Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons & Bag Limits

Name: eRegulations
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2023–2024 Waterfowl Seasons

Map of Waterfowl Hunting Seasons in New York

* Youth hunters, 12 to 15 years of age, possessing a junior hunting license and HIP registration, may hunt ducks, mergansers, Canada geese, brant, gallinules, and coot on two (2) special days in each zone. Daily bag limits for all species are the same as those allowed during the regular hunting season for all species. Youth hunters must be supervised by a licensed (including current HIP registration and duck stamp) adult hunter, and the mentor may not carry a firearm. This prohibition does not apply to other hunters in the party that are not mentoring the youth. Crippled sea ducks may be taken under power in the Special Sea Duck area, only. The Special Sea Duck Area is defined as the coastal waters of New York State and all waters of streams and rivers seaward from the first upstream bridge. * Snow goose seasons include both the regular hunting season and the Conservation Order that runs from January 16 – April 15 in all zones (except Long Island).
Bag Limits
The daily bag limit is the maximum number of birds of each species that any person may take or possess in the field during any one day. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for all migratory game birds except snow geese.
Species	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Ducks^a	6	18
Coot	15	45
Canada Geese^b	See map	Three times the daily limit — see map Furbearer Hunting
Snow Geese^b	25	No limit
Brant	1	3
a The daily limit of 6 ducks includes all mergansers and sea ducks (scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks) and may include no harlequin ducks and no more than 4 mallards (2 of which may be hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks, 1 pintail, 1 scaup (2 scaup are allowed during the 20 days specified above for each zone), 2 redheads, 2 canvasback, or 4 sea ducks (including no more than 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, or 3 eiders and no more than 1 female eider). For all other duck species found in New York, the daily limit is no more than 6. b Cackling geese and white-fronted geese may be taken as part of the Canada goose daily and possession limits. Snow geese and Ross' geese may be taken as part of the snow goose limits.

Military and Veteran Waterfowl Hunting Days

Northeast Zone — September 23 and 24

Southeast Zone — September 23 and 24

Western Zone — October 7 and January 20

Long Island Zone — November 11 and 12

Daily bag limit is the same as the regular season. There are no military/veteran hunting days in the Lake Champlain Zone.

Woodcock, Crow, Snipe, Rail, and Gallinule Hunting Season Dates, Bag Limits, and Regulations for 2023–2024
Regulations	Woodcock	Crow	Snipe	Virginia & Sora Rails	Gallinules	Clapper & King Rails
Upstate New York^1,3	Oct. 1 – Nov. 14	Sept. 1 – Mar. 31	Sept. 1 – Nov. 9	Sept. 1 – Nov. 9	Sept. 1 – Nov. 9	Closed
Long Island^2,3	Oct. 1 – Nov. 14	Sept. 1 – Mar. 31	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed
Bag Limit	3/day 9 in possession	None	8/day 24 in possession	8/day 24 in possession	8/day 24 in possession	n/a
Shooting Hours	Sunrise to Sunset	Sunrise to Sunset	1/2-Hr Before Sunrise to Sunset	1/2-Hr Before Sunrise to Sunset	1/2-Hr Before Sunrise to Sunset	n/a
Non-Toxic Shot	NOT Required	NOT Required	Required	Required	Required	n/a
HIP Registration	Required	NOT Required	Required	Required	Required	n/a
Other	Fed Migratory Bird Stamp NOT Required	Hunting on Fri., Sat., Sun. & Mon. ONLY; Fed Migratory Bird Stamp NOT Required; Rifles and electronically amplified bird calls or sounds permitted	Fed Migratory Bird Stamp NOT Required	Fed Migratory Bird Stamp NOT Required	Fed Migratory Bird Stamp NOT Required	n/a
1 Upstate New York includes all of New York State north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary 2 Long Island includes all of WMUs 1A and 1C (Nassau and Suffolk counties) 3 Hunting season closed in New York City for all species listed in table; New York City includes all of WMU 2A (Bronx, Kings, Queens, New York, and Richmond counties)

2023–2024 Canada Goose Seasons

Map of Canada Goose Hunting Seasons in New York