DEC Announces Opening of Spring Turkey Season on May 1 |
Annual Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend April 21-22Spring turkey season opens May 1 in all of upstate New York north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) annual youth turkey hunting weekend is scheduled for April 21-22, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today. The youth turkey hunt for junior hunters ages 12-15 is open in all of upstate New York and Suffolk County. “Each spring in New York, nearly 90,000 turkey hunters take to the field in pursuit of this exciting game bird,” Commissioner Seggos said. “This is the 15th year DEC is offering special youth-only turkey hunting opportunities for junior hunters. The Youth Turkey Hunt is an excellent chance for young hunters to spend time afield with experienced adult hunters to learn about conservation first-hand, gaining the necessary knowledge and skills to become safe and responsible members of New York’s hunting community.” With reproductive success below the long-term average in 2016 and 2017, coupled with harsh winter conditions this year, it is anticipated that the spring harvest will be down from last year. However, good hunting opportunities can be found throughout the state, particularly in regions with good nesting and poult success the last two years (reports from DEC’s Summer Turkey Sighting Survey can be viewed on DEC’s webpage). Almost 6,000 junior hunters harvested an estimated 1,600 birds during the two-day youth-only hunt in 2017. The estimated turkey harvest for spring 2017 was about 17,500 birds. Important Details for the Youth Turkey Hunt on April 21 and 22:
Other Important Details for the Spring Turkey Season, May 1 through 31, 2018:
For more information about turkey hunting in New York, see the 2017-18 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide or visit the “Turkey Hunting” pages of DEC’s website. New York has an extremely safety-conscious generation of hunters, largely due to the annual efforts of more than 3,000 dedicated volunteer hunter education instructors. DEC suggests hunters follow the cardinal rules of hunting safety: assume every gun is loaded; control the muzzle; keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot; be absolutely sure of your target and what may be beyond it; and don’t stalk. DEC recommends that hunters are set up with their backs against a large tree and call birds. To find a hunter education class in your area, visit DEC’s website or call 1-888-HUNT-ED2 (1-888-486-8332). Citizen Science Opportunities: To participate in DEC’s Summer Wild Turkey Sighting Survey or other wildlife surveys, visit the “Citizen Science” page of the DEC website. |