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Public Hunting Opportunities in Suffolk County, Long Island

NYSDEC manages several public hunting areas on Long Island which are shown and described on Long Island Public Hunting Areas and in the brochure Public Hunting Opportunities on NYSDEC-Managed Lands (198k pdf). Access permits are required for hunting on all NYSDEC-managed areas on Long Island. Daily access permits are required to hunt on the Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area and parts of the Otis Pike Preserve from November 1 through December 31. Daily access permits also are required to hunt on all NYSDEC-managed areas during the January firearms deer season in Suffolk County.

Before November 1 and after December 31 (except for the days of the January firearms deer season), hunting on Rocky Point and parts of Otis Pike is by seasonal access permit only. At all times, hunting on all other NYSDEC-managed lands is by seasonal access permit. There is no fee for access permits. All NYSDEC-managed lands are closed to hunting on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

Seasonal Access Permit Procedures for Hunting

Except for the days of the January firearms deer season, a seasonal access permit is required to hunt on the Sarnoff Pine Barrens Preserve, Barcelona Neck state lands, Westhampton Management Area, West Tiana, East Hampton Cooperative Area and the following portions of the Otis Pike Preserve:

  • Topping Path (spot nos. 23-34)
  • Eastport (spot nos. 41-42)
  • Nugent Drive (spot nos. 13A, 16A, 35, 43)
  • Hot Water Street (spot nos. 46-47)
  • Parking Spot 51W (waterfowl spot on Mill Road)

A seasonal access permit also is required to hunt on any of the tidal wetlands areas owned by NYSDEC where hunting is allowed. Please refer to the brochure Hunting on State Tidal Wetlands (available at the Region 1 office in Stony Brook) for additional information. Seasonal access permits also are required to hunt on the Rocky Point Area and Otis Pike Preserve before November 1 and after January 1 except for the days of the January firearms deer season, when a daily permit is required.

Seasonal access permits may be obtained in person at the Sporting License Office in Stony Brook, or by calling the office at 631-444-0273 to have an application mailed to you. Permits also can be obtained at the Ridge Hunter Check Station from 9AM to 4PM, November 1 through December 31 and on the days of the January firearms deer season. I n addition, applications for seasonal access permits (42k pdf) may be downloaded and mailed to the Region 1 office. Seasonal access permits are valid for three years.

Daily Access Permit Procedures for Hunting Rocky Point and Otis Pike

From November 1 through December 31, all hunting on Rocky Point and parts of Otis Pike (parking spot nos. 1 through 12, 14 and 15, 17 through 22 and 36, 37, 39, 40, 44, 45, 49, 50 and 52) is by daily access permit only. Daily access permits can be obtained at the Ridge Hunter Check Station.

Non-holiday Weekdays

Monday through Friday, daily access permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Daily access permits are issued 45 minutes before sunrise for archers and waterfowlers and 15 minutes before sunrise for small-game hunters. On weekdays, hunters arriving before the check station opens must park in numbered parking spots in front of the check station according to the order of their arrival and must sign the list at the check station window to ensure their place in line.

Day-Before Reservations for Archery and Waterfowl Hunters

On non-reservation days, waterfowl hunters and archery deer hunters who would like to hunt on the Rocky Point or the Otis Pike Preserve may reserve a parking site the day before they want to hunt. To make a "day-before" reservation, you must call the Ridge Check Station at 631-924-3156 between 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM the day before you want to hunt (Sunday through Thursday only). After making a "day-before" reservation, hunters must pick up their permits and placards and leave their licenses in a drop box on the porch of the check station anytime after 6:00 PM the night before they hunt. This will allow hunters to go directly to their reserved parking spots in the morning. Hunters must still check in at the Check Station no later than one-half hour after sunset on the day they hunt.

The following spots may be reserved on the afternoon before hunting: Rocky Point spots: 1, 6, 9, 18, 22*, 25, 26* (*two-car spots; only one can be reserved as an early-out spot) 29, 30-41, 43-44, 49 and 50. Otis Pike Preserve spots are: 3, 5, 7, 10 or 12**, 14 and 15, 17 or 19**, 36, 49, 50 and 52 (**only one of these two spots will be given out as an early-archery or early-waterfowl spot). If you make an early-out reservation, you may hunt only the species for which the reservation was made. Any archer who fails to use two early-out reservations in one month will be barred from making or using any early-out reservations for the remainder of the month. The list of eligible spots is subject to change. If you wish to hunt at a parking spot other than one of those listed above, you must follow normal procedures.

Weekends, Holidays and November 1st

On November 1, weekends and holidays, hunting at these areas is by reservation only. Reservations may be made by calling 631-924-3156. Reservations for a Saturday will be taken on the Saturday before the reserved day. Reservations for Sundays, Election Day, Veterans Day and November 1 will be taken on the Sunday before the reserved day. However, if November 1 or Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, reservations will be taken two Sundays prior to the reserved day.

Reservations for the Rocky Point Area will be taken from 8:30 to 10:00 AM. Reservations for the Otis Pike Preserve will be taken from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. After 12:30 PM, reservations may be made for all properties. Only one reservation may be made per call. Reservations may not be made before the times listed above and may not be made in person. When making a reservation, you will need to provide your name and date of birth. In return, you will be given a number corresponding to your place in line on the day of the hunt.

Hunters are allowed to make or use a maximum of seven reservations in November and six in December. Hunters who fail to use two reservations that they have made in the same month will be barred from making or using any reservations for the remainder of the month.

Attention New and Junior Hunters

New and junior hunters may call early, from 7:45 AM to 8:15 AM, to make reservations for either property. If you are a junior hunter or an adult who took the firearms Hunter Education Course within the past two years, you may call for reservations before regular reservations are taken. On the day of the hunt, you must provide proof that you are a new hunter by showing either a junior license or the certificate from your Hunter Education Course. Someone other than the new hunter may call to make a reservation, but on the day of the hunt, the new hunter must be present. You may make only two new or junior hunter reservations per month. Hunters who make a reservation but do not use it will be penalized.

Maximum party size for small-game hunting is three individuals with no more than two dogs afield. Maximum party size for big-game hunting is two individuals.

Shotgun and Muzzleloading Firearms Deer Hunting

The January firearms deer-hunting season begins on the Monday following the first Saturday in January and continues through the last weekday of the month. The season is restricted to weekdays only. Where allowed, firearms deer hunting on all NYSDEC-managed lands is by daily permits distributed according to a drawing held on the first Tuesday of December. Deadline for entry is the day before at 4:45 PM. To enter, send a legal-size envelope (4" x 9½") to NYSDEC--Deer Drawing, PO Box 0659, Ridge, NY, 11961-0659.

In that envelope, enclose another legal-size envelope that is stamped, self-addressed and has the hunter's back tag number written on the back of it. Entries may be hand delivered to the check station after November 1. For additional information, please refer to Shotgun and Muzzleloading Firearms Deer Hunting.

Ridge Hunter Check Station
484 Randall Road
Ridge, NY 11961
631-924-3156

The check station is located north of Route 25 on Randall Road (1/3-mile west of the William Floyd Parkway, L.I.E. Exit 68 North) in Ridge. It is open from 2 PM to 6 PM on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in October; from sunrise to sunset November 1 through December 31 and from sunrise to sunset each day of the January deer season.

FIRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE

Hunting is limited to waterfowl. The free seasonal permit required may be obtained in person at the National Seashore Visitor Center, Smith Point, Fire Island, 631-281-3010.

SUFFOLK COUNTY PARKLANDS

Suffolk County provides some waterfowl- and deer-hunting opportunities. Most county lands are open only to Suffolk County residents. Contact Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, PO Box 144, West Sayville NY 11796, 631-854-4949.


More about Public Hunting Opportunities in Suffolk County, Long Island: