BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The state's Department of Environmental Conservation announced Tuesday a youth-only pheasant hunting weekend in Western New York.
The special weekend will take place from Saturday, Oct. 8 - Sunday, Oct. 9. Hunters from the ages of 12-15 years old will be provided the opportunity to hunt pheasants with a licensed adult companion.
The hunt will help youth hunters become acclimated with game bird hunting and safe hunting values. Youth hunters will also be able to learn skills from experienced adult hunters.
The weekend will occur a week prior to the regular pheasant hunting season, which begins Saturday, Oct. 15.
Youth hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter durn the pheasant hunt. The accompanying adult can not possess a firearm or take a pheasant during the weekend. Youth hunters will be allowed to take two birds per day.
A special permit will be required to hunt at three different Niagara County state parks: Joseph Davis, Golden Hill, and Wilson-Tuscarora. Another individual permit will be required for the youth hunters.
Two hunts will take place each day - one from sunrise until 12:30 p.m. and the other from 12:30 p.m. until sunset.
Youth hunters interested in entering the permit lottery at the state parks would mail a separate, standard-size file card for each date and the park that they would like to hunt at. One permit will be mailed to each hunter per day.
Cards should be put into an envelope per park, and mailed to the following, appropriate addresses.
- Golden Hill State Park
- Attn. Renee Campbell
- 9691 Lower Lake Road Barker, N.Y. 14012
- 716-795-3885
- Joseph Davis State Park
- Attn. Josh Bodie
- 1 Maintenance Avenue Youngstown, N.Y. 14174
- 716-745-7273
- Wilson Tuscarora State Park
- Attn. David Giambra
- Lake Road, P.O Box 324 Wilson, N.Y. 14172
- 716-751-6361
All entries for the permit lottery should be received by 12 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29. There is no fee for the permit, and those awarded junior hunter permits can add an additional junior hunter on their permit.
Around 889 roosters and hens from the DEC Reynolds Game Farm will be stocked in the region prior to the youth hunting weekend.
For more information on the youth hunting weekend, visit the DEC pheasant hunting site, here.
