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Environment DEC


From the May 2008 issue

Optimistic Forecast for Spring 2008 Turkey Season

The regular spring turkey hunting season opened on May 1 and continues through Saturday, May 31 as it has for more than a decade. Other details of the 2008 spring 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 until noon each day.
  • Hunters may take two bearded turkeys during the spring season but only one bird per day.
  • Hunters must not use rifles or handguns and 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 complete the tag which comes with their turkey permit and immediately attach it to any turkey shot.
  • 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 the DEC Automated Licensing System, are encouraged to call the '800' number listed on the band. The information provided helps DEC staff better manage the wild-turkey resource.

This year, the above-average nesting season during summer 2007 and another relatively mild winter throughout much of the state likely will 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 the turkey harvest will be similar to last year's.

Turkey Hunter Safety

New York State has an extremely safety-conscious generation of hunters, largely due to the annual efforts of more than 3,000 dedicated volunteer Sportsman Education instructors. While hunter numbers have declined in the state during the past decade, the decline in hunting-related shooting incidents is primarily attributable to improved hunter safety. The rate of hunting incidents 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 fifth safest year since such records have been maintained. Of this total, five incidents were related to turkey hunting (two during the spring season, three 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.

Youth Turkey Hunt

Photo of a teenage girl with a turkey from the hunt
The Youth Turkey Hunt was held on April 26th and 27th this year

The fifth annual Youth Turkey Hunt was held on April 26-27, 2008. This was 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 hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable hunt.

For more information about turkey hunting in New York State, see the 2007-08 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, or go to DEC's website.