New LI Hunter

[walnuts24]

Just wanted to introduce myself and try and get some more information from the members here.

I am 24 years old and have been hunting for the past 6 years with my uncle in upstate NY. I started bowhunting last year and spent a couple weekends upstate looking for deer with no luck. I want to get into bowhunting on LI since the travel is much less than going upstate every weekend, but I am incredibly confused with the process that needs to be completed to hunt on public land.

I am from Oyster Bay so I am not looking to go incredibly far out east.

The DEC website has very convoluded information on hunting rules and regulations for public land on LI.

If I wanted to hunt on the weekend what would I need to do to hunt public land? I see some places say you need parking permits, sigining in, etc... while others make it seem like you can park and walk wherever you want.

I have all the necessary bow hunting tags but just don't know how to go about applying to have the opportunity to hunt public land.

Any information would be great.

Thanks

[PWGUNNY]

IT's easier than you think. The "seasonal permit is something you print right from the DEC website. Just make 2 copies. One for your dashboard when you park and one for your pocket. At the DEC website type in "LI Hunting" this should bring up the info you need. The daily permit is not needed until Nov. 1st when small game opens. Even after Nov. 1st, only some property requires the "daily permit". I use two maps that I picked up from the ranger office last year when I was bird hunting. The ranger station is on ridge rd in Rocky Pt. The 2 maps I have are the Rocky PT. map and the Otis Pike map. You can find these online. When you drive out east to these spots(LIE exit 69-71) you will see the trees posted with Gameland signs. you will also see parking pull off areas. They will be numbered. Best bet is to find an open spot(not hard to do) to park and hunt. If there is a car parked in the spot already you need to know if the site will allow more than one hunter in that spot. The map and signs will have a (1) if only one car is allowed. I find open spots to hunt since there are plenty. Get out and hunt now before Nov. 1st, and it won't be crowded.

[walnuts24]

So if I print out the seasonal permit pass, have my bowhunting privelege for NYS, and can find a place to park (I noticed the maps online indicate the number of spots), I can hunt anytime I want before Nov. 1?

[PWGUNNY]

That's right. After Nov. 1, some of the spots require the daily pass, which is obtained at the Ranger check station. There are still plenty of spots that will allow the seasonal pass, just know which ones they are. I would make an effort to go to the Ranger check station and get the maps they provide. All the information you need is on the back of the maps.