NEW YORK (WWTI) — The New York State DEC announced that most small hunting seasons will begin Oct. 1. New York State DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said the fall season is a great opportunity for hunters to enjoy the sport.
“Each fall, more than 60,000 hunters venture out to seek out New York’s abundant small game,” Seggos said. “It’s a great way to introduce new hunters to the sport and teach them how to be a safe and responsible member of the hunting community while reconnecting with the outdoors, establishing new traditions and experiencing the diversity of New York’s wildlife.” .
The ruffed grouse hunt will be one of the seasons beginning October 1 and open through the last day of February in most of the state. The DEC reminds hunters to positively confirm that they are hunting sage grouse rather than sage grouse, that it is an endangered species and that hunting is illegal. The DEC posted tips for hunters to help distinguish which species is which on its website.
DEC will release about 30,000 adult pheasants onto public lands for the upcoming season. The season will begin on October 1 for the northern and eastern parts of New York, on October 16 in the central and western parts of the state, and on November 1 on Long Island.
In Western New York, the Junior Pheasant Hunting Weekend will take place on October 9-10. In upstate and eastern New York, Junior Pheasant Hunting Weekend will be September 25-26, and on Long Island, it will take place October 30-31. In order to participate in the hunt, both the junior hunter and their adult mentor must have a hunting license. Only the junior hunter can carry a firearm and hunt birds on these dates.
Squirrel hunting season began on September 1 in upstate New York and will begin on November 1 on Long Island. The rabbit hunt will begin October 1 in upstate New York and November 1 on Long Island. Snowshoe hare season will begin October 1 in the North Zone, while hare hunting season in the South Zone will begin in late fall or early winter.
Wild turkeys can be found throughout the state, specifically in forests, old fields, and farmlands. The statewide seasonal bag limit is one bird of either sex and hunting hours are sunrise to sunset. The dates for this season are as follows:
- October 1 to 14 in the North Zone
- October 16 to 29 in the South Zone
- From November 20 to December 3 in Suffolk County and on Long Island
Coyote hunting season will begin Oct. 1 in most of the state, and hunting seasons for other fur-bearing animals, such as bobcat, raccoon and fox, will begin Oct. 25. Season dates and zone limits for all furbearing animals can be found on the DEC website and in the Guide to Hunting and Trapping Regulations.
New York hunters will be able to hunt more than 30 species of waterfowl this season. Season dates in the five waterfowl zones are listed below:
Waterfowl Youth Days:
- Northeast Zone: September 18 and 19
- Southeast Areas and Lake Champlain: September 25 and 26
- West Zone: October 2 and 3
- Long Island area: November 6 and 7
Hunting days for military and veterans:
- Northeast Zone: September 18 and 19
- Southeast Zone: October 9 and 10
- West Zone: November 11 and 13
- Long Island area: November 13 and 14
- There will be no special days for military or veterans in the Lake Champlain area.
Opening dates for regular duck seasons:
- Northeast Zone: October 2
- Lake Champlain area: October 13
- West and Southeast Zones: October 16
- Long Island area: November 20
DEC encourages hunters to continue to use common sense during the fall hunting season and remember basic training such as always pointing your gun in a safe direction, treating every gun as if it were loaded, being sure of your target and more. there when shooting. and keeping their finger off the trigger until they are ready to fire.