DEC Announces May 1 Opening of Spring Turkey Season

DEC Announces May 1 Opening of Spring Turkey Season

April 15, 2019 12:30 p.m.

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L EWIS COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Press Release from NYS DEC:

DEC Announces May 1 Opening of Spring Turkey Season

Annual Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend Set for April 20-21

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today that spring turkey season opens

May 1, in all of Upstate New York north of the Bronx-Westchester County

boundary. In addition, DEC's annual youth turkey hunting weekend will take

place on April 20-21. The youth turkey hunt for junior hunters ages 12-15 is open

in all of Upstate New York and Suffolk County.

"Hunters across New York are looking forward to the excitement of spring turkey

hunting, which requires an understanding of turkey behavior, navigation, and

field skills, an ability to locate and call in birds, and take a good shot,"

Commissioner Seggos said. "I encourage hunters to act responsibly, follow

regulations, and adhere to the cardinal rules of hunting safety."

Turkey hunters took an estimated 19,000 birds in New York during last year's

spring season. Of this number, an estimated 2,000 birds were taken by

approximately 5,400 junior hunters during last year's two-day, youth-only hunt.

Poor turkey reproductive success in summer 2017 may mean that hunters see

fewer adult gobblers this spring compared to last year, but this may be offset by

opportunities for jakes resulting from improved reproductive success in 2018 and

good overwinter survival.

Important Details for the Youth Turkey Hunt on April 20 and 21

Hunters 12-15 years of age are eligible and must hold a hunting license and
a turkey permit;
Youth 12-13 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian,
or adult over 21 years of age with written permission from their parent or
legal guardian. Youth 14-15 years of age must be accompanied by a parent,
legal guardian or adult over 18 years of age with written permission from
their parent or legal guardian;
The accompanying adult must have a current hunting license and turkey
permit. The adult may assist the youth hunter, including calling, but may not
carry a firearm, bow, or crossbow, or kill or attempt to kill a wild turkey
during the youth hunt;
Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day;
The youth turkey hunt is open in all of upstate New York, north of the Bronx-
Westchester County boundary and across Suffolk County;
The bag limit for the youth weekend is one bearded bird. This bird becomes
part of the youth's regular spring season bag limit of two bearded birds. A
second bird may be taken only in upstate New York, north of the Bronx-
Westchester County boundary, beginning May 1;
Crossbows may only be used by hunters age 14 or older; and
All other wild turkey hunting regulations remain in effect.

Other Important Details for the Spring Turkey Season, May 1-31, 2019:

Hunting is permitted in most areas of the state, except for New York City
and Long Island;
Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in addition to their hunting
license;
Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day;
Hunters may take two bearded turkeys during the spring season, but only
one bird per day;
Hunters may not use rifles or handguns firing a bullet. Hunters may hunt
with a shotgun or handgun loaded with shot sizes no larger than No. 2 or
smaller than No. 8, or with a bow or crossbow;
Successful hunters must fill out the tag that comes with their turkey permit
and immediately attach it to any turkey harvested; and
Successful hunters must report their harvest within seven days of taking a
bird. Call 1-866-426-3778 (1-866 GAMERPT) or report harvest online at
DEC's Game Harvest Reporting website.

For more information about turkey hunting in New York, see the 2018-19 Hunting

and Trapping Regulations Guide or visit the

"Turkey Hunting" pages

of DEC's

website.

DEC Continues to Encourage Hunter Safety:

While statistics show that hunting in New York State is safer than ever, mistakes

are made each year. Every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable, and

DEC encourages hunters to use common sense this season and remember what

they were taught in their DEC Hunter Education Course.

Firearms Safety:

Point your gun in a safe direction;
Treat every gun as if it were loaded;
Be sure of your target and beyond; and
Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

DEC also encourages all hunters to wear blaze orange or blaze pink to make

themselves more visible to other hunters. Hunters who wear hunter orange are

seven times less likely to be shot. When hunting in tree stands, use a safety

harness and a climbing belt, as most tree stand accidents occur when hunters

are climbing in and out of the stand. Also, hunters should never climb in or out of

a tree stand with a loaded firearm. New York has an extremely safety-conscious

generation of hunters, largely due to the annual efforts of more than 3,000

dedicated volunteer hunter education instructors. A hunter education class is

required for all new hunters. To find a hunter education class in your area, visit

DEC's Hunter Education Program

website or call 1-888-HUNT-ED2 (1-888-486-

8332).

Citizen Science Opportunity: DEC Seeks Turkey Hunters for Ruffed

Grouse Drumming Survey

Turkey hunters in pursuit of that wary gobbler in the spring are ideally suited to

monitor ruffed grouse during the breeding season. Turkey hunters can record the

number of grouse they hear drumming while afield to help DEC track the

distribution and abundance of this game bird. To

get a survey form

, go to DEC's

website or call (518) 402-8883.

To participate in DEC's Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey or other wildlife

surveys, visit the

"Citizen Science" page

of DEC's website.