Vermont Archery Deer Season Lengthened
Gary Moore
January 22, 2026
Vermont’s new deer hunting regulation includes 16 additional days of archery hunting opportunity to help manage deer in eight targeted areas. High deer numbers in these areas are damaging property and native vegetation. Most are developed areas where deer cannot be effectively managed with firearms.
Archery deer hunting in these expanded archery zones begins September 15, and only antlerless deer may be taken in these areas until the regular archery deer season begins on October 1. Like in the regular archery season, an archery license is required, and all archery season regulations apply.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website has information and maps of the following eight expanded archery zones in the deer hunting section.
Areas with the extra days are the City of Newport and parts of the towns of St. Johnsbury and Waterford.
Also towns around Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington and Brattleboro, the City of Montpelier and all of Grand Isle County.
Commissioner Jason Batchelder said, “This addition to Vermont’s deer regulation came about because of the many complaints we are receiving from property owners about deer damage to gardens and ornamental vegetation as well as due to motor vehicle collisions with deer. Most lands in expanded archery zones are privately owned, and some areas are not huntable, so we strongly encourage hunters to obtain landowner permission before hunting in these zones.”
“We also urge hunters to check with city and town offices, because some municipalities have ordinances limiting or prohibiting the discharge of archery equipment.”
New Hampshire State Wildlife Action Plan Approved By Feds
New Hampshire’s State Wildlife Action Plan, a roadmap for conserving all wildlife in the state, has been recently updated to set renewed priorities for the next ten years. The plan guides state agencies, conservation organizations, towns, landowners, and others in their efforts to protect land and manage wildlife. The plan includes actions to address the needs of threatened and endangered wildlife and priority habitats, as well as keep common species common.
The revised plan is now available online at www.wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/nh-state-wildlife-action-plan.
The plan includes 138 wildlife species of greatest conservation need. Some species, such as bald eagles, are doing so well they are no longer on the list. Others, such as several shorebird species, were added because of steep population declines due to threats such as habitat loss and degradation. Due to the success of multi-state cooperative projects for species such as Blanding’s turtles, there is a large emphasis on regional cooperation to tackle wildlife issues in the decade ahead.
The 2025 New Hampshire State Wildlife Action Plan was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 30 and was officially approved on December 16, 2025.
Funded by State Wildlife Grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Action Plan is a roadmap for conservation in New Hampshire, providing decision makers with important tools for restoring and maintaining critical natural habitats.
Bits and Pieces
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program. My guest will be Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s deer project leader. We will be talking everything deer.
***
Te New England Fishing Expo will be held Friday January 30 – February 1 at its new location, the Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA. Visitors can experience the latest fishing and outdoor gear and choose from dozens of hunting and fishing seminars presented by top-tier industry leaders. Check out the Hawg Tank and Bass University, with Elite anglers on site. Stop by the NH Fish and Game Department booth to pick up the latest 2026 NH Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing Digests and get expert advice on where to fish in New Hampshire. To learn more visit www.nefishingexpo.com.
***
Vermont’s state-wide Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31.
Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January. The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment or a fishing license, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a license on Free Ice Fishing Day.
To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park in Elmore. The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages as well as families with kids.
***
Hikers, snowshoers, cross-country and backcountry skiers, climbers, and all other outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase their voluntary annual Hike Safe card for 2026. Card sales help ensure that New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers, trained in wilderness rescue, are ready to come to your aid if the unexpected happens.
The 2026 Hike Safe cards cost $25 for an individual, or $35 for a family, and are valid from January 1–December 31. The price is the same for both residents and nonresidents, and the card exempts holders from certain liability for repaying search and rescue costs if their actions are considered neither negligent nor reckless.
Cards can be purchased online at www.wildnh.com/safe and at New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH.
***
The 2026 New Hampshire Wildlife Calendar is still available from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and is now only $6.
Visit www.wildnh.com/shop/calendar.html to purchase yours online and enjoy free shipping.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on
January 21, 2019: “An unusual arctic snowstorm, producing a dense 10 to 20 inches of snow, while temperatures remained between 0 and 10 above.”
On January 23, 1857: “Coldest day of the coldest month of the 19th century; Burlington only reached a high of minus 17. Lancaster, NH reported 55 below zero.”
Parting Shots
Because of the Marin Luther King holiday, the deadline for this column is 9 a.m. Thursday, a full week before you receive it. Thus it may be a week before I catch up to date with happenings.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
Archery deer hunting in these expanded archery zones begins September 15, and only antlerless deer may be taken in these areas until the regular archery deer season begins on October 1. Like in the regular archery season, an archery license is required, and all archery season regulations apply.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website has information and maps of the following eight expanded archery zones in the deer hunting section.
Areas with the extra days are the City of Newport and parts of the towns of St. Johnsbury and Waterford.
Also towns around Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington and Brattleboro, the City of Montpelier and all of Grand Isle County.
Commissioner Jason Batchelder said, “This addition to Vermont’s deer regulation came about because of the many complaints we are receiving from property owners about deer damage to gardens and ornamental vegetation as well as due to motor vehicle collisions with deer. Most lands in expanded archery zones are privately owned, and some areas are not huntable, so we strongly encourage hunters to obtain landowner permission before hunting in these zones.”
“We also urge hunters to check with city and town offices, because some municipalities have ordinances limiting or prohibiting the discharge of archery equipment.”
New Hampshire State Wildlife Action Plan Approved By Feds
New Hampshire’s State Wildlife Action Plan, a roadmap for conserving all wildlife in the state, has been recently updated to set renewed priorities for the next ten years. The plan guides state agencies, conservation organizations, towns, landowners, and others in their efforts to protect land and manage wildlife. The plan includes actions to address the needs of threatened and endangered wildlife and priority habitats, as well as keep common species common.
The revised plan is now available online at www.wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/nh-state-wildlife-action-plan.
The plan includes 138 wildlife species of greatest conservation need. Some species, such as bald eagles, are doing so well they are no longer on the list. Others, such as several shorebird species, were added because of steep population declines due to threats such as habitat loss and degradation. Due to the success of multi-state cooperative projects for species such as Blanding’s turtles, there is a large emphasis on regional cooperation to tackle wildlife issues in the decade ahead.
The 2025 New Hampshire State Wildlife Action Plan was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 30 and was officially approved on December 16, 2025.
Funded by State Wildlife Grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Action Plan is a roadmap for conservation in New Hampshire, providing decision makers with important tools for restoring and maintaining critical natural habitats.
Bits and Pieces
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program. My guest will be Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s deer project leader. We will be talking everything deer.
***
Te New England Fishing Expo will be held Friday January 30 – February 1 at its new location, the Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA. Visitors can experience the latest fishing and outdoor gear and choose from dozens of hunting and fishing seminars presented by top-tier industry leaders. Check out the Hawg Tank and Bass University, with Elite anglers on site. Stop by the NH Fish and Game Department booth to pick up the latest 2026 NH Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing Digests and get expert advice on where to fish in New Hampshire. To learn more visit www.nefishingexpo.com.
***
Vermont’s state-wide Free Ice Fishing Day is Saturday, January 31.
Free Ice Fishing Day is held annually on the last Saturday in January. The day is geared toward giving new ice anglers an opportunity to try ice fishing before purchasing equipment or a fishing license, but any angler may ice fish on any waterbody open to ice fishing statewide without a license on Free Ice Fishing Day.
To celebrate Free Ice Fishing Day, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding an Ice Fishing Festival at Elmore State Park in Elmore. The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages as well as families with kids.
***
Hikers, snowshoers, cross-country and backcountry skiers, climbers, and all other outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase their voluntary annual Hike Safe card for 2026. Card sales help ensure that New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers, trained in wilderness rescue, are ready to come to your aid if the unexpected happens.
The 2026 Hike Safe cards cost $25 for an individual, or $35 for a family, and are valid from January 1–December 31. The price is the same for both residents and nonresidents, and the card exempts holders from certain liability for repaying search and rescue costs if their actions are considered neither negligent nor reckless.
Cards can be purchased online at www.wildnh.com/safe and at New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH.
***
The 2026 New Hampshire Wildlife Calendar is still available from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and is now only $6.
Visit www.wildnh.com/shop/calendar.html to purchase yours online and enjoy free shipping.
***
Mark Breen reports in the Fairbanks Museum's Skywatch Almanac that on
January 21, 2019: “An unusual arctic snowstorm, producing a dense 10 to 20 inches of snow, while temperatures remained between 0 and 10 above.”
On January 23, 1857: “Coldest day of the coldest month of the 19th century; Burlington only reached a high of minus 17. Lancaster, NH reported 55 below zero.”
Parting Shots
Because of the Marin Luther King holiday, the deadline for this column is 9 a.m. Thursday, a full week before you receive it. Thus it may be a week before I catch up to date with happenings.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
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