William B. Ruger Jr. Wildlife Management Area - South: hunting, map and access in WMU H1
William B. Ruger Jr. Wildlife Management Area - South is 1,906 acres of New Hampshire Fish and Game land in Croydon and Newport (Sullivan County), inside WMU H1. NHFG lists it as open to hunting and names white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock among its game. Hunters registered 33 deer in Croydon in 2025, against 30 in 2024. NHFG maps 1 gate 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 landWilliam B. Ruger Jr. WMA - SouthWMU lineHighway
| Size | 1,906 acres (NHFG) |
|---|---|
| Town (NHFG) | Croydon and Newport |
| County | Sullivan |
| Wildlife Management Unit | WMU H1 |
| Region | Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region |
| Game NHFG lists | White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock |
| Parking and access (NHFG) | 1 gate |
| Deer taken in WMU H1, 2025 | 908 (598 adult bucks) |
| Nearest town centers | Newport (2 mi), Croydon (2 mi) and Claremont (4 mi) |
What does NHFG say about William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South?
NHFG's note on the area: "A forest harvest in 2025 may eventually provide upland gamebird opportunities." Its WMA layer lists white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ruffed grouse and woodcock.
Where are the parking areas, gates and kiosks?
| What | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| Gate | 43.40039 | -72.23166 |
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 Croydon and Newport?
| Town | Deer, 2025 | Male | Female | Per square mile | Deer, 2024 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croydon | 33 | 25 | 8 | 0.9 | 30 | 3 |
| Newport | 103 | 59 | 44 | 2.39 | 82 | 6 |
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 William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South in 2026?
Seasons on William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South follow WMU H1. Any deer may be taken October 31 to November 3 in muzzleloader season and November 11 to 15 in firearms season; the firearms season closes December 6. Bears in unit H1: general season September 1 to November 10, baiting September 1 to 28.
| WMU | Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears in bear unit, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU H1 | 1,906 | 908 | 598 | 58 |
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 William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South?
Fis 903 has no rule written for William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South 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 does William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South fit with its other part?
NHFG maps William B. Ruger Jr. as 2 separate properties. William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South is 1,906 acres; William B. Ruger Jr. - North is 1,273 acres, 4.8 miles northeast in Croydon and Grantham. Together they cover 3,179 acres.
How do you get to William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South?
Highways within five miles: NH 11, NH 103, NH 120 and NH 10. Distances to the nearest town centers: Newport 2 miles, Croydon 2 miles, Claremont 4 miles and Cornish 5 miles. Other NHFG areas nearby: William B. Ruger Jr. - North (5 miles), Cemetery Hill (6 miles), Gordon (8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South?
Yes. NHFG marks it open to hunting. Seasons follow WMU H1 (N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Fis 900 (Department controlled lands)).
What WMU is William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South in?
WMU H1. Hunters took 908 deer in WMU H1 in 2025, 598 of them adult bucks, and bear unit H1 gave 58 bears (NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary).
How many deer are taken in Croydon and Newport?
Croydon: 33 deer in 2025 (25 male, 8 female), 0.9 per square mile; 30 in 2024; 3 bears in 2025. Newport: 103 deer in 2025 (59 male, 44 female), 2.39 per square mile; 82 in 2024; 6 bears in 2025. (NHFG 2025 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary, by town.)
Where do you park for William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South?
NHFG's WMA layer shows no marked parking lot for William B. Ruger Jr. WMA - South, though it shows 1 gate; check NHFG's map before you go. The nearest numbered highways are NH 11, NH 103 and NH 120.
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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.