Welcome to 2022-23 New York Hunting
What's New for 2022-2023
Reminder: New Deer and Bear Hunting Opportunities and Requirements
In 2021, DEC and the NYS Legislature made several changes that increase and improve deer and bear hunting opportunities:
- 12- and 13-year-old hunters can hunt deer (not bear) with a firearm or crossbow under the supervision of a licensed adult hunter in counties that have passed a local law to participate. Check the DEC website for an updated list of participating counties.
- Holiday Deer Hunt is an extension of the late bow and muzzleloading season for deer in the Southern Zone from December 26 through January 1. Hunters may use the same implements (bow, muzzleloader, crossbow depending on license privileges held) and same tags (DMPs, bow/muzz either-sex, bow/muzz antlerless-only, unfilled regular season tag, and DMAP tags) as during the typical late bow and muzzleloader season.
- Daily hunting hours for deer and bear are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. See the sunrise-sunset table to determine daily start and stop times.
- Hunters must wear a fluorescent orange/pink hat or vest when hunting deer or bear with a firearm. See Big Game Hunting for details.
- Hunters may take deer of either sex during the early muzzleloader season in WMUs 6A, 6F, 6J.
- An antlerless-only deer season will occur from Sept. 10-18, 2022 with firearms, crossbows, and vertical bows allowed in WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F, and vertical bows in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C. Hunters may only use DMPs and DMAP tags during this early antlerless season.
- Bear hunting season in the Adirondacks has been simplified to a regular season that runs September 17 through December 4, 2022.
Additional Special Fisher Permit No Longer Needed
Trappers pursuing fisher are no longer required to obtain a special permit, complete a trapping log, or submit the skull/jaw of harvested fisher. A trapping license is still required, and trappers must have harvested fisher pelt-sealed by DEC staff within 10 days of the close of the season. Please note that a special permit is still required for trapping marten (see From Training to Trapper).
Proposed Spring Turkey Season in Suffolk County
At press time, a proposed regulation was pending that would establish a spring turkey hunting season in Suffolk County. The proposed season would run from May 1–31, shooting hours would be from 1/2-hour before sunrise to noon, and the season bag limit would be one bearded bird. If adopted as proposed, the season would take effect in May 2023. Check the DEC website prior to going afield.
Use of Semi-Automatic Rifles for Hunting
New York State recently adopted legislation governing the purchase or transfer of ownership of semi-automatic rifles. See the "Q&A" on Environmental Conservation Police Q & A and go to www.dec.ny.gov or https://safeact.ny.gov/resources-hunters for more information.
