DEC Announces Fall Pheasant Release for Western New York

Youth-Only Pheasant Hunt Weekend Oct. 12-13

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the pheasant hunting regular season in Western New York will open Saturday, Oct. 19. DEC will release approximately 4,750 adult Ring-necked Pheasants on Region 9 lands open to public hunting for this fall’s season. In addition, a special youth-only pheasant hunting weekend will take place in Western New York on the weekend of Oct. 12-13.  

“With an increase in stocked pheasants and locations this year, young hunters will have additional opportunities to take what they have learned from the youth hunt weekend and apply it throughout the regular season,” DEC Region 9 Director Julie Barrett-O’Neill said. “We look forward to a successful hunting season for all participants.”  

Approximately 1,250 adult Ring-necked Pheasants will be released on Region 9 lands open to public hunting for the youth weekend opportunity. The hunt is scheduled one week prior to the regular pheasant hunting season and provides junior hunters (ages 12-15 years old) an opportunity to hunt pheasants with a licensed adult companion at a time when fewer hunters are afield. Junior hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter during the youth pheasant hunt. Accompanying adults may not possess a firearm or take a pheasant during this special season. During the two-day youth hunt, junior hunters are allowed to take two birds per day, as allowed during the regular season. All other pheasant hunting regulations remain in effect.  

Stocked pheasants will be provided by DEC’s Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca.  

DEC encourages hunters to review the 2024-2025 New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide before going afield and to be sure of their targets and beyond when hunting. The guide identifies boundary restrictions and other important information. Note that "cock only" and "cock and hen" boundary descriptions are on page 40 of the guide. A complete statewide list of pheasant release sites is available on DEC’s website on the 2024 Pheasant Release Sites Interactive Mapper. 

To ensure the safety of hunters and DEC staff while pheasant stocking is occurring, pheasant hunting is prohibited each Friday at Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area (MUA) and each Thursday at Zoar Valley MUA, Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA), and Hanging Bog WMA during October and November.  
 
Hunters are reminded to ask permission from private landowners before hunting on their lands. Many of these release sites are available for hunting because of the cooperation of private landowners. Good hunter and landowner relations are critical to ensure these areas remain open to hunting in future years.    

A special permit is required for hunting small game during the opening day of regular pheasant season on Zoar Valley MUA in the town of Collins (Erie County) and Harwood Lake MUA in the town of Farmersville (Cattaraugus County). Hunters interested in entering the DEC permit lottery for these MUAs should mail one standard-size postcard to: 
 
NYSDEC, Bureau of Wildlife 
700 Delaware Ave. 
Buffalo, NY 14209 

Postcards must include the hunter’s name, address, telephone number, 2024-25 license back tag number, preferred time of hunt (sunrise to noon or 1 p.m. to sunset), and the management area desired in order of preference. All entries must be received by Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. There is no fee for the permit and hunters awarded permits will be able to designate one additional hunter on their permit. Ten permits will be issued per time block on each management area. Small game hunting on all other days will remain sunrise to sunset with no permit required.   

Hunters should also note that dogs are not allowed within the designated area on MUAs for any purpose during the 48-hour period immediately preceding opening day of the fall pheasant season as posted on Zoar Valley MUA and Harwood Lake MUA.  

Hunting throughout the pheasant season is allowed at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson-Tuscarora state parks in Niagara County. However, permits are required for the youth hunts on Oct. 12-13, and hunts on Oct. 19, Oct. 26, and Nov. 2 for Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson-Tuscarora State Parks. The youth hunt 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 with the first hunt between sunrise and 12:30 p.m., and the second hunt from 12:30 p.m. until sunset. 

Junior and adult hunters interested in entering the permit lottery at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson Tuscarora State Parks should mail a separate, standard-size file card for each date and park 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 address below:

Golden Hill State Park

Renee Campbell
9691 Lower Lake Rd.
Barker, NY 14012
(716) 795-3885

Joseph Davis State Park 

Jasper Reese 
300 Portage Rd. 
Lewiston, NY 14092
(716) 745-7273

Wilson Tuscarora State Park 

David Giambra
3371 Lake Rd.
Wilson, NY 14172
(716) 751-6361 

Information on the file card should include the hunter’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, hunting license back tag number, hunt date, morning or afternoon hunt, and desired park location. Entries will be computerized to avoid duplications. Adult lottery entries must be received by noon on Thursday, Sept. 26; youth lottery entries must be received by noon on Friday, Sept. 27.

Interested hunters are advised to call the respective park managers at the numbers provided with questions regarding the permit lottery. No pheasant hunting will be permitted at Golden Hill, Joseph Davis, and Wilson Tuscarora State Parks on release days -- Oct. 18, Oct. 25, and Nov. 1. There is no fee for the permit. Hunters awarded permits will have the option of naming one additional hunter on their permit. 

Hunters wishing to hunt pheasants in Allegany State Park are reminded they must pick up a free hunting permit at the administration building near Red House Lake before hunting in the park. No small game hunting is allowed in Allegany State Park during the regular big game season that runs from Nov. 16 to Dec. 8, 2024.   
 
The attached tables provide a summary of the number of pheasants to be stocked and release sites in each Region 9 county for regular season and youth hunting weekend. Program-related questions may be answered by contacting DEC’s Bureau of Wildlife at (716) 851-7010 in Buffalo or (716) 372-0645 in Allegany.  

Additional information about pheasant hunting is available on DEC’s website.  

* Contact New York State Park Managers to apply for permit.

** For more information about special permits for Zoar and Harwood, please contact NYS DEC office at 716-851-7010