NEW YORK (WWTI) – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that early big game and small game hunting seasons are officially underway for the 2026–27 license year.
An early bear season runs from Sept. 12 through Sept. 27 across 11 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the Southern Zone, with Northern Zone bear hunting opening on Sept. 19 and running through December 6. Additionally, an early antlerless deer season runs from Sept. 12 to Sept. 20 across 23 Southern Zone units, marking an expansion into 10 new WMUs.
To support population management, all participating early antlerless units are offering unlimited Deer Management Permits (DMPs). Hunters who report an antlerless harvest on a DMP can receive a Bonus DMP for the same unit, alongside a second antlered deer tag through the DEC’s new “Earn-a-2nd-Buck” program. Depending on the specific WMU, allowed equipment includes firearms, crossbows, and vertical bows, though certain units are restricted to vertical bows and crossbows only.
The DEC is also encouraging successful bear hunters to participate in the Black Bear Management Cooperator program by submitting a premolar tooth from harvested bears to help biologists monitor population health in exchange for age data and a commemorative patch.
Alongside big game opportunities, Sept. marks the kickoff for small game, furbearer trapping, and various upland bird seasons. Youth waterfowl hunting days are slated for Sept. 26–27 upstate, while the DEC plans to release approximately 60,000 adult pheasants to supplement upcoming upland hunting opportunities. Hunters using firearms during any active season must wear solid or patterned fluorescent orange or pink safety gear, with legal shooting hours spanning from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Complete regulations are available in the 2026–27 Hunting and Trapping Guide.