Every season, without fail, droves of dedicated sportsmen and sportswomen descend upon the backwoods and seas of New England, seeking to watch, catch, or take home some of its bounty. Local regulations and licensing requirements can be strict; certain animals (marine mammals, for example) . Local regulations and licensing requirements can be strict; certain animals (marine mammals, for example) are protected in certain districts, and specific rules apply to most species for trapping, baiting, shooting, and catching. So be certain to check with the local fish and game offices of your area of interest before planning your trip.

Hunting areas are well regulated and plentiful, particularly in northern New England, where animals from woodcock and deer to turkey and moose roam.

Deep-sea fishing is one fruitful option in the summer and fall. Fish such as cod, striped bass, tuna, and lobster are popular catches—though many forms of fishing (particularly lobstering) are largely chartered activities. Moving-water fishing, meanwhile, takes place mostly in summer and early fall. Serious trout and bass anglers gravitate toward the Rapid and Kennebec Rivers in Maine; the Androscoggin, Saco, and Mohawk Rivers in New Hampshire; and Missisquoi, Batten Kill, and Connecticut Rivers in Vermont. In winter, ice fishing is popular in many small, northern towns—particularly in the area around Lake Champlain, Vermont. The sport requires hardy enthusiasts to cut holes in the ice above ponds and lakes, and catch fish as they cruise beneath the hole.

Any time of year, bird-watchers can feast their eyes in any number of wildlife refuges. Some of the best include Maine’s Moosehorn and Petit Manan refuges; the Pleasant Valley Sanctuary in Massachusetts’ Berkshires; Rhode Island’s Wildlife Sanctuaries; and Vermont’s Missisquoi and Silvio O Conte refuges.