New York Pheasant Season 2026
New York's pheasant season runs October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 in northern and eastern New York, October 17, 2026 to February 28, 2027 in western New York and November 1 to December 31, 2026 on Long Island. Youth hunts run Sep 26 to 27 in northern and eastern New York, Oct 10 to 11 in western New York and Oct 24 to 25 on Long Island.
New York pheasant season dates and bag limit
New York's pheasant season runs October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 in northern and eastern New York, October 17, 2026 to February 28, 2027 in western New York and November 1 to December 31, 2026 on Long Island. Youth hunts run Sep 26 to 27 in northern and eastern New York, Oct 10 to 11 in western New York and Oct 24 to 25 on Long Island. The daily limit is 2 pheasants. On Long Island the daily limit is 2 in the youth hunt and 4 in the regular season, with 30 a season, and in WMU 2A there is no youth hunt and hunting is by falconry only. Some areas are cocks only, among them Long Island east of the Shinnecock Canal and Inlet; the map in the DEC guide shows which.
- Northern and eastern New YorkOct 1Season in northern and eastern New York, Oct 1 to Feb 28; Youth in northern and eastern New York, Sep 26 to 27
- Western New YorkOct 17Season in western New York, Oct 17 to Feb 28; Youth in western New York, Oct 10 to 11
- Long IslandNov 1Season on Long Island, Nov 1 to Dec 31; Youth on Long Island, Oct 24 to 25
- Northern and eastern New York
- Oct 1 to Feb 28
- Western New York
- Oct 17 to Feb 28
- Long Island
- Nov 1 to Dec 31
- Youth hunts
- Sep 26 to 27 in northern and eastern New YorkOct 10 to 11 in western New YorkOct 24 to 25 on Long Island
- Daily limit
- 2 birds a day
- Shooting hours
- Sunrise to sunset
- Youth HuntSep 26 to 27northern and eastern New York
- Pheasant Hunting (Regular Season)Oct 1 to Feb 28northern and eastern New York (yellow area on the map)
- Youth HuntOct 10 to 11western New York
- Pheasant Hunting (Regular Season)Oct 17 to Feb 28western New York; northern tier of western WMUs closes Dec. 31
- Youth HuntOct 24 to 25Long Island
- Pheasant Hunting (Regular Season)Nov 1 to Dec 31Long Island
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulations, read October 8, 2026.
New York pheasant stocking
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation releases approximately 50,000 adult pheasants on over 100 sites open to public pheasant hunting. Release timing: just before and during the pheasant hunting season; western NY 2026: Region 8 stocking days Tuesdays and Fridays, Region 9 release days October 9, 16, 23, and 30, with hunting closed at stocking sites on stocking days.
Annually, approximately 50,000 adult pheasants are released just before and during the pheasant hunting season on lands open to public huntingNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
What it takes to hunt pheasants in New York
- Residents
- Annual Hunting License: $22 (ages 16 to 69), $5 (ages 12 to 15), $5 (ages 70 and over)
- Nonresidents
- Annual Hunting License: $100 (ages 16 and over), $5 (ages 12 to 15)
Every New York license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the New York hunting license page.
New York pheasant questions
Pheasant season in other states
New York read October 8, 2026 from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.