Kearsarge Wildlife Management Area: hunting, map and access in WMU I1
Kearsarge Wildlife Management Area is 1,054 acres of New Hampshire Fish and Game land in Andover and Wilmot (Merrimack County), inside WMU I1. NHFG lists it as open to hunting and names white-tailed deer, black bear, moose, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock among its game. Hunters registered 57 deer in Andover in 2025, against 34 in 2024. NHFG maps 2 parking areas, 1 gate and 1 kiosk on the property.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: NHFG Wildlife Management Areas. Harvest: NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary. Rules: N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 900 (Department controlled lands).
Fish and Game landState forest and park landKearsarge WMAWMU lineParkingHighway
| Size | 1,054 acres (NHFG) |
|---|---|
| Town (NHFG) | Andover and Wilmot |
| County | Merrimack |
| Wildlife Management Unit | WMU I1 |
| Region | Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region |
| Game NHFG lists | White-tailed deer, black bear, moose, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock |
| Parking and access (NHFG) | 2 parking areas, 1 gate and 1 kiosk |
| Trails and woods roads (NHFG) | 1 miles of trail, 2.1 miles of gravel or woods road |
| Deer taken in WMU I1, 2025 | 499 (308 adult bucks) |
| Nearest town centers | Salisbury (3 mi), Andover (4 mi) and Wilmot (4 mi) |
What does NHFG say about Kearsarge WMA?
NHFG's note on the area: "Ongoing management to create clearcuts periodically will provide grouse/woodcock habitat in foreseeable future." Its WMA layer lists white-tailed deer, black bear, moose, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock.
Named roads and trails on the property: Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Green and Dawes Road.
Where are the parking areas, gates and kiosks?
| What | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| Parking | 43.40595 | -71.84489 |
| Parking | 43.39042 | -71.86822 |
| Gate | 43.40581 | -71.84473 |
| Kiosk | 43.41619 | -71.85160 |
From NHFG's WMA parking, gates, kiosks and signs layer.
From NHFG Wildlife Management Areas and NHFG WMA parking, gates, kiosks and signs. NHFG asks hunters to seek landowner permission on conservation land it does not own.
How many deer are registered in Andover and Wilmot?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Male | Female | Per square mile | Deer, 2024 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andover | 57 | 38 | 19 | 1.42 | 34 | 5 |
| Wilmot | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0.75 | 20 | 4 |
Source: NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary and NHFG 2024 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary, deer and bear kill by town. The figures cover the whole town, not just the WMA.
When can you hunt Kearsarge WMA in 2026?
Seasons on Kearsarge WMA follow WMU I1. Any deer may be taken October 31 to November 2 in muzzleloader season and November 11 to 13 in firearms season; the firearms season closes December 6. Bears in unit I1: general season September 1 to November 30, baiting September 1 to October 5.
| WMU | Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears in bear unit, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU I1 | 1,054 | 499 | 308 | 53 |
Seasons: NHFG Deer Hunting in New Hampshire (2026 dates); NHFG Bear Hunting in New Hampshire (2026 seasons); NHFG Dates and Seasons. Harvest: NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Kearsarge WMA?
Fis 903 has no rule written for Kearsarge WMA alone; Fis 902.02, the rule for all Department lands, allows portable stands and bars camping, and baiting except as Fis 307 allows.
Source: N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 900 (Department controlled lands); NHFG list of Department controlled lands.
How do you get to Kearsarge WMA?
Highways within five miles: I-89, NH 11, US 4 and NH 114. Distances to the nearest town centers: Salisbury 3 miles, Andover 4 miles, Wilmot 4 miles and Sutton 5 miles. Other NHFG areas nearby: Cascade Marsh (4 miles), Chadwick Meadows (6 miles), Danbury Bog (6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Kearsarge WMA?
Yes. NHFG marks it open to hunting. Seasons follow WMU I1 (N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 900 (Department controlled lands)).
What WMU is Kearsarge WMA in?
WMU I1. Hunters took 499 deer in WMU I1 in 2025, 308 of them adult bucks, and bear unit I1 gave 53 bears (NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary).
How many deer are taken in Andover and Wilmot?
Andover: 57 deer in 2025 (38 male, 19 female), 1.42 per square mile; 34 in 2024; 5 bears in 2025. Wilmot: 22 deer in 2025 (16 male, 6 female), 0.75 per square mile; 20 in 2024; 4 bears in 2025. (NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary, by town.)
Where do you park for Kearsarge WMA?
NHFG's WMA layer shows 2 parking areas and 1 gate, marked on the map above. The nearest numbered highways are I-89, NH 11 and US 4.
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Sources: NHFG Wildlife Management Areas and NHFG's NHFG Wildlife Management Areas page; NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary; NHFG Deer Hunting in New Hampshire (2026 dates); N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 900 (Department controlled lands); public land USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1); towns U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, towns (county subdivisions). FilledTag is not part of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.