NY Wants To Expand Wild Turkey Hunting In Suffolk As Populations Grow

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Wild turkeys are back in Suffolk County, in a big way. As the population continues to grow the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wants to expand the turkey hunting season in 2023.

The wild birds have been proliferating in Eastern and Central Suffolk County in recent years after being almost gone from Long Island, hitting self-sustaining levels that can allow for more hunting, the DEC said in a news release Thursday.

Starting in 2009, the first turkey hunting season on Long Island was established, with a five day fall period and one bird limit. A two-day youth spring season was eventually added, but the turkey population continued to grow, currently up to 3,000 according to the agency.

"Wild turkey restoration is one of the greatest success stories of modern wildlife conservation," Commissioner Seggos said in the release.

"In New York, DEC's management and protection of wild turkeys has allowed the birds to maintain self-sustaining populations in all suitable habitats of the state. This regulation change would expand hunting downstate, ensuring New York remains a premiere destination for turkey hunters in the Northeast."

The proposed expanded spring season would run May 1 until May 31, and hunters can kill one bearded bird, effective spring 2023.

A separate statewide proposal would change the minimum shot size from number 8 to 9 for turkey hunting statewide, considering new advances in shot shell technology that affect humane killing.