Almost all animals in New York are protected, and there are many species that can never be taken when hunting in New York. Most animals that hunters are allowed to take are broken up into seasons and closely regulated. With that said, there are seven animals left that are unprotected and can be taken at any time, year-round, and legally without limits. While a permit is still required for hunting in New York, these animals are open game no matter what time of the year it is.
ALERT: Should Obama Have More Control Over Guns? Vote Now
1. Porcupines
A porcupine can be taken at any time without a permit. The biggest reason that porcupines are unprotected is because of the property damage that they cause. Of course, porcupine hunting is not really exciting, as they are one of the slowest-moving animals, and are also partially deaf and blind.
2. Red Squirrels
New York has a large number of squirrels for hunting in New York, but the only one that can be hunted year round is the red squirrel. Since squirrels don't hibernate, they are available for hunting no matter what time of the year the hunter sets out.
VOTE NOW: Is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Doing a Good Job?
3. Woodchucks
While not a typical game for hunters, the woodchuck is also unprotected and legal to take year round. They are harder to find, and it is often best to find farmers who might know where the fields are that they reside in. The best times to find woodchucks when hunting in New York is in the spring and summer.
4. English Sparrows
More than 200 years ago, there were no sparrows in North America, but now there are more than 150 million. When the birds were brought to New York in 1850,
it was to fight an overrun of moths, according to The New York Times. By the 1980s, the English sparrows were the villains, eating crops and killing species of native birds. Since they were deemed destructive and invasive, they remain unprotected in New York.
5. Starlings
According to The New York Times, Starlings were brought into New York in 1980 by one single man and the invasive species now counts up to a million birds in the state. They eat crops, and in one day, a group of starlings can eat 20 tons of potatoes. They are also linked with numerous diseases and kill native species of birds.
6. Rock Pigeons
The rock pigeon is synonymous with New York City, and while signs are everywhere asking people not to feed them, people feed them daily all throughout the city. The pigeon is an invasive bird,
brought to New York in the 1600s as a barnyard animal meant to eat, according to the New York Public Library website. While many New Yorkers keep pigeon coops and have them as pets, they are also an unprotected species and are eligible for hunting in New York year round.
7. Monk Parakeets
The monk parakeet is another bird that is invasive of New York, a Southern Hemisphere bird that escaped into the wild in the 1960s. While these birds pose no danger, as the starling and sparrow does, they are still labeled an invasive species and remain unprotected. They pose no danger to the environment, but are legal to hunt and take year round.
This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.
URGENT: Do You Support Obama's Plans for Stricter Gun Control? Vote Now
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.