Furbearer Hunting

To hunt furbearers, you must possess a Junior Hunting, Small Game, Small/Big Game, Conservation Legacy, Super Sportsman, Trapper Super Sportsman, Sportsman, Nonresident Small Game, or Nonresident Super Sportsman license. A trapping license does not allow you to hunt furbearers. Furbearers may be hunted with a bow or firearm as described below.

• You may hunt red and gray fox, coyote, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, mink, weasel and opossum.
• If you take a bobcat, it must be tagged and sealed.
• You may use a call, including an electronic call.
• You may hunt furbearers only after sunrise on the opening day. They may be taken at any hour, day or night, for the rest of their hunting season. Seasons end at sunset of their closing day.
• Mink may only be hunted in the Southern Zone with a firearm not larger than .22 caliber during their open trapping season. Mink may not be hunted with a firearm in the Northern Zone.
• Muskrat may only be hunted on Lake Champlain during the open trapping season with a firearm not larger than .22 caliber.
• You may hunt furbearers during the day using any handgun, shotgun, rifle or bow. You may hunt at night as described below.

Hunting Furbearers At Night

All laws pertaining to the use of a spotlight apply (see Spotlighting ).

1. If you are hunting in an area when any deer season (including bowhunting) is open:
   • You may hunt during the day or night.
   • You may use a light, but you may not hunt from any motor vehicle, including an ATV.
   • You may use a shotgun, muzzleloader, bow, handgun or air gun.
   • You may use any rimfire rifle, except in Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties where rifles are not allowed.
   • You may use any center-fire rifle ONLY if rifles are also allowed for deer hunting in that area. (Refer to Legal Implements map.)
2. If you are hunting in an area when all deer seasons are closed:
   • You may hunt during the day or night.
   • You may use a light.
   • You may use a shotgun, muzzleloader, bow, handgun or air gun.
   • You may use any rifle of any caliber, except in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties, where rifles are not allowed.

Hunters should consult with local government officials for any laws that may prohibit the discharge of firearms at night.

The use of a light-gathering (starlight) scope is legal on any firearm listed above.