Hunting Seasons

Oswego County is located in both the Northern and Southern hunting zones as designated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), which extends the hunting season in Upstate NY. These added opportunities to bring home a trophy make hunting in Upstate NY much more dynamic than other counties in the state.

In the Northern Zone, bowhunting season runs from Sept. 27 to the Friday before the next to last Saturday in October. Muzzleloader season is the seven-day period immediately before regular season which opens on the next to last Saturday in October and runs to the first Sunday in September. 

In the Southern Zone, bowhunting season begins the Saturday after Columbus Day and goes to the start of regular season. It resumes after the regular season ends and runs for nine days. The regular season runs for 23 days, starting the third Saturday in November. Muzzleloader season runs for nine days after the regular season ends.

Turkey hunting season runs from Oct. 1 to 14 in the Northern Zone and Oct. 21 to Nov. 3 in the Southern Zone. The spring turkey hunting season runs from May 1 to 31 in both areas. 

There are also hunting seasons for waterfowl, migratory game birds and small game – as well as furbearer trapping – as designated by the NYSDEC. For a complete breakdown of each season go to https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html.