Dates for winter hunting seasons reported

Licensed hunters ages 16 years and younger have opportunities this winter and spring to sharpen their skills and bring home some whitetail and turkey trophies, and adult hunters still have time to harvest wild game. 

The regular season for dove continues until Jan. 14, duck season until Jan. 27, goose can be harvested until Feb. 3, and quail season continues until Feb. 24.

The regular season for deer and turkey ends Sunday, Jan. 6, but a special late deer season runs from Jan. 7 to Jan. 20, 2019, and is open to all legal hunters. 

Formerly called the doe and spike season, the Special Late Season harvest is restricted to antlerless deer and unbranched antlered bucks (spikes). An unbranched antlered buck is any buck deer with an antler having no more than one point.

Youth Whitetail

A special Youth-Only Season for whitetail deer is from Jan. 7 to Jan. 20. 

The season is open in all counties where there is a general open season for white-tailed deer. All legal hunting means and methods are allowed, including youth harvesting antlered bucks as long as hunters do not exceed their legal bag limit for the county and they still have an appropriate unused hunting license tag.

January Youth Turkey

The January special Youth-Only Season for turkey hunting runs Jan. 7-20 in the North Zone.  

The annual bag limit for turkey, in the aggregate for all counties is four, no more than one of which may be an Eastern turkey.

Youth License

The youth-only license costs $7 and may be purchased online or at several Albany retailers.

Hunters nine to 16 years must complete a hunter education course or be accompanied by a licensed adult. Hunters under nine must be accompanied by a licensed adult.