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DEC announces youth pheasant hunting weekend for WNY

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Wed, Sep 28th 2022 10:50 am

Youth-only pheasant hunt weekend to be held Oct. 8-9

A special youth-only pheasant hunting weekend will be held in Western New York on Oct. 8-9, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced. The youth-only pheasant hunting weekend helps acclimate junior hunters to upland game bird hunting when fewer hunters are afield, and to learn safe hunting values and skills from experienced hunters. 

The hunt will occur one week prior to the regular pheasant hunting season, and will provide junior hunters (ages 12-15 years old) the opportunity to hunt pheasants with a licensed adult companion. The 2022-23 regular pheasant season opens Oct. 15.

Junior hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter during the youth pheasant hunt. Accompanying adults will not be allowed to possess a firearm or take a pheasant during this special season. During the two-day youth hunt, junior hunters will be allowed to take two birds per day, as allowed during the regular season. Pheasant hunting boundary descriptions can be found on page 43 of the 2022-23 hunting and trapping regulation guide (also available online at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29453.html ). All other pheasant hunting regulations remain in effect.

A special permit will be required to hunt at Joseph Davis, Golden Hill and Wilson-Tuscarora state parks located in Niagara County. An individual permit will be required to hunt on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Sunday, Oct. 9. The youth hunt this year will allow for a second youth hunter to be named on the permit. There will be two separate hunts each day that a permit is required: The first hunt will be from sunrise until 12:30 p.m.; the second hunt will be from 12:30 p.m. until sunset. 

Junior hunters interested in entering the permit lottery at Golden Hill, Wilson-Tuscarora and Joseph Davis state parks should mail a separate, standard size file card for each date and park that they would like to hunt. Only one permit will be issued to each hunter per day. Cards may be put into an envelope for each respective park and mailed together to the appropriate addresses below:

•Golden Hill State Park, Attn: Renee Campbell

9691 Lower Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012

716-795-3885

•Joseph Davis State Park, Attn: Josh Bodie

1 Maintenance Ave., Youngstown, NY 14174

716-745-7273

•Wilson Tuscarora State Park, Attn: David Giambra

Lake Road, P.O. Box 324, Wilson, NY 14172

716-751-6361

Information on the file card should include the junior hunter’s name, address, telephone number, email address, hunting license back tag number, hunt date and desired park location. Entries will be computerized to avoid duplications. All lottery entries must be received by noon on Thursday, Sept 29. For more information regarding the permit lottery, call the respective park managers at the numbers provided. There is no fee for the permit, and junior hunters awarded permits will have the option of naming one additional junior hunter on their permit. 

Approximately 889 adult roosters and hens will be stocked in DEC Region 9 immediately prior to the youth hunt weekend. All the birds will be provided from the DEC Reynolds Game Farm. 

Youth hunters wishing to hunt pheasants in Allegany State Park must pick up a free hunting permit at the park’s administration building near Redhouse Lake before hunting in the park. For questions about pheasant hunting in Allegany State Park, call 716-354-9121.

Questions about the youth pheasant hunt can be directed to DEC’s bureau of wildlife at 716-851-7010 in Buffalo or 716-372-0645 in Allegany. To apply for a permit, contact the park managers identified above. Additional information about pheasant hunting is available on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8363.html.

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