Hunting and Trapping Newsletter

Hunting and Trapping Licenses on Sale Now

Sporting licenses and deer management permits for the 2018-19 season are on sale now. Licenses and permits can be purchased at any one of DEC's license-issuing agents, by telephone (866-933-2257) or online. The new year hunting and trapping licenses are valid from September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2019, and annual fishing licenses are valid 365 days from date of purchase.

DEC has extended its call center hours to provide assistance on evenings and weekends. Beginning on August 6th, the DEC call center will be accessible from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays through October 1, 2018.
Individuals should have the following items ready when buying a license:

• Complete contact information (e.g. name, address, e-mail address, telephone number
• DEC customer ID number (if applicable)
• Proof of residency (e.g., driver's license or non-driver's ID with a valid NYS address)
• If purchasing by phone or internet, a valid credit card.

If not already entered in DEC's automated licensing system, individuals are required to provide proof of hunter or trapper education certification or a copy of a previous license for all hunting and trapping license purchases. For additional information, visit the General Sporting License Information webpage on DEC's website.

DEC reminds migratory game bird hunters (waterfowl, woodcock) that in addition to obtaining a hunting license, they must also register online for the Harvest Information Program (HIP), or call 1-888-427-5447 to register.

New York’s habitat serves a vital role in maintaining healthy and sustainable fish and wildlife resources for all to enjoy. DEC encourages all outdoor enthusiasts to consider purchasing a voluntary Habitat & Access Stamp each year. Funds from the $5 Habitat & Access Stamp help fund projects aimed at conserving habitat and improving public access for fish and wildlife-related activities.   

Report Your Turkey Sightings this August!

While you are exploring the forests and fields around your home or driving through the state’s beautiful landscapes this summer, be sure to keep an eye out for wild turkeys.
Reported observations of wild turkeys are used to track changes in abundance and productivity (number of poults produced per adult hen) over time and in different parts of the state. It also helps forecast hunting prospects for the coming fall season and for subsequent spring seasons. You can download survey forms from DEC's website, or you can submit your observations online. 

Thanks for your help!

Canada Geese Banding Effort

Every year, DEC bands approximately 8,000 migratory game birds including Canada geese, ducks and brant. Recently, staff and volunteers banded Canada geese throughout the state.  Staff change banding locations every year to capture and mark a representative sample of geese from across the state.

Canada geese are banded between mid-June to mid-July when geese molt their flight feathers and are unable to fly. This is an ideal time to capture and band them because they can easily be rounded up into temporary pens. Once captured, staff and volunteers take biological data (i.e., age, sex, and species), attach a uniquely numbered aluminum band, and then release them as quickly as possible.

Canada geese, as well as other birds are banded to track their movements, survival, productivity, migration patterns, dispersal, and for special research projects. When hunters or the general public encounter a band, they can report their observation. The data from these encounters are vital to setting appropriate hunting regulations each year.
 
The total number of Canada geese banded this year was 3,500.