Migratory Game Birds

Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Bag Limits

Migratory game bird hunting regulations are set by the federal government in consultation with state agencies.

Consumption of Wild Waterfowl

The New York State Department of Health recommends that you remove the skin and fat of wild waterfowl before cooking, and eat no more than two meals containing waterfowl per month (with the exception of mergansers). Mergansers are fish-eating birds that tend to be the most heavily contaminated waterfowl and should not be eaten.

Recent data indicate that waterfowl residing in the Hudson River between Hudson Falls and Troy have higher PCB levels than waterfowl from other portions of the Hudson River and are likely to have higher PCB levels than waterfowl from other areas of the state. Because PCBs may have a greater effect on young children or an unborn child, it is particularly important for women under 50 and children under 15 to minimize their PCB exposure. For more information visit www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/fish/health_advisories/advice_on_eating_game.htm.

Waterfowl Hunting in Populated Areas

Some excellent waterfowl hunting opportunities occur in shoreline areas of New York that are becoming more populated and developed. Waterfowl hunters have special privileges in New York, but please consider the possible concerns that nearby homeowners may have about noise, safety, or invasion of privacy before you go afield. Avoiding such conflicts will help ensure that waterfowl hunting remains an accepted tradition in fast-developing shoreline areas. For more information, go to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/94213.html.

DEC, in cooperation with the South Shore Waterfowlers Association (SSWA), has produced A Pocket Reference for Police Officers and Waterfowl Hunters that summarizes the state laws that pertain to waterfowl hunting in general and includes a code of ethics for waterfowl hunters to help ensure that waterfowl hunting remains a viable recreational opportunity in New York. For a copy, call 518-402-8883 or email [email protected].

Snow Goose Conservation Order

Waterfowl hunters in New York will have a special opportunity to harvest snow geese in most areas of the state from January 16 through April 15, 2023. This additional opportunity is offered because of concerns about impacts that snow geese are having on natural ecosystems. For more information, go to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/50514.html.

General Regulations

Following is a summary of state and federal rules that apply to the taking, possessing, shipping, transporting, and storing of all migratory game birds in New York. For more complete information, consult the specific federal (50 CFR Part 20) and state (6 NYCRR Part 2.30) regulations. You can find links to both of these at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28175.html.

Definitions

Migratory game birds are wild ducks, geese, brant, coot, rails, gallinules, woodcock, and snipe. Migratory waterfowl are wild ducks, geese, brant, and coot.

License requirements

All migratory game bird hunters must carry a valid New York State hunting license, except for persons not required to have a hunting license. All migratory game bird hunters must register annually with New York’s Harvest Information Program (HIP) and carry proof of compliance whenever going afield. If you are 16 years or older and you hunt waterfowl, then you also need a federal migratory game bird hunting stamp (duck stamp).

Harvest Information Program (HIP) Registration

All migratory game bird hunters must register annually for HIP through DECALS, DEC’s licensing system. Information from this survey helps the USFWS and State wildlife agencies monitor the harvest of migratory game birds and is needed to establish hunting regulations. HIP registration is valid from August 1 – July 30 annually. There are two options for registering:

• Option 1 – Online HIP Registration:
  • Go to the DEC Hunting License website: decals.licensing.east.kalkomey.com/
  • Click on the header at the top of the main page that says “Report Game Harvest/Register for HIP”
  • A DECALS login is not required, but you will be prompted to provide your DEC ID and Date of Birth
  • Click “Search”
  • The system will then list all previous HIP registrations you have associated with your DEC ID, indicating whether they have been submitted or are still pending.
    • If no results return after pressing the “Search” button, it means you currently do not have a current/valid hunting license and are ineligible for HIP registration.
  • Once you find the current HIP year registration survey, you will select the dropdown arrow on the right-hand side, and select “Register for HIP”
    • You will be prompted to answer a series of questions pertaining to your hunting activities last year.
  • After answering all required questions, press “Submit.” The system will then save your data and provide your HIP number. This number completes the registration process and proves your participation in HIP. You are required to carry this number with you in some form while migratory bird hunting.
• Option 2 – HIP Registration via the automated phone system:
  • Call 1-866-933-2257
  • Select the option for “HIP registration”
  • Follow automated instructions.
  • At the end of the call, you will be given your HIP registration number. Migratory game bird hunters are required to carry this number in some form while hunting.

Migratory bird hunting stamp

Each waterfowl hunter 16 years of age or older must carry on his/her person a valid Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (duck stamp) signed in ink across the face. Stamps do not have to be attached to your license. E-stamps, validated as defined in the Federal Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013, are also permitted. Duck stamps are not required to hunt coot, rails, gallinules, woodcock, or snipe. Duck stamps are not required of minors 12 to 15 years of age hunting migratory waterfowl in New York State.

Federal duck stamps are sold at most post offices and many sporting goods stores and cost $25 each. They may also be ordered by calling 1-800-852-4897. There is a shipping and handling fee for phone or internet orders.

Hunting hours

Woodcock may be taken from sunrise to sunset. All other migratory game birds may be taken from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset in all hunting zones. Canada geese may be taken until one-half hour after sunset during the September seasons, when all other waterfowl hunting seasons are closed. Otherwise, shooting hours end at sunset. Snow geese may be taken until one-half hour after sunset during January 15–April 15 whenever all other waterfowl hunting seasons are closed.

Non-toxic shot requirement

Non-toxic shot is required for hunting any migratory game bird, except woodcock, everywhere in New York State. Possession or use of shells loaded with shot other than steel, bismuth-tin, iron-tungsten, iron-tungsten-nickel, tungsten-bronze, tungsten-iron-copper-nickel, tungsten-matrix, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-tin-iron, tungsten-tin-bismuth, tungsten-tin-iron-nickel, or other shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is strictly prohibited when hunting waterfowl, snipe, rails, or gallinules.

Duck hunting blinds

NYS Navigation Law Section 33-b requires that duck blinds placed in the waters of lakes within New York State be prominently marked with the owner’s full name and address. All duck blinds placed in lakes must be removed no later than March 15 annually.

Prohibitions on methods of take

No person shall take migratory game birds:

• With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10-gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance.
• With a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler that is incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. This does not apply to the taking of snow geese in any area or zone, or taking of Canada geese during September, when all other waterfowl seasons are closed. However, semi-automatic shotguns may not exceed six shells in the magazine and chamber combined, at any time when waterfowl hunting.
• From a sink box (a low-floating device, having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water).
• From or with the aid or use of a car or other motor-driven land conveyance, or any aircraft, except that paraplegics and single or double amputees of the legs may, with a permit issued by the DEC, take from any stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor-driven land conveyance. “Paraplegic” means an individual afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs, usually due to disease or injury to the spinal cord.
• From or by means of any motorboat or sailboat unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or sail furled, and its progress has ceased. Motorboats and sailboats under power may be used to retrieve dead or crippled birds; however, crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power except in the Special Sea Duck Area described in the Hunting Seasons Table.
• By the use or aid of live decoys. All live, tame or captive ducks and geese shall be removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting and confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such tame birds from the sight of migratory waterfowl.
• Using recorded migratory bird calls or sounds or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls. This does not apply to the taking of snow geese in any area or zone, or taking of Canada geese in September, when all other waterfowl seasons are closed.
• By driving, rallying or chasing birds with any motorized conveyance or any sailboat to put them in the range of hunters.
• By the aid of baiting (placing feed such as corn, wheat, salt, or other feed to constitute a lure or enticement) or on or over any baited area. Hunters should be aware that a baited area is considered to be baited for 10 days after the removal of the bait, and it is not necessary for the hunter to know an area is baited to be in violation. Migratory game birds may be taken on or over standing crops, flooded harvested crop lands, or grain crops properly shocked on the field where grown or grains are found scattered solely as a result of the normal agricultural planting or harvesting.

Military and Veteran Hunting Days

Military veterans or active duty hunters possessing the necessary licenses, HIP registration, and duck stamp, may hunt migratory game birds during two (2) special days in each zone. The daily bag limit is the same as those allowed during the regular hunting season.

In addition to the previously mentioned license requirements for adults hunting migratory game birds, participants must carry one of the following forms of identification afield:

• Active military identification card
• Actively participating Guard or Reservist identification card
• Retired military identification card
• New York State drivers license with Veteran Status
• Form DD214, Certificate of Discharge
• Form DD215, Corrected Certificate of Discharge

Wanton waste and
possession of live birds

No person shall kill or cripple any migratory game bird without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird and retain it in his/her actual custody. Wounded birds reduced to possession shall be killed immediately and included in the daily bag limit.

Field possession limit

No more than one daily bag or aggregate daily bag limit of migratory game birds may be possessed or transported, tagged or untagged, at or between the place of taking and:

• His or her automobile or principal means of land transportation
• His or her personal abode or temporary place of lodging
• Migratory bird preservation facility
• Post office or common-carrier facility

No person shall completely field dress any migratory game bird and then transport the bird from the field. The head or one fully feathered wing must remain attached to all such birds while being transported.

Possession, tagging, shipment, and importation

The possession limit is the maximum number of migratory game birds that any person may possess in total in his/her automobile or principal means of land transportation, personal abode, or in his/her name at any migratory bird preservation facility, post office, or common-carrier facility. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for all waterfowl species except snow geese.

No person shall give, put, or leave any migratory game birds at any place (other than personal abode) or in the custody of another person for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping, transportation, storage (including temporary storage), or taxidermy services, unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the following information:

• Hunter’s name, address, and signature
• Total number of birds involved, by species
• Dates such birds were killed

For more information on regulations pertaining to possession, tagging, shipment, and importation of legally killed migratory game birds, consult the specific federal and state regulations cited above.

Caution/dual violation

More restrictive regulations may apply to national wildlife refuges and state WMAs open to public hunting. Violation of New York State migratory bird hunting regulations is also a violation of federal regulations.