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Small game, youth pheasant and waterfowl hunting seasons open Saturday in St. Lawrence County, elsewhere

Posted 9/27/16

Several small game hunting seasons will open on Saturday, Oct. 1 across St. Lawrence County. In addition, there are special youth-only hunting seasons for pheasants and waterfowl opening prior to the …

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Small game, youth pheasant and waterfowl hunting seasons open Saturday in St. Lawrence County, elsewhere

Posted

Several small game hunting seasons will open on Saturday, Oct. 1 across St. Lawrence County.

In addition, there are special youth-only hunting seasons for pheasants and waterfowl opening prior to the start of the regular season.

"Hunting is a proud tradition in New York State, and this year we are offering more opportunities for the next generation of hunters to be introduced to this important sport," said state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos,

Season dates, bag limits, and other hunting regulations can be found in the New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, which can be obtained from a license issuing agent, and at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28634.html.

Beginning last fall, DEC updated the fall turkey hunting season structure in response to declines in turkey populations and to ensure that harvest opportunities are sustainable. Season dates for fall 2016 are Oct, 1-14 in the Northern Zone, Oct. 15-28 in the Southern Zone and Nov. 19- Dec. 2 in Suffolk County, Long Island.

Hunting seasons for waterfowl -- ducks, geese, and brant -- begin in early October in many parts of the state, but there are also special opportunities for junior hunters 12-15 years old prior to the regular season.

Junior hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter, and both the junior hunter and adult must be registered with the Harvest Information Program (HIP).

Adult hunters must also have a federal migratory bird stamp. Youth waterfowl days this fall are Sept. 24-25 in the Lake Champlain Zone, Oct. 1-2 in the Western Zone and Nov. 12-13 in the Long Island Zone.

Approximately 30,000 adult pheasants will be released on lands open to public hunting for the upcoming fall pheasant hunting season. The pheasant hunting season begins Oct. 1 in northern andd eastern portions of New York, Oct. 15 in the central and western portions of the state, and Nov. 1 on Long Island.

Since 2007, DEC has offered a special youth-only season to provide junior hunters the opportunity to hunt pheasants during the weekend prior to the regular pheasant hunting season.

In western New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend is Oct. 8-9. In northern and eastern New York, the youth pheasant hunt weekend is Sept. 24-25, and on Long Island it is Oct. 29-30.

Both the junior hunter and their adult mentor must have a hunting license; only the junior hunter is allowed to carry a firearm and harvest birds on these dates.