News from
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
ALBANY,
NY (04/14/2008; 1100)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today
reminded prospective turkey hunters that the 2008 spring season opens
for all hunters on May 1, and the special Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend
will take place April 26-27.
“Spring turkey season is one
of the most popular hunting activities in New York, and I’m certain
that hunters are already feeling a great sense of anticipation,”
Grannis said. “DEC has embarked on several new initiatives in support
of sound, scientific management of our wild turkey resource and we are
pleased to report on some of those efforts as hunters look forward to
another season in pursuit of this outstanding game bird.”
It
was another exciting year for wild turkey management and research in
New York State. In 2007, DEC staff continued with the winter flock
survey and a banding study designed to assess turkey survival and
harvest rates. The spring 2007 season saw the second straight year of
increased harvest, followed by an above-average nesting season where
warm, relatively dry weather positively impacted nest success. The good
production years during summer 2005 and 2007 combined to produce an
exciting fall hunting season with an abundance of both juvenile and
adult birds in the field.
Forecast for Spring 2008
- The fifth annual Youth Turkey Hunt will be held on April 26-27, 2008.
This is an excellent opportunity for youths ages 12-15 to spend time
afield with experienced adult hunters gaining the necessary knowledge
and skills to become safe and responsible members of the hunting
community. We look forward to the great stories and pictures we receive
from young hunters and their adult companions and wish everyone a safe
and enjoyable hunt.
Other details of the youth turkey hunting weekend are as follows:
- Eligible hunters are youth 12-15 years of age, holding a junior hunting license and a turkey permit;
- Youth
12-13 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or
relative over 21 years of age, with written permission from their
parent or legal guardian. Youth 14-15 years of age must be accompanied
by a parent, legal guardian or an adult over 18 years of age, with
written permission from their parent or legal guardian;
- The
accompanying adult must have a current hunting license and turkey
permit. The adult may assist the youth hunter (including calling), but
may not carry a firearm or bow, or kill or attempt to kill a wild
turkey during the youth hunt;
- Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day; and
- The
bag limit for the youth weekend is one bearded bird. This bird becomes
part of the youth's regular season bag limit of 2 bearded birds. A
second bird may be taken beginning May 1.
- All other wild turkey hunting regulations are in effect during the youth turkey hunting weekend.
The
regular spring season opens on Thursday, May 1 and continues through
Saturday, May 31, as it has for more than a decade. Other details of
the 2008 spring turkey hunting season are as follows:
- Hunting is permitted in most areas of the State, except for New York City and Long Island;
- Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in addition to their small game hunting or sportsman license;
- Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day;
- Hunters may take 2 bearded turkeys during the spring season, but only 1 bird per day;
- Hunters
may not use rifles or handguns. Hunters may hunt only with a shotgun
and shot sizes no larger than # 2 or smaller than # 8, or with a bow
and arrow;
- Successful hunters must fill out the tag which
comes with their turkey permit and immediately attach it to any turkey
shot; and
- Successful hunters must call 1-866-426-3778 (1-866 GAMERPT) within 48 hours to report any turkey shot.
- Hunters
who take a bird with a leg band, in addition to reporting the bird via
DECALS, are encouraged to call the “800" number listed on the band. The
information you provide helps DEC staff better manage the wild turkey
resource.
During spring 2007, due to excellent
production during summer 2005 and a relatively mild winter, we observed
a larger proportion of 2+ year old birds in the harvest than the
previous year. This year, the above average nesting season during
summer 2007 and another relatively mild winter throughout much of the
state will likely result in good turkey numbers, but with a larger
proportion of juvenile birds available to hunters than last year. Based
on good productivity and winter survival, we anticipate that turkey
harvest will be similar to last year.
Turkey Hunter Safety
- New York has an extremely safety-conscious generation of hunters,
largely due to the annual efforts of over 3,000 dedicated volunteer
Sportsman Education instructors. While hunter numbers have declined in
New York over the past decade, the decline in hunting-related shooting
incidents is primarily attributable to improved hunter safety. The rate
of hunting incidents (incidents per 100,000 hunters) is declining much
faster than the number of hunters. During the 1960s, the incident rate
was 19 incidents per 100,000 hunters. Since 2000, the incident rate is
one-third of that, averaging 6.3 incidents per 100,000 hunters.
With
37 hunting-related shooting incidents, 2007 was the 5th safest year
since such records have been maintained. Of this total, 5 were related
to turkey hunting (2 during the spring season, 3 during the fall
season). This is below the ten-year average for turkey hunting-related
shooting incidents, and is the lowest number of incidents on record for
spring turkey hunting. However, it is a reminder that even one accident
is too many, so be sure to identify your target and beyond, and have a
safe and enjoyable season.
For more information about
turkey hunting in New York, see the 2007-08 Hunting and Trapping
Regulations Guide or go to the DEC website at: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29461.html.
