Taxidermy Shop Management Software for New Hampshire Shops

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

New Hampshire moose permits are lottery-allocated, making each moose mount a high-value, low-frequency event. A shop might handle two or three moose intakes in a season, but each one represents one of the most significant hunting achievements in a New Hampshire hunter's career.

Add black bear season, which creates a September intake surge, and a solid whitetail deer season, and New Hampshire shops manage a small but diverse big game species mix that requires different documentation and handling approaches for each species.

MountChief's New Hampshire configuration supports NHFG (New Hampshire Fish and Game) permit requirements for lottery species, with moose-specific intake documentation built in.

TL;DR

Full-body mounts, which some serious hunters request for exceptional bulls, can run $5,000-8,000.
Moose shoulder mounts in New Hampshire run $1,200-2,000+.
Black bear mounts (shoulder, half-body, or rug) require standard NHFG documentation at intake.
For bears in the 200-400 pound class that New Hampshire produces, skull and hide measurements should be taken at intake and noted in the record.
Records must be retained for a minimum of 3 years and be available for NHFG inspection.
New Hampshire moose permits are lottery-allocated, making each moose mount a high-value, low-frequency event.

New Hampshire's Taxidermy Species Mix

New Hampshire punches above its weight for big game hunting given its size. The state has recovering moose populations in the north, a healthy black bear population throughout much of the state, and productive whitetail deer hunting in the south and central regions.

Moose: The Lottery Species

New Hampshire's moose hunting is lottery-only, with a limited number of permits allocated by wildlife management unit. The number of permits varies by year based on population surveys. In recent years, permit numbers have been reduced in some units due to tick-related moose health concerns.

For taxidermists, this means moose intakes are infrequent but high-value and high-visibility. Every hunter who draws a New Hampshire moose permit has waited years for that opportunity. When they come to you with their animal, they're bringing you one of their most important outdoor memories.

Moose shoulder mounts in New Hampshire run $1,200-2,000+. Full-body mounts, which some serious hunters request for exceptional bulls, can run $5,000-8,000. These price points and emotional stakes demand professional documentation and communication practices.

Black Bear Season

New Hampshire's bear season creates a concentrated September intake event for most shops. Bear hunting methods in New Hampshire include hunting over bait, hounding, and still hunting. The September opener marks the beginning of fall intake season for many shops.

Black bear mounts (shoulder, half-body, or rug) require standard NHFG documentation at intake. For bears in the 200-400 pound class that New Hampshire produces, skull and hide measurements should be taken at intake and noted in the record.

White-Tailed Deer

Deer season is the volume driver for most New Hampshire shops. The firearms season opener in November creates the main intake surge. Archery season in September and October adds additional intake leading into firearms season.

Standard NHFG deer license and tag documentation applies. Harvest unit (wildlife management unit) should be recorded at intake.

NHFG Documentation Requirements for New Hampshire Taxidermists

New Hampshire taxidermists are required to maintain records for all wildlife received. NHFG-required documentation includes:

Customer name, address, and contact information
Species and sex of specimen
NHFG hunting license number
Tag or permit number (lottery permit number for moose)
Wildlife management unit or zone where the animal was harvested
Harvest date
Date received at the shop

For moose, the lottery permit number is the essential documentation. NHFG issues a specific permit to each successful lottery applicant, and this permit number is the chain of custody for the legal harvest.

Records must be retained for a minimum of 3 years and be available for NHFG inspection.

Managing High-Value Moose Projects

A moose mount from intake to delivery can span 12-18 months for a full-body project, and 8-12 months for a shoulder mount. During that time, the customer will wonder (naturally) how their animal is progressing.

This is where taxidermy shop management software provides real value for low-frequency, high-value work. You set up automated milestone updates when you create the job:

Intake confirmation sent immediately
Update when hide is sent to tannery
Update when hide returns from tannery
Update when mounting is in progress
Pickup notification when complete

The customer stays informed without calling your shop. And because the communication is professional and consistent, it reinforces that their once-in-a-lifetime mount is being handled with the care it deserves.

Black Bear Season Preparation

September is when New Hampshire shops shift from summer mode to fall season. Bear intake in September overlaps with early archery deer season and any remaining summer bird work.

Having your systems set up and your staff trained before September 1 prevents the scramble that comes from trying to manage new intakes while also catching up on summer backlog. MountChief's intake workflow should be configured and tested before the season opens.

FAQ

What NHFG records must New Hampshire taxidermists keep?

New Hampshire taxidermists must maintain records for every wildlife specimen received, including customer name and address, species and sex, NHFG hunting license number, tag or permit number, wildlife management unit, harvest date, and date received. For moose, the lottery permit number is the critical documentation element. Records must be retained for a minimum of 3 years and be available for NHFG inspection on request.

Does New Hampshire license taxidermists?

Yes. New Hampshire requires taxidermists to hold a Taxidermist License issued by NHFG. The license must be renewed annually and displayed at your place of business. Federal permits are additionally required for migratory birds. Contact NHFG for current licensing requirements and the application process.

How do NH shops handle infrequent but high-value moose mount projects?

The key is treating moose projects with a higher tier of documentation, communication, and attention than your standard deer intake. At intake, capture more detail than required: photographs, measurement notes, the customer's specific pose preferences, and their communication preferences. Set milestone update schedules that span the full production timeline. And when the moose is finished, conduct a thorough walkthrough with the customer rather than a simple pickup. MountChief's long-form intake notes and milestone notification system support this premium project management approach.

How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?

The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.

What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with taxidermy shop management new hampshire?

The most common mistake is treating taxidermy shop management new hampshire as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.

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Sources

National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Small Business Administration (SBA)

New Hampshire Compliance, From Moose to Deer

Lottery moose permits, black bear season, and a solid whitetail deer season. New Hampshire's species mix is small but meaningful, and the high-value nature of lottery species demands professional documentation and communication standards.

MountChief's New Hampshire configuration handles NHFG documentation for all regulated species, with lottery permit number fields for moose and milestone notification systems for long-duration projects.

Start your free MountChief trial and manage New Hampshire compliance from your next intake forward.

Get Started with MountChief

Professional taxidermists need more than talent at the bench. They need organized intake, clear compliance records, and reliable customer communication. MountChief delivers all three.