ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) – On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that open seasons are coming up. For many species, hunting season in New York is just around the corner. DEC announced that the hunting season for squirrel and Canadian goose begins on September 1, with early seasons for bear and antlerless deer just after September 10 in certain wildlife management units.
“The first hunting seasons are a great opportunity to guide and introduce new hunters to the hunt,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “The early bear, antlerless deer and September goose seasons are designed to reduce or stabilize wildlife populations in particular areas. By participating in these seasons, hunters help manage wildlife populations toward socially and ecologically desirable levels while enjoying time outdoors with family and friends.”
Anyone planning to hunt migratory game bird species must register annually with DEC’s Harvest Information Program. The program is operated through the DEC licensing system and helps state and federal biologists estimate the number of hunters that will be in the wild affecting species populations. Hunters can register through the DEC website or by calling 1 (866) 933-2257.
canada goose
The September 1 Canada goose season is effective for all goose hunting areas except western Long Island. Northern portions of the state run from September 1-25, while central and eastern Long Island areas with a later start begin September 6 and run through September 30. Western Long Island gets its own shift on October 8.
The Canada goose season includes bag limits of between eight and 15 birds per day, depending on the area in which they are hunted. The season is intended to help reduce and stabilize Canada goose populations as needed in different areas. The DEC reports that Canada’s state goose population has grown from approximately 80,000 to 340,000 birds in the last 25 years.
Antlerless deer and bear
Early bear season runs from September 10 to 25 in parts of southeastern New York, including wildlife management units 3A, 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 4P, 4R and 4W. . Bowhunting season begins on October 1, followed by the regular firearms season on November 19. In Upstate New York, the bowhunting season begins September 17 in areas 6A, 6G, 6K, and 6N, and the regular season begins September 17 in regions 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6H and 6J.
For antlerless deer, the season begins September 10 and runs through September 18 in select areas, with differences by location in terms of what can be used to hunt. Firearms, crossbows, and vertical bows are permitted in WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F. Only vertical arches are allowed in WMU 1C, 3S, 4J and 8C. A complete map of WMU locations can be found via the DEC website.