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DEC Announces Start Dates for Spring Turkey Seasons
Published: April 18, 2024 at
01:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from NYS DEC
DEC Announces Start of Spring Turkey Seasons
Youth Turkey Hunt April 20-21; Regular Season Opens
May 1
Turkey Hunting Opportunities for Youth Ages 12-15
The New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the
Youth Turkey Hunting Season will take place on Saturday, April 20, and
Sunday, April 21, for junior hunters ages 12 to 15. The regular spring
turkey season for all licensed turkey hunters opens May 1 in Upstate New
York north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary and in Suffolk County
on Long Island.
“Youth turkey
hunting season provides an excellent opportunity for experienced adults to
mentor young hunters to promote safe and ethical hunting practices, while
enjoying time together outdoors and connecting with nature,” DEC
Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. "As hunters take to the
field this spring to enjoy the many turkey hunting opportunities
throughout New York State, DEC reminds everyone to hunt safe and hunt smart
by following the guidelines to support hunter safety."
To participate in
the youth turkey hunt, both the junior hunter and their adult mentor must
have a hunting license and turkey permit. Each youth hunter can harvest one
bearded bird during the two-day hunt. For eligibility requirements and
more information, visit DEC’s website.
Overall, spring
turkey harvest in New York averages approximately 16,000 to 18,000 birds
but varies based on the number of participants and turkey productivity in
the previous few springs. This spring, DEC expects improved turkey harvest
compared to last year. Hunters prefer to take toms (two+ year-old birds),
so typically there is a two-year lag between summer productivity and spring
take. Overall, New York turkey populations are lower currently than in the
early 2000s but are generally stable throughout the state.
Spring Turkey
Harvest Data Dashboard
In both the
spring and fall, DEC uses extensive hunter surveys to reliably estimate
turkey harvest. Data from these surveys help biologists understand
trends in populations around the state and are used to help guide
management. DEC recently released a new interactive online dashboard
for the public to explore historic spring turkey harvest. The
dashboard allows hunters to select Wildlife Management Unit aggregates near
where they hunt or where they are considering hunting to understand trends
in turkey harvest success. For more information or to explore the
data, visit DEC’s website.
Other Important
Details for the Spring Turkey Season, May 1-31, 2024
- Hunting is permitted in most areas of the
state, except for New York City and Nassau County.
- Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in
addition to a 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 and no more than one bird
per season in Wildlife Management Unit 1C (Suffolk County).
- 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. 9, or with a bow or crossbow. Crossbows may not be used in
Westchester or Suffolk counties.
- Successful hunters must fill out the tag that
comes with a turkey permit and immediately attach it to any turkey
harvested.
- Successful hunters must report harvests
within seven days of taking a bird. Report harvests online at
DEC's Game Harvest Reporting website or call
1-866-426-3778 (1-866 GAMERPT).
For more
information about turkey hunting in New York, see the 2023-24 Hunting and
Trapping Regulations Guide or visit the Turkey Hunting pages of DEC's website.
Tips for a
Successful and Safe Turkey Hunting Season
- Don't stalk. More than half of turkey hunting
injuries happen when a hunter stalks another.
- Wear hunter orange when going in or out of
the woods and when walking around.
- When sitting still waiting for a turkey, put
hunter orange on a nearby tree.
- When calling, sit still
with against a tree to break-up any silhouette.
- Wrap any takes or
decoys in hunter orange.
- Never wear turkey colors – red, white, or
blue.
- Always assume any call or footsteps are from
another hunter. Don't shoot until the whole turkey can be observed and
its sex identified.
- When encountering another hunter, speak
clearly and don't move. Never wave or use a turkey call to alert
another hunter.
- Turkeys are tough, and 30 yards or less is
the best distance for a clear head or neck shot. Do not try to shoot
turkeys in the body or while they are flying.
- Smaller shot, no. 4,
5, and 6, work better than larger shot, due to denser shot
patterns. New shotshell technologies allow for shot sizes as
small as 8 and 9 to be effective for turkeys. Do research and
pattern shotguns to learn what works for each setup.
Buy Sporting
Licenses Online
Sporting licenses may be purchased online at any time,
and anglers may use privileges immediately by simply carrying a DEC ID#
with them while afield. Anglers, hunters, and trappers may also use the
HuntFishNY mobile app to display an electronic copy of a license. The HuntFishNY app is available for download through
the Apple App or Google Play stores. If purchasing any type of hunting
license, permit or privilege online or over the phone, allow up to 14
business days to receive back tag, carcass tags, and license via
mail.
Sporting licenses
can also be purchased in-person at over 1,100 License Issuing Agents (LIAs)
throughout the state. LIAs will print license and tags immediately upon
purchase. To locate a LIA, use the Vendor Locations search tool on the DEC’s sporting
license sales website. For more information about sporting licenses,
visit DEC’s website.
Earlier this
year, DEC announced the transition to paper tags and sporting
licenses for the 2024-25 license year that begins Aug. 1,
2024. The change to plain paper does not apply to the spring 2024
turkey season; please allow ample time to receive your backtag and carcass
tags if buying a license online or over the phone.
Citizen Science
Opportunity: DEC Seeks Turkey Hunters for Ruffed Grouse Drumming Survey
Turkey hunters
can record the number of ruffed grouse heard drumming while afield to help
DEC track the distribution and abundance of this game bird. To get a survey
form, visit 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.
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