Youth Big Game Hunt is Oct. 8-10 Weekend
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced the beginning of several hunting seasons in New York,
including bowhunting for bear and deer in the Northern and Southern zones
and the start of small game hunting seasons statewide.
"This is an exciting
time of year for hunters who now have an opportunity to head afield and
experience the tremendous hunting opportunities here in New York for both
big and small game," Commissioner
Seggos said. "In
addition, the late summer weather, fall foliage, and extended hunting
hours combine to create outstanding conditions for new and experienced
hunters who enjoy the sport."
Bowhunting Seasons for Deer and Bear in Northern and
Southern Zones
Bowhunting seasons for deer
begin on Sept. 27 in the Northern Zone and Oct. 1 in the Southern Zone.
Bowhunting season for bear in the Northern Zone began on Sept. 17.
Crossbow season is open to
bowhunters during the last 10 days of the Northern Zone bow season (Oct.
12-21); and the last 14 days of the Southern Zone bow season (Nov. 5-18).
This season is open to bowhunters who possess a muzzleloader privilege
and a crossbow qualifications certificate, as required by law. Visit
the Crossbow Hunting webpage on DEC's website for
details.
Additionally, DEC reminds
hunters that the application deadline for Deer Management Permits (DMPs)
is Oct. 1. Hunters should be prepared with the Wildlife Management Unit
(WMU) they intend to hunt prior to applying. DEC's DMP
Availability and Probability of Selection webpage has
more information regarding DMP availability and chances of being selected
in each WMU.
Youth Big Game Hunt
New York's annual Youth Big
Game Hunt occurs on Oct. 8-10, for 12- to 15-year-old hunters. This Youth
Big Game Hunt takes place throughout the state, except in Suffolk and
Westchester counties and bowhunting-only areas. Following legislation
passed in 2021, 12- and 13-year-old hunters may hunt deer with a firearm
during the youth hunt and other firearms seasons in upstate counties that
have passed a local law allowing their participation. Currently, the list
of counties that have passed such a local law includes all counties north
of Westchester County, with the exception of
Erie and Rockland counties. During this special opportunity, licensed 12-
to 15-year-olds may use a firearm to hunt big game while accompanied by
an experienced, licensed adult hunter. All eligible junior hunters may
take one deer of either sex and 14- and 15-year-olds may also take one
bear. During the youth hunt, antlerless deer taken with a firearm may be
tagged with a regular season tag, DMP, or a Deer Management Assistance
Program tag. Antlered deer may only be tagged with the regular season
tag. Though junior hunters may have multiple deer tags, they may only
take one deer with a firearm during the Youth Big Game Hunt.
Additional rules that apply
to junior hunters and their adult mentors can be found on pages 36 and 37
of the Hunting and Trapping Guide or on
the Junior Hunter Mentoring Program webpage.
Small Game Hunting Seasons
Most small game hunting
seasons open Oct. 1, across New York State. Season dates, bag limits, and
other hunting regulations for New York's small game species are available
in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide,
which can be obtained from a license-issuing agent or on DEC's website.
Ruffed Grouse Hunting
Ruffed grouse hunting season
runs from Oct. 1 through the last day of February in most parts of the
state. In Northern New York, the season opened on Sept. 20, and runs
through the last day of February. In New York City and Long Island, the
season is closed.
Ruffed grouse hunters in the
Northern Zone are reminded to positively identify the species of grouse
before shooting. The Northern Zone, specifically Wildlife Management
Units 5C, 5F, 6F, and 6J, is also home to the spruce
grouse, a State-endangered species that is illegal to hunt.
Loss of a single spruce grouse, particularly a female, could be a
significant setback for a small local population. For tips on how to
discern the two species, view the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide
or the Ruffed Grouse Hunting Information page on
DEC's website.
DEC encourages ruffed grouse
hunters to take part in the grouse hunting log program and submit
feathers from harvested birds to assess recruitment (number of young
produced per adult female grouse) for different parts of the state. Interested
hunters should visit the DEC website.
Pheasant Hunting
The pheasant hunting season
begins:
·
Oct. 1, in northern and eastern portions
of New York
·
Oct. 15, in central and western portions
of the state; and
·
Nov. 1, on Long Island.
Since 2007, DEC offers a
special youth-only season to provide junior hunters the opportunity to
hunt pheasants during the weekend prior to the regular pheasant hunting
season. In western New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend is Oct. 8
and 9. In northern and eastern New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend
is Sept. 24 and 25, and on Long Island, it is Oct. 29 and 30. Both the
junior hunter and their adult mentor must have a hunting license. Only
the junior hunter can carry a firearm and harvest birds on these dates.
More information on pheasant hunting in New York can
be found on DEC's website.
DEC will release
approximately 30,000 adult pheasants on lands open to public hunting for
the upcoming fall pheasant hunting season. Many of these release sites
are privately owned or managed by non-DEC governmental agencies (e.g.,
New York City Department of Environmental Protection, counties, or
towns). Hunters are asked to be respectful of any special rules, as the
pheasant propagation system relies on these outside entities to provide
hunters with opportunities close to home. New for 2022, DEC developed
an interactive map detailing state and private land
release sites for pheasants. The
interactive mapper provides significantly more information on stocking
sites, including the number of birds released, the approximate last
stocking date for each property, and any access restrictions.
Squirrel, Rabbit, and Hare Hunting
Opportunities to pursue
squirrels and rabbits can be found throughout the state, including
on many public lands. Squirrel seasons started Sept. 1 in
upstate New York, and begins Nov. 1 on Long
Island. Rabbit hunting begins on Oct. 1 in upstate New York, and on Nov.
1 on Long Island. With ample opportunities and mild weather, squirrel,
and rabbit hunting are great ways to introduce novices to hunting.
Snowshoe hare (or varying
hare) season starts Oct. 1 in the Northern Zone. Hare hunters in the
Southern Zone, where the season starts in late fall or early winter, are
encouraged to report their observations to DEC through the DEC
website.
Rabbit hunters should be
aware of rabbit hemorrhagic virus 2 (RHDV2), a deadly virus affecting
domestic and wild rabbits. Since it was first found in the United States
in 2020, RHDV2 was documented in 26 states, including in domestic rabbits
in New York. To learn more about the disease and see how you can
help prevent the introduction of RHDV2 (PDF) to New
York's wild rabbit and hare populations, see DEC's website.
Wild Turkey Hunting
Wild turkeys can be found
throughout the state but reach their highest densities in landscapes that
have a mix of forests, old fields, and farmlands. Wild turkeys are less
vulnerable to harvest in areas with abundant food (e.g., hard and soft mast), because they don't have to roam
far and wide foraging, so scouting before the season is important. Season
dates for fall 2022:
·
Oct. 1 - 14, in the Northern Zone
·
Oct. 15 - 28, in the Southern Zone
·
Nov. 19 - Dec. 2 in Suffolk County, Long
Island
The statewide season bag
limit is one bird of either sex. Hunting hours are sunrise to sunset.
Furbearer Hunting
With 16 species of furbearers
living in New York, furbearer
hunting and trapping opportunities
are abundant. Coyote hunting season begins Oct. 1 across much of the
state, and hunting seasons for other furbearers such as bobcat, raccoon,
and fox begin on Oct. 25. Season dates and zone boundaries for all
furbearers can be found on DEC's website and in the Hunting
and Trapping Regulations Guide. Last week, DEC
confirmed an animal taken by a hunter in Cherry Valley, Otsego County,
during the 2021 coyote hunting season was a wolf. For information
about differentiating a coyote from a wolf, go to DEC's
website.
Duck Hunting
New York offers vast
waterfowl hunting opportunities as hunters may harvest more than 30
species of waterfowl. New York has five waterfowl zones and nine Canada
goose zones that help to maximize hunting opportunity across diverse
habitats. Most waterfowl zones also have special hunting days for youth
and members of the military (both active duty and veterans) that often begin prior
to the regular hunting season, giving these hunters the opportunity to
hunt with less competition and hunting pressure.
Opening dates for the Regular
Duck Seasons:
·
Northeast Zone: Oct. 1
·
Lake Champlain Zone: Oct. 15
·
Western and Southeast zones: Oct. 15
·
Long Island Zone: Nov. 19
For more on waterfowl hunting
season dates and bag limits, visit the Waterfowl
Seasons page on DEC's website.
Citizen Science
Citizen science efforts such
as the Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Log, Ruffed Grouse Parts Collection,
and the Bowhunter Sighting Log provide hunters the opportunity to partner
with DEC to monitor game species. To learn
more about how to participate in these efforts, visit the DEC
website.
DEC Encourages Hunter Safety
While statistics
show hunting in New York is safer than ever, mistakes are made
every year. DEC believes every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable,
and Commissioner Seggos encourages hunters to
use common sense this season and to remember what they learned 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.
·
Keep your finger off the trigger until
ready to shoot.
Wearing blaze orange or pink
is required for hunting big game with firearms. In addition, DEC
encourages small game hunters to wear blaze orange or blaze pink. Wearing
orange or pink prevents other hunters from mistaking a person for an
animal or shooting in a hunter's direction. Hunters wearing blaze orange
are seven times less likely to be shot.
Owners are encouraged to
dress their dogs in blaze orange or pink or another bright color. For
more information about requirements for hunting with
dogs, go to DEC's website.
For more information
and other important safety tips, please visit DEC's website
and watch videos about hunter safety. For
more information about getting outdoors safely and
responsibly, visit DEC's Website.
Recent Changes to New York State Firearm Laws
Hunting continues to be
allowed on DEC lands where previously permitted. DEC Wildlife Management
Areas and State Forests remain open to hunting, as are many areas of the
Forest Preserve, including Wilderness and Wild Forest areas. Please visit
DEC's website for additional information on State lands open for
hunting.
See DEC's Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Recent Changes
to New York State Firearm Laws (PDF) and additional
detail and further guidance, Questions and Answers Regarding Impacts to Hunting
and Hunting-Related Activities from Recent Changes to New York State
Firearm Laws (PDF), on DEC's hunting website.
More information about gun
safety in New York State can be found at the Gun Safety
in NYS website .
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