Topographic Maps of NH
By clicking this link, you will leave the Fish and Game website - interactive map (may not work on all web browsers)
Specific baiting rules are summarized in the NH Hunting Digest. Note - The special disabled deer baiting season applies only to persons holding a permanently disabled veteran’s license (per RSA 214:13) or a paraplegic license (per RSA 214:13-c).
Requests for baiting permits for bear and deer on state-owned or state-managed lands (including federally managed lands) (Fis 307.05) must be received by the Department or are postmarked between the first Monday in June and the first Monday in August to be accepted. Applicants may apply beginning December 1 for permits to bait coyote for the following year. Bait permits for all other eligible species will be accepted at any time. Permits to bait wildlife on State-owned or State-managed lands are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
For the purpose of distributing both trapping and baiting activity on these lands, they are divided into "trapping units" [Fis 303.13 (c)]. View maps of some of these lands (Note that the “Permit Available” column of the table refers to the TRAPPING PERMIT and not the baiting permit. Some listed properties are NOT open to baiting.)
If you are applying to bait on state-owned or managed lands, fill out 1 copy of the Permit to Bait application and send it to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, along with a detailed topographic map showing the specific location of the bait site. Once it has been approved, our offices will send you the signed permit and distribute one to the Wildlife Division and one to the Conservation Officer.
Permits to Bait Wildlife on the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Forest
- From 2017 onward, permits to bait wildlife on the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Forest (CLHF) will be awarded by a lottery conducted by the NH Fish and Game Department.
- This lottery applies for the baiting of all permitted species on the CLHF including bear, deer, and coyote.
- A maximum of 40 permits to bait bear and 20 permits to bait other species (e.g., deer, coyote) will be awarded across 11 trapping units on the CLHF (visit Trapping on State-managed Lands web page).
- Applicants may apply for the lottery using the “Lottery Application to Bait Wildlife on the CLHF” form. There is no charge for an application.
- Download and print this application PDF Document or pick up a copy at a NH Fish and Game Department office.
- Lottery applications shall be submitted to the NH Fish and Game Dept., 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, either by hand or via U.S. Mail. Applications may be submitted beginning the first Monday in April and must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the first Friday in May, or postmarked no later than midnight on the fourth Wednesday in April. You must apply during this timeframe -- early applications will not be considered.
- Illegible or incomplete applications shall be returned and not considered, however, corrected applications may be resubmitted prior to the deadlines above.
- No person shall submit more than one application except licensed N.H. hunting guides may submit up to a maximum of 3 applications.
- The lottery for permits to bait bear and other species on the CLHF shall be held on or before the 12th day following the close of the application period. Successful applicants will be notified by mail of lottery results within 7 working days following the lottery.
- Successful applicants will still need to obtain a permit to bait wildlife on state-owned or managed lands. The process to apply for this permit is described above.
- Once the lottery has been completed, any baiting opportunities not issued in the lottery will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis at the NH Fish and Game Region 1 office.
If you are baiting on private property for bear, permits must be postmarked by the first Monday in August to be accepted. A permit to bait for deer on private property must be postmarked by the first Monday of October to be accepted. The following process shall be followed:
- The original copy should be retained by the permittee.
- One copy of the bait permit is left with the landowner.
- Two copies must be submitted to the N.H. Fish and Game Department, Wildlife Division, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301 with a detailed topographical map depicting the location of the bait site.
- Our office will send a copy with the map to the conservation officer in whose district wherein the baiting is to be done.
Never use chocolate as bait - it can be toxic to wildlife and is illegal to use for bear.