2012-2013 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Guide - New York State ...

HeaDer MessaGes
a message from the Commissioner
Fish and wildlife means business! The numbers are clear: when New
Yorkers and visiting outdoor enthusiasts go afield to fish, hunt, or trap,
they help drive New York's economy.
Based on surveys by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting and
fishing contribute $855 million dollars in direct economic activity to our
state, and when you include lodging, food and fuel it totals $1.6 billion
dollars. This spending creates real jobs in rural communities that increasingly
depend on tourism to grow local small businesses. At DEC we are
working hard to raise awareness of the economic benefits of fish and
wildlife conservation and to increase its economic impact.
Of course, our number one job is to ensure that New York’s fish and wildlife are protected and
conserved for future generations. It is also clear that with the abundance of natural resources
in New York, we can do more to promote the enjoyment of outdoor activities. To that end,
I have asked DEC biologists and wildlife managers to look for opportunities to promote hunting,
fishing and trapping, as well as bird-watching, photography, and other wildlife-related
recreation, including attracting more visitors from out of state and even from other countries.
New York has a lot to offer. After all, we have one of the most diverse states in the country,
with abundant saltwater species, great trout and bass angling, world-class hunting and trapping,
and other recreational opportunities. With the adoption of new deer hunting regulations this
fall following the completion of our Statewide Deer Management Plan, New York is gaining
attention as a great place to plan a hunt for white-tailed deer.
Try New York for hunting this fall, I know you’ll have a terrific experience! No place has
hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities like New York. Whether you live here
or are just visiting, enjoy the outdoors and pass the word that, in New York, fish and wildlife
means business.
Joe Martens, Commissioner
a message from the assistant Commissioner for Natural resources
As your new Assistant Commissioner for Natural Resources, I am pleased
to greet you as you consider New York's rich outdoor heritage and your
many opportunities to enjoy days in the field hunting or trapping.
For over a century, hunters and trappers have been at the forefront of
wildlife conservation, and indeed New York sportsmen were pivotal in
passing laws beginning in the late 1800s to establish sound conservation
practices. With game populations now thriving, New York hunters and
trappers continue to advocate for game policies to meet their needs and
interests. You have strong opinions on a number of important issues ranging
from when crossbows should be allowed, how to best manage New York's
deer herd, and how to best recruit and retain a new generation of young hunters and trappers.
Our job at the Department of Environmental Conservation is to do our best to find common
ground among sportsmen, and to ensure that our laws and regulations are guided by sound
conservation principles that are fair to a majority of people, while fulfilling our legal mandates
to conserve wildlife for future generations. It is a hard job, but we are fortunate that New York
has some of the finest biologists in the country committed to wildlife conservation. Our staff
work hard for you, and all of us at DEC appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm to New
York’s wildlife resources.
Today, more than ever, it is critical that New Yorkers work together to make sure we stay
focused on the larger goal: conserving wildlife for future generations. The challenge for all of
us is to seek not what is right for us, but what is right for the conservation leaders of tomorrow.
As you go afield this fall and winter, there is one thing you can do to protect our future: take
a kid hunting or trapping and show them why conservation matters.
Kathleen Moser, Assistant Commissioner for Natural Resources
Remember to
Report Your
Game Harvest
www.dec.ny.gov
1-866-426-3778
H unting
NEW YORK
About this Guide
This high-quality regulation guide is offered
to you by the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation through its unique
partnership with J.F. Griffin Publishing, LLC.
J.F. Griffin is an award winning publishing house
that specializes in producing state fish & wildlife
regulation books. J.F. Griffin supports the DEC’s
staff in the design, layout and editing of the
guides. They also manage the marketing and
sales of advertising to appropriate businesses
within the book.
The revenue generated through ad sales significantly
lowers production costs and generates savings.
These savings translate into additional funds
for other important fisheries and habitat programs!
If you have any feedback or are interested in
advertising, please contact us at 413.884.1001 or
online at www.JFGriffin.com
Cover Photo by Lon Lauber
graphic Design:
Jon Gulley, Evelyn Haddad, Erin Murphy
430 Main st. suite 5 | Williamstown, MA 01267
available online
in a new Digital Edition!
Fully searchable
Live hyperlinks to
expanded content
trapping
Email pages
One-click printing
www.eRegulations.com/NY/hunting
6 2012–13 HuNtING & traPPING GuIDe
&
2012–13 OFFICIAL GUIDE TO LAWS & REGULATIONS
VOLUME 6, ISSUE NO. 1, OCTOBER 2012
PUTTING NY'S DEER
MANAGEMENT
PLAN into Action
page 31
New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation
www.dec.ny.gov
Most regulations are in effect
October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013