New York DEC opening public lands lottery for Long Island May gobbler hunt

Stony Brook, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reminds Long Island turkey hunters of the 2024 spring turkey season in Suffolk County May 1-31.

This season marks the second year of the hunt on Long Island, following the highly successful inaugural spring season in 2023, during which approximately 2,000 registered hunters enjoyed this new hunting opportunity.

All of Wildlife Management Unit 1C (Suffolk County) will be open for the spring gobbler season. DEC says the demand for spring turkey hunting on DEC-managed lands makes it necessary for hunters to follow specific access procedures to ensure equal hunting opportunities for all.

Therefore, DEC requires spring turkey hunters to enter a drawing and make advance reservations before hunting on DEC-managed properties. To enter the drawing, hunters must complete the Long Island State Lands Spring Turkey Drawing Registration Form.

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Interested hunters are required to fill out their name, email address, and DEC customer ID. Once the reservation is complete and submitted, the hunter will be entered into the drawing. The deadline for entries is midnight on March 20. Hunters will receive a drawing number via email after submitting a reservation.

Hunters may submit one entry only. Any individual who sends more than one entry will have all entries removed from the drawing. Hunting parties are limited to three hunters. Each member of a three-hunter party may send one entry.

Visit DEC’s website for more information on DEC-managed properties open for the spring turkey hunt.

Long Island’s wild turkey population is an example of the State’s successful restoration and management efforts.

Populations of wild turkey on Long Island disappeared in the late 19th Century due to a reduction in forested habitat, as these environments were cleared for colonial farms and firewood. In the mid-1990s, DEC trapped approximately 75 wild turkeys in upstate New York and released those birds at three locations in Suffolk County.

The Long Island population is now estimated at more than 3,000 birds and growing. Wild turkeys have become a common sight at many locations in Suffolk County and some locations in Nassau County.

Hunters are only allowed to harvest one bearded turkey in WMU 1C (Suffolk County).

Hunters who are unable to complete the online survey or have additional questions should contact the DEC Region 1 Wildlife office at 631-444-0310 before March 20.

For more information, including links to the online registration form and a list of public lands, visit DEC’s Long Island Hunting webpage.