Male ring-necked pheasant

Non-residents may hunt with a pheasant license, in combination with either a non-resident New Hampshire hunting license or a non-resident small game license. Hunting licenses may be purchased on line at: www.HuntNH.com or from any Fish and Game license agents statewide.

As Karen Bordeau points out, "The ring-necked pheasant is one of the most colorful game birds. It can run like the wind and disappear instantly into a hedgerow. It takes to the air only as a last result, testing the skills of many hunting dogs with its hide-and-seek behavior." This is why your dog must be properly and well trained in order to find and flush them out.

Pheasant hunting has a long history in New Hampshire. The first pheasants were stocked here over 100 years ago. I well remember when Fish and Game had its own state-run pheasant farm in Brentwood. Unfortunately, later down the road, the birds came down with triple E. The birds all had to be slaughtered and to assure this disease would not spread, the farm was totally burned down. Back before that happened, the state used to stock 100,000 pheasants statewide. How times have changed. Now, the Department buys it’s pheasants from out-of-state sources.

Fish and Game asks all hunters to follow these basic safety guidelines while pheasant hunting:

1. Wear Hunter Orange on your head, back and chest (hat and vest).
2. Control your firearm muzzle at all times.
3. Always wear safety glasses to protect from any stray pellets.
4. Know where your hunting partner/s are at all times.
5. Shoot only within your safety zone of fire.
6. Always keep your hunting dog under control and use a Hunter Orange dog vest on it

For a list of pheasant stocking areas, readers can go to: www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunt_species/hunt_pheasant.htm. 

Good luck and safe hunting.