Regulations

Hunting regulations are more complicated and detailed than we can list here, so you will need to make sure to spend some time on the NYS DEC website reading the specific regulations relevant to your hunting trip. We will call out some specific details that you will need to know to be a mentee for one of our events.

Hunter / Bowhunter Education

In order to purchase a hunting license in NY State, you are required to complete a Hunter Education course.

To legally hunt big game (deer or bear) with a bow or crossbow, you are required to complete a Bowhunter Education course.

You only need to complete these courses once. The certificate will be good for the rest of your life

As most of our programs are using a crossbow, we highly recommend any potential mentee to take and complete both of these courses. You can take them in person (free) or online (small fee).

For more information:

License and Tags

In order to legally hunt in NY, you are required to purchase a hunting license. By default, a NY hunting license will allow you to hunt big game (deer, bear) and small game (squirrel, rabbit, non-migratory birds),

There are additional “privileges” you can purchase which include:

  • Bowhunting privilege - Allows you to hunt with a bow / crossbow. You will get an additional tag and also be able to hunt during archery only seasons

  • Muzzleloading privilege - Allows you to hunt with a muzzleloader during the special muzzleloader season

  • Turkey permit - Allows you to hunt turkeys

  • Deer Management Permit (DMP) - You can purchase up to two DMPs which will give you tags to shoot antlerless deer. These are valid in any deer hunting season and are required for early antlerless season.

  • HIP Number / Federal Duck Stamp - Required to hunt migratory waterfowl (ducks, geese, rails)

You will need to print out your license and tags and keep them with you while hunting. You can also download the HuntFishNY mobile app which will have your license and tags in the app. As of 2025, you can now electronically “tag” your harvest.

Finally, it is important to know that for every species you choose to hunt there are specific regulations and bag and possession limits.

A bag limit is the number of a specific species you are allowed to kill (have in the bag) while in the field hunting, and a possession limit is the number of a specific species you are allowed to have in your possession (including in your freezer at home). For species that have tags (deer, bear, turkey), this limit will be the number of tags you have. For some small game, there will not be a possession limit, so for example, you can shoot 6 squirrel a day but have as many as you want in your freezer. For waterfowl, these limits are broken down by the type of duck, so this can get fairly complicated.

It is up to you to know the rules and regulations for whatever you choose to hunt.

For more information:

Reporting Your Harvest

DEC requires all hunters to report the take of any deer, bear, or turkey. They use this data to inform management decisions (season dates, harvest limits), so not only is this legally required, but it is also good conservation.

You have 7 days from the date of your harvest to report and you can do so over the phone, on the DEC website, or using the HuntFishNY mobile app. Our guidance is that you should have the app on your phone and report your harvest immediately using the app.

You will be asked specific information as part of the reporting, and it is important that you answer correctly. Specifically, you will need to report:

  • County / Town / WMU where you harvested the animal. Make sure you get this information correct!

  • Date of the kill

  • Sex of the animal

Additionally, you will have other questions you need to answer specific to the species.

For deer:

  • Method of take (bow, crossbow, rifle/shotgun, muzzleloader)

  • Season (antlerless, archery, regular, muzzleloader)

  • Antler point count (left and right)

For bear:

  • Method of take (bow, crossbow, rifle/shotgun, muzzleloader)

  • Season (archery, regular, muzzleloader)

  • Age (adult, cub, or unknown)

  • You will need to save the skull to submit a tooth to the DEC for aging

For Spring Turkey:

  • Length of spur

  • Length of beard

  • Weight of turkey

  • Save a leg as you may need to submit to DEC

More information can be found on the DEC website.

Seasons

NY Hunting seasons are very detailed and are specific to not only the animal being hunted, but also the area of the state you are hunting. Generally though, most hunting occurs in the fall through early winter.

NY is generally split into a Northern and a Southern zone. As most of our mentees are in the Southern Zone, this will be more specific to that zone. Some regions (Westchester and Suffolk County) will have slightly different season dates. We will not call out every detail here, so it will be important for you to confirm on the DEC website.

Small Game (southern zone)

  • Rabbit: Oct 1 - Feb 28 (Nov 1 start for Long Island)

  • Squirrel: Sep 1 - Feb 28 (Nov 1 start for Long Island)

  • Small Game Seasons

Deer (southern zone)

  • Early Antlerless Season: Sep 13 - Sep 21

  • Early Bowhunting: Oct 1 - Nov 14th

    • Westchester: Oct 1 - Dec 31st

  • Regular Season: Nov 14 - Dec 7

    • Suffolk bow only: Oct 1 - Dec 31st

    • Suffolk shotgun: Jan 4 - Jan 31st

  • Late bowhunting / Muzzleloader:

    • Dec 8 - Dec 16

    • Dec 26 - Jan 1

Turkey

  • Spring Turkey:

    • May 1 - May 31

    • 2 bearded birds only

  • Fall Turkey:

    • Oct 18 - Oct 31

    • Suffolk: Nov 15 - Nov 28

    • 1 either sex bird

You should always double check the season dates and bag limits before hunting!