Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend New York
June 4th, 2006 by Administrator
Tentative dates set for waterfowl hunting
The annual Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend will be held in each zone of New York this fall, providing additional days for junior hunters (ages 12-15) to hunt ducks, geese and brant.
The event will be held in the western zone Oct. 8-9; northeastern and southeastern zones Sept. 23-24; and Long Island zone Nov. 11-12.
Tentative dates, developed by a team of state biologists based on public input through civilian Waterfowl Hunting Task Forces, have also been announced for the regular duck hunting seasons, although they must still be ratified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The tentative dates:* Northeastern Zone: Oct. 7-15 and Oct. 25-Dec. 14
* Southeastern Zone: Oct. 14-22 and Nov. 11-Dec. 31
* Western Zone: Oct. 21-Dec. 6 and Dec. 26-Jan. 7
* Long Island Zone: Nov 22-26 and Dec. 5-Jan. 28
The season for hunting resident Canada geese in most of New York will again run Sept. 1-25 and will allow a bag limit of eight daily. The exceptions will be the Lake Champlain Zone (Sept. 5-25, five geese daily) and the Long Island Zone (Sept. 5-30).
The state will mail a copy of the 2006-2007 regulations brochure to everyone who registered in New York’s Harvest Information Program (HIP) last year. Copies will also be available in late September where hunting licenses are sold.
Hunters must register with HIP for each state they intend to hunt in and for each hunting season. Hunters may register for HIP online at www.wetland.net or by calling (866) GAME-RPT.
The HIP website and phone number will be activated in mid-August. HIP provides hunter names and addresses that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses for harvest surveys and DEC uses to mail hunters the annual regulations brochure.
For more information about waterfowl in New York, visit the DECwebsite: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/waterfowl/index.html.