New Rules for Turkey Hunters This Year in New York
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." - Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson. Those words were voiced by actor Gordon Jump in an episode of 'WKRP in Cincinnati' which ran on the CBS Television Network from 1978 to 1972. It was one of the funniest lines ever uttered on network television.
I just had to add that quote to this article since it's about turkeys. Well, actually about wild turkey hunting in New York State. Spring wild turkey hunting season begins May 1st 2023 through May 31st all of New York State except for Nassau County and New York City.
Fall wild turkey hunting season is October 15th to 28th in much of New York State, including the Southern Tier and Central New York. The North Country Fall wild turkey Season runs October 1st to the 14th.
What You Need To Know To Hunt Wild Turkey In New York State
If you plan on hunting for wild turkey in New York State, there are of course several things you need to know and act on according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Some of those important things to remember for the spring season from the NYS DEC include:
- You may take two bearded birds per season, but you can only take one bird per day.
- Shooting hours are from 1/2-hour before sunrise to noon.
- Immediately after taking a turkey, fill out the carcass tag and attach it to the bird.
- Make sure you have both your hunting license and Turkey permit with you.
- Take careful spur, beard, and weight measurements for reporting.
New Ways To Report Taking A Wild Turkey
No matter what season, turkey hunters need to report taking a wild turkey within seven days through one of three ways. One is a new way online through the DECALS reporting system. the second is by calling 1-866-GAME-RPT, and you can now report your take via an app called Hunt Fish NY. Download it from your Apple App or Google Play store.
For complete rules and regulations, visit the NYS DEC site for Wild Turkey hunting and check out this informative video from the NYS DEC, below.