The regular spring turkey season for St. Lawrence County hunters opens May 1 .    

Hunting is permitted in most areas of the state, except for New York City and Nassau County.Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in addition to a hunting license.

Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day. Hunters may take two bearded turkeys during the spring season, but only one bird per day and no more than one bird per season in Wildlife Management Unit 1C (Suffolk County).

Hunters may not use rifles or handguns firing a bullet. Hunters may hunt with a shotgun or handgun loaded with shot sizes no larger than No. 2 or smaller than No. 9, or with a bow or crossbow. Crossbows may not be used in Westchester or Suffolk counties.

•   Successful hunters must fill out the tag that comes with a turkey permit and immediately attach it to any turkey harvested. Successful hunters must report harvests within seven days of taking a bird. Report harvests online at DEC's Game Harvest Reporting website or call 1-866-426-3778 (1-866 GAMERPT).

Tips for a Successful and Safe Turkey Hunting Season

•   Don't stalk. More than half of turkey hunting injuries happen when a hunter stalks another.
•   Wear hunter orange when going in or out of the woods and when walking around.
•   When sitting still waiting for a turkey, put hunter orange on a nearby tree.
•   When calling, sit still with against a tree to break-up any silhouette.
•   Wrap any takes or decoys in hunter orange.
•   Never wear turkey colors – red, white, or blue.
•   Always assume any call or footsteps are from another hunter. Don't shoot until the whole turkey can be observed and its sex identified.
•   When encountering another hunter, speak clearly and don't move. Never wave or use a turkey call to alert another hunter.
•   Turkeys are tough, and 30 yards or less is the best distance for a clear head or neck shot. Do not try to shoot turkeys in the body or while they are flying.
•   Smaller shot, no. 4, 5, and 6, work better than larger shot, due to denser shot patterns. New shotshell technologies allow for shot sizes as small as 8 and 9 to be effective for turkeys. Do research and pattern shotguns to learn what works for each setup.