Canada Goose Seasons Open September 1st in Many Areas  One of the first seasons to open every year is the September "resident" Canada goose season. Although they may look the same, "resident" Canada geese are those that breed in the United States and southern Canada, unlike "Atlantic Population" (or "AP") Canada geese, their relatives that breed in northern Canada and migrate through New York. Typically, resident geese produce more young per pair and survive at a higher rate than AP geese. As the resident goose population has grown, season lengths and bag limits have been liberalized and hunters have successfully stabilized the population. The September season is an important opportunity for hunters, as AP goose seasons have been restricted to 30 days and a one-bird bag in most areas to protect this more vulnerable population. For more information on the differences between resident and AP geese, visit DEC's website.
You can find details on waterfowl hunting regulations, season dates, hunting area boundaries, and bag limits for both the September and regular seasons on DEC's website. To participate, hunters must: (1) possess a 2021-22 hunting license; (2) register for the 2021-22 New York Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP; see below); and (3) all hunters 16 years of age or older must have a 2021-22 federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (i.e., "duck stamp") signed across the face of the stamp in ink. Photo courtesy of T. Van Liew
Harvest Information Program Registration Process Improvements 
For the 2021 hunting season, DEC has developed a new and more streamlined registration process for hunters to obtain their HIP number. All migratory game bird hunters must register annually for HIP through DECALS, DEC's licensing system. HIP registrations are used to estimate the total number of hunters. Follow-up surveys of registrants help the US Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies monitor migratory game bird harvest and establish hunting regulations. HIP registration is valid from August 1 – April 15 annually. Visit DEC's HIP page to register or call 1-866-933-2257.
DEC Adopts New Regulations for Deer and Bear Hunting  New rules create a special antlerless deer season in September, extend daily hunting hours, and create a fluorescent orange or pink clothing requirement when pursuing big game with a firearm. With these changes, DEC seeks to increase antlerless harvest where needed, provide additional opportunity for hunters, and increase hunter safety. DEC had been considering changing hunting hours and fluorescent orange requirements for years, and these actions now bring New York in line with common practice of states and provinces across North America.
DEC announced the potential changes in June. After thorough review of the public comments received, DEC decided to adopt the changes as proposed. DEC has updated the deer and bear hunting season maps on its website. The summary of the public comments and DEC's response is available on DEC's website and in the latest issue of the New York State Register. The adopted changes: - Establish a nine-day season for antlerless deer in mid-September (9/11 - 9/19/2021) using firearms in WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A, and 9F, and using bowhunting equipment in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C. Management objectives in these units are either to decrease the deer population or maintain a stable population, and increased antlerless harvest is needed to achieve these objectives. Objectives are based on public input and assessments of deer impacts to forests. Hunters may only use Deer Management Permits and Deer Management Assistance Permit tags in this season.
- Restore antlerless harvest during the early muzzleloader season in Northern Zone WMUs 6A, 6F, 6J. The management objective for these units is to maintain a stable population, and the deer population in these units has grown, aided by a series of mild winters and prior restrictions on antlerless harvest.
- Extend the hunting hours for deer and bear to include the full period of ambient light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. All other states allow deer hunting beginning ½ hour before sunrise or earlier, or simply specify daylight hours, and 46 of 50 states allow deer hunting until some period (mostly ½ hour) after sunset. This change conforms to the national standard for big game hunting.
- Require anyone hunting big game with a firearm (or accompanying someone hunting big game with a firearm) to wear a solid or patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink hat, vest, or jacket. Most two-party hunting-related shooting incidents in New York involve a hunter victim who was not wearing fluorescent orange or pink clothing. Similar fluorescent orange requirements exist in most states.
- Simplify bear hunting season in the Adirondack region by extending regular season to cover the entire hunting period.
Photo courtesy of Bill Combs Jr. |
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