NH Fish and Game Department biologists make recommendations on how wildlife should be managed using data from past seasons which they believe reflect the health of wildlife populations. The NH Fish and Game Commission, which has executive authority over all Department decisions, can accept these recommendations, modify them or overrule them. As an example, just recently the Commission overruled Department biologists on their proposal for reduced bag limits on the red and gray fox. The Commission consists of hunters, trappers and anglers, one from each county and one from the seacoast. They represent the interests of their groups, primarily “sporting clubs,” as defined in RSA 206:2. While the present system for selecting Commissioners facilitates geographic representation of hunters and trappers, it limits opportunities for most other wildlife stakeholders to provide input into Department management or rules. While the NH Fish and Game Department holds public hearings on biennial rule changes that affect wildlife and welcomes input from the public, there are no equitable means for the weight of many NH citizens’ suggestions to influence decisionmaking. As a result, approximately 95% of NH’s residents are denied any substantive voice in how their public trust wildlife resources are managed.
