VII. New York Waterfowl Hunting Seasons 2011-2012

2011-12 Waterfowl Seasons

Shooting Hours: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Non-toxic Shot: Required

Season Zones: Most waterfowl seasons are set based on five waterfowl hunting zones that have been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

NOTE: (1) The following hunting season dates have been finalized. Be sure to check all regulations before going hunting; and (2) You must register with HIP to hunt any of these species.

Species	Western	Northeast	Lake Champlain	Southeast	Long Island
Youth Days ^a	Oct 8 & 9	Sept 17 & 18	Sept 24 & 25	Sept 17 & 18	Nov 12 & 13
Ducks, Coots, Mergansers	Oct 22 - Dec 5 Dec 26 - Jan 9	Oct 1 - Oct 10 Oct 22 - Dec 10	Oct 12 - Oct 16 Oct 29 - Dec 22	Oct 8 - Oct 16 Nov 5 - Dec 25	Nov 24 - Nov 27 Dec 5 - Jan 29
Sea Ducks	same as above	same as above	same as above	same as above	Oct 15 - Jan 29^b
Snow Geese	Oct 22 - Dec 10 Dec 26 - Jan 9 Jan 29 - Apr 15	Oct 1 - Dec 31 Feb 25 - Apr 15	Oct 1 - Dec 29 Mar 11 - Apr 15	Oct 1 - Jan 5 Mar 1 - Apr 15	Nov 24 - Mar 9
Brant	Oct 2 - Nov 20	Oct 1 - Nov 19	Oct 12 - Nov 30	Oct 8 - Nov 26	Nov 24 - Nov 27 Dec 15 - Jan 29
Canada Goose Seasons	see map for Canada Goose Seasons

^a Youth Days are additional days for Junior Hunters only. Young hunters, 12 to 15 years of age, possessing a junior hunting license may hunt ducks, coots, mergansers, Canada geese, and brant on 2 special days in each zone. Daily bag limits for ducks are the maximum allowed during the regular duck season, and 2 per day for Canada geese. Young hunters must be accompanied by a licensed (including current HIP registration and duck stamp) adult hunter, but the adult may not shoot any birds unless the respective regular season is open. Note: A 2010-11 hunting license is needed to hunt on any Youth Day in September 2011.
^b In the special sea duck area only.

2011-12 Waterfowl Bag Limits

The daily bag limit is the maximum number of birds of each species that any person may take or possess in the field during any one day. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for all waterfowl species except snow geese. The possession limit is the maximum number of birds that any person may possess in total in the field, at home, in transit or in storage.

Species	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Ducks*	6	12
Sea Ducks**	7	14
Coot	15	30
Canada geese ^#	see map
Snow geese	25	no limit
Brant	2	4

* The daily limit of 6 ducks includes all species of mergansers, and may include no harlequin ducks and no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be hens), 1 black duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 1 canvasback, 4 scoters or 2 hooded mergansers.

** The daily limit of 7 sea ducks (scoters, eiders and long-tailed ducks - formerly called oldsquaw) is in addition to the regular duck bag in coastal waters of the Long Island Zone only. No more than 4 scoters may be included in the daily bag of sea ducks. In all other areas, sea ducks are part of the regular duck bag limit.

# Cackling geese and white-fronted geese may be taken as part of the Canada goose daily and possession limits. Snow geese and Ross' geese may be taken as part of the snow goose limits.