FOREST AND STREAM 
401 
Game Laws of New York State 
The First Complete Game Laws (in brief form) of 
Llewellyn Legge, Chief Game Protector. 
From Part III. Conservation Law. 
Transportation.— Within the State, or from a point within to a point, without any 
person, if accompanying the same, may transport in one day, during the open season, 
the number of wild game or fish that he may lawfully take in one day. [If such game 
or fish be placed in the custody of a common carrier or transported in any package, 
it must be tagged.] Out of the State—Wild game or fish, if taken by a non-resident, 
may be transported by him from any point within the State to a point out of the 
State, accompanied by the actual owner, who shall have procured from the commis¬ 
sion a license so to do. Such wild game or fish must be tagged, and no more of 
any kind of fish or wild game shall be transported than the owner thereof may law¬ 
fully take in one day. Game imported from without the United States or raised in 
private preserves may be transported out of the State unaccompanied by the owner 
thereof in any number or quantity. Into the State—Any citizen of this State may, 
between Sept. 16 and Jan. j following, bring into this State as his personal baggage 
for his private use, game or fish 'lawfully taken by him in any place outside of this 
State, provided that such game shall be taken not less than fifty miles from the 
border of this State, and may be lawfully brought from the State where taken, and 
further provide that the owner of said game shall have first obtained from the com¬ 
mission a license so to do, and that such game shall have been tagged at the point 
of shipment with tags furnished by the commission. A person may bring into this 
State, otherwise than by common carrier or parcel post, during the open season 
therefor prescribed by this article, game lawfully taken without the State, but in 
that case a shipping permit must first be obtained. Said game and fish may be 
possessed during said period. 
Transportation, Special.—Game and fish for propagation purposes, the head, hide, 
feet or fur of quadrupeds and the plumage or skin of game birds legally taken and 
possessed, may be transported at any time and may be bought and sold without 
being marked. 
A person who violates any of the foregoing provisions of Part HI. is guilty of a 
misdemeanor, and in addition thereto, is liable to a penalty of Sixty (60) dollars, 
and an additional penalty of Twenty-five (25) dollars for each fish, bird or quadruped, 
or part of fish, bird or quadruped bought, sold, offered for sale, taken, possessed, 
transported or had in possession for sale or transportation in violation thereof. 
From Part IV. Conservation Law. 
Hunting and Trapping License.—License shall be procured from any county, city 
or town clerk. The applicant shall fill out a blank application to be furnished by the 
commission through the clerk. [Fees: Non-resident, unnaturalized person, alien, $20.50. 
Resident, $1.10. Non-resident taxpayer, $10.50.] Exception—The owner or owners of 
farm land (or the lessee or lessees thereof) and their 'immediate family or families, 
actually occupying and cultivating the same, shall have the right to hunt without 
procuring such resident license. All licenses expire Dec. 31. Minors under the age 
of sixteen years, shall not be required to take out a license to trap furbearing 
animals. A violation of, on failure to perform any duty imposed by the foregoing 
artiole is punishable by a penalty of Sixty (60) dollars and any licensee is liable to an 
additional penalty of $25 for each bird or quadruped taken and possessed in viola¬ 
tion thereof; non-residents or aliens, penalty $100 and an additional penalty of $25 
for each fish, bird or quadruped so taken and possessed. Such violation by any 
person also constitutes a misdemeanor. 
From Part V. Conservation Law. 
Wild Deer.—Only male wild deer having horns not less than three inches in length 
may be taken from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, both inclusive, in wholly inclosed deer parks 
and in the counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jeffer¬ 
son, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington, 
except in all that portion of Oneida, Lewis and Jefferson counties lying westerly 
of the Utica and Black River Railroad, from Utica to Ogdensburg. 
Limit.—A person may take two such wild deer 'in an open season, and tihe taker 
may transport or possess for that purpose one carcass or part thereof at any one 
time, when accompanying the same. Wild deer may be taken only on land. No 
jacklight or other artificial light, trap, saltlick, or other device to entrap or entice 
deer shall be used, made or set, nor shall any deer be taken by aid or use thereof. 
Deer shall not be hunted, pursued or killed by any dog or bitch. 
Possession of Wild Deer or Venison.—Wild deer or venison lawfully taken may 
be possessed from Oct. 1 to Nov. 20, both inclusive. A person may possess such 
deer or venison from Nov. 21 to Jan. 1, both inclusive, provided a license so to do 
shall first be obtained from the commission. If possession of deer is obtained for 
transportation after Oct. 1 and before midnight of Nov. 16, it may lawfully remain 
in the possession of a common carrier the additional time necessary to deliver the 
same to its destination. Possession of deer or venison, or any part thereof, from 
Nov. 16 to Jan. 1, both inclusive, shall be presumptive evidence that the same was 
unlawfully taken. 
Application.—Applications for a license to possess venison during any calendar 
year, pursuant to the provisions of section 191 of the Conservation Law, for per¬ 
mission to possess venison, lawfully taken for a period between November 20 and 
Jan. 1, both inclusive, must be made and the license granted on or before Nov. 16. 
The applicant shall at the time of filing his application for a license pay to the 
commission a license fee of one dollar, and such license shall be granted only to 
a person holding a hunting and trapping license. A license shall permit the person 
killing the deer to possess the same in his own home for consumption and' not 
otherwise, from Nov. 21 to Jan. 1, both inclusive, provided that said deer or venison 
shall be tagged as follows: Each quarter of said deer shall be tagged with a tag 
to be furnished by the commission. The commission will also furnish with the 
license duplicate coupons which shall be filled out, signed and sworn to by the 
licensee; one coupon shall be attached to the deer and one coupon shall be filed 
with the commission on or before Nov. 20 of the same year; the tags shall be 
fastened and locked to each quarter and the coupon attached to said deer on or 
before Nov. 20 next succeeding the date of killing. 
Deer, Special.—Wild male deer having horns not less than three inches in length 
may be taken in Ulster county and in the towns of Neversink, Cochecton, Tusten, 
Highland, Lumberland, Forestburg, and Bethel, and all that section of the towns 
of Mamakating and Thompson, lying south of the Newburgh and Cochecton turn¬ 
pike, in Sullivan county, and the town of Deerpark in Orange county, from Nov. 1 
to Nov. 15, both inclusive. 
the Empire State thus far Published in any Magazine 
Dogs to be Killed.—Dogs shall not be permitted by the owner or person harbor¬ 
ing the same to run at large in or to be taken into forests inhabited by deer or 
kept or possessed in the Adirondack Park. If any dog or bitch be in the forest 
preserve or found hunting, pursuing or killing deer or running at large in forests 
inhabited by deer, it shall be presumptive evidence of a violation of this section 
by the person owning, using, having or harboring such dog or bitch. Any person 
may, and it shall be the duty of every game protector to kill any dog or bitch 
found in the Adirondack Park or in a deer forest, or pursuing deer, and no action 
for damages shall be maintained against a person for such killing. No dog or 
bitch shall be taken into or harbored in, any hunting or lumber camp within the 
forest preserve. 
Wild Moose, Elk, Caribou and Antelope.—There shall be on open season for wild 
moose, elk, caribou and antelope, but they may be brought into the State for 
breeding purposes. The flesh or any portion of any such animal may be possessed 
or transported by the owner thereof during open season for deer, provided such 
animal was killed by owner thereof, in a private park within the State. 
Black and Gray Squirrels.—Black and gray squirrels may be taken and possessed 
from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, except on Long Island where they may be taken and 
possessed from November 1 to December 31, both inclusive. A person may take 
five such squirrels, either all of one kind or partly of each in one day. No person 
shall take black or gray squirrels within corporate limit of any city or village. 
Hares and Rabbits.—Varying hares and cottontail rabbits may ibe taken and 
possessed from Oct. 1 to Jan. 31, both inclusive, except on Long Island, where the 
open season for varying hares and cottontail rabbits is from November 1 to Decem¬ 
ber 31, both inclusive. The use of ferrets is at all times prohibited, except that the 
commission may by resolution permit ferrets to be used in particular counties. 
The owners or occupants of enclosed or occupied farms and lands, or a person 
duly authorized in writing by such owner or occupant, may take, except by use of 
ferrets, in any manner at any time and in any number, varying hares and cotton¬ 
tail rabbits which are injuring their property. A person may take Six (6) varying 
hares or cottontail rabbits, either all of one kind or partly of each, in one day. 
Fur.—[Beaver protected always.] Mink and Sable may be taken either in the day¬ 
time or at night and in any manner, and possessed from November 10 to April 20, 
both inclusive. Raccoon may be taken in the daytime or at night in any manner, 
except with traps, and possessed from October 1 to April 20, both inclusive. Raccoon 
may be taken in any manner from November to to April 20. Skunk may be taken 
either in the daytime or at night and in any manner, except by taking from their 
holes or dens by digging, smoking or the use of chemicals, and may be possessed 
from November 10 to February 10, both inclusive. Skunks injuring property or 
having become a nuisance may be taken at any time and in any manner. Muskrat 
may be taken in any manner, except by shooting, and possessed from November 
to to April 20, both inclusive. Muskrat houses shall not be molested or disturbed 
at any time. A violation of the foregoing provisions of Part V. constitutes a 
misdemeanor and is punishable by a penalty of $100 and by an additional penalty 
of $100 for each deer, elk, moose, caribou, antelope or part of any such animal taken, 
possessed, purchased, sold, possessed for sale or offered for sale contrary to law; 
by a penalty of $25 and an additional penalty of $10 for each squirrel, hare or 
rabbit, or part thereof, taken or possessed, purchased, sold, possessed for sale or 
offered for sale; by a penalty of $50 and an additional penalty of $50 for each 
beaver taken or possessed; by a penalty of $25 for each mink, raccoon, sable and 
muskrat taken and possessed; by a penalty of $10 for each skunk taken and 
possessed. The punishment for killing wild moose, elk, caribou 01 antelope is 
imprisonment for not less than 3 months nor more than one year. 
From Part VI. Conservation Law. 
Water Fowl.—Water fowl, wild and domestic, may be taken from Sept. 16 to 
Jan. 10, both inclusive. Long Island, Oot. 1 to Jan. 10. There shall be no open 
season for wood duck and swan. A person may take during the open season, not to 
exceed twenty-five water fowl in the aggregate of .all kinds in one day. Whenever 
two or more persons are occupying the same boat, battery or blind, not to exceed 
fcrty water fowl in the aggregate of all kinds may be taken in one day by such 
persons. Water fowl may be taken during the open season from a rowboat, from 
the land, from a blind or floating device used to conceal the hunter (other than a 
sail or power boat) when the same shall be within fifty feet of the shore or of a 
natural growth of flags. 
Water fowl may be taken by aid of any floating device, other than sailboats or 
power boats, at any distance from shore, on Long Island Sound, Shinnecock, 
Gardiner and Peconic bays, during the open season therefor, and except from 
October 1 to October 19, both inclusive, in Great South Bay West of Smith’s Point 
and East of the Nassau-Suffolk county line. 
Rallidae.—Rails, American coots, mud-hens and gallinules may be taken and 
possessed from Sept. 16 to Dec. 31, both inclusive. A person may take during the 
open season not to exceed fifteen of such birds in the aggregate of all kinds in one 
day. Whenever two or more persons are occupying the same boat or blind, not to 
exceed twenty of such birds shall be taken in the aggregate of all kinds in one 
day by such persons. 
The penalty for a violation or failure to perform any duty imposed by any 
provision of Part VI. foregoing, constitutes a misdemeanor and in addition thereto 
renders a person liable to a penalty of $60 and an additional penalty of $25 for each 
bird or part of a bird, taken or possessed, or had in possession in violation thereof. 
Additional Protection Periods in Certain Localities.—Orders now effective made 
by the commission under Section 152. During the periods stated and in the 
localities named, all taking is prohibited as to the species named: Pheasants, pro¬ 
tected until Oct. 1, 1915, in the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and 
Tioga; in Herkimer, St. Lawrence, Lewis and Oneida, until Oct. 1; and in Essex 
until Oct. a, 1916. 'Cottontail rabbits, protected in Richmond county from Oct. 1 
to Nov. 14 and Jan. 1 to Jan. 31 (No date fixed for expiration of order). 
Black bass protected in Lake Erie and Niagara River, from June 16 to June 30 (No 
date for expiration); Schroon and Paradox lakes, June 16 to July 15, until June 
15, 1917; all waters in towns of Chester, Horicon and Johnsburg, Warren County, 
June 16 to July 15, until June 15, 1917; Pike and Pikeperch, Butterfield Lake, Jeffer¬ 
son County, tip-ups prohibited until Jan. 1 1917. 
Upland Game Birds may be taken and possessed as follows: 
