Several New York hunting seasons start soon

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced open seasons coming. For several species, hunting season in New York is just around the corner. The DEC announced that hunting season begins for squirrel and Canada goose on Sept. 1, with early bear and antlerless deer seasons right behind on Sept. 10 in certain wildlife management units.

“Early hunting seasons are a great opportunity to mentor and introduce new hunters to hunting,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Early bear, antlerless deer, and September goose seasons are all 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 annually register for the DEC Harvest Information Program. The program is operated through the DEC licensing system and assists state and federal biologists in estimating the number of hunters who will be out in nature affecting the species population. Hunters can register through the DEC website, or by calling 1 (866) 933-2257.

Canada Goose

The Sept. 1 Canada goose season is effective for all goose hunting zones except for Western Long Island. Upstate zones run from Sept. 1-25, while the Central and Eastern Long Island areas with a later start begin on Sept. 6, running through Sept. 30. Western Long Island gets its own turn on Oct. 8.

Canada goose season includes bag limits of between eight and 15 birds per day, depending on the zone in which they are hunted. The season is intended to help reduce and stabilize Canada goose populations as needed across different areas. The DEC reports that the state Canada goose population has grown from an estimated 80,000 to 340,000 birds over the last 25 years.

Bear and Antlerless Deer

Early bear season runs from Sept. 10-25 in parts of southeastern New York including wildlife management units 3A, 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 4P, 4R, and 4W. Bowhunting season opens on Oct. 1, followed by regular firearms season on Nov. 19. In norther New York, bowhunting season starts on Sept. 17 in areas 6A, 6G, 6K, and 6N, with the regular season starting Sept. 17 in regions 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6H, and 6J.

For antlerless deer, the season begins on Sept. 10 and runs through Sept. 18 in select areas, with differences based on locations in terms of what can be used to hunt. Firearms, crossbows and vertical bows are allowed in WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F. Only vertical bows are allowed in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C. A full map of WMU locations can be found through the DEC website.