No Lions or Tigers But Plenty of Bears as the Season Opens

I suppose it's another sign that fall is near as if the weather hasn't been proof enough. Bear hunting season opens downstate this weekend and upstate next weekend.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation this should be a great time to hunt as the corn is late maturing and there's an abundance of apples, both bear favorites.

In southeastern New York, the early season runs September 9th through the 24th, northern New York season is September 16th through October 31st. Bear can be taken with a bow, crossbow, muzzle loader, handgun, shotgun, or rifle.

DEC.gov

The warmer weather makes for more comfortable hunting, but it also means your harvest should be field dressed. The DEC recommends, " skin and cool harvested bears as soon as possible to protect the quality of the meat. Hunters may opt to skin and quarter the bear in the field, then pack out the meat in game bags to a waiting cooler of ice."

Information about black bear hunting in New York, including season dates regulations, is available on DEC's website.

SOURCE:
Department of Environmental Conservation

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