New York Is Making Hunting Much Easier For Upstate

Autumn is rolling into New York State, which means that Hunting Season is upon us. Across Upstate, folks are getting ready to head out into the wilderness and practice their craft.

Nowadays, you can't just head out into the woods and do as you please, there are certain guidelines you have to follow. Luckily, New York State is making the process much easier.

Electronic Tags for New York Hunting

While hunters can still use paper licenses and tags, the Department of Environmental Conservation is implementing a new program that makes the whole process digital. Now, sportsmen & women will be able to use the HuntFishNY App as proof of license and possession for deer, bear & turkey.

With these electronic tags, you can report your harvest through the app. No cell service? No problem, you'll be able to report regardless of your connection. If you prefer things the old fashioned way, on pen and paper, the time required to report a harvest has been shortened from seven days to 48 hours.

Other Changes are Coming

In addition to e-tags, NYDEC is also introducing a few new perks. Youth hunters aged 12 to 15 will be issued a bonus regular season tag if they report a deer taken during Youth Big Game Hunt weekend. This tag will be mailed to eligible hunters.

Added to that, crossbows will now be authorized for the same seasons as vertical bows while hunting deer and/or bear. The renewal process for the Deer Management Assistance Program has also been bumped from three to five years, and will now not enforce a limit on DMAP tags.

For more information on changes coming to NYDEC for Fall Season, visit their website.