DEC launches the inaugural Hunter Achievement Awards (HAA) in preparation for the spring turkey season. HAA recognize hunters and trappers who legally harvest game species, acknowledging their success and encouraging participation in hunting for conservation. Like the Bureau of Fisheries’ widely popular Angler Achievement Awards, members of the hunting and trapping community can collect commemorative species-specific stickers to celebrate their annual game harvest accomplishments. Can you earn them all?
Awards are available for 24 game species that can be hunted or trapped in New York, including wild turkey. The HAA full entry rules and submission form can be found at https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hunting/new-york-hunter-achievement-awards. Entry forms must be received within 30 days of the season closing. Only legal harvests will be considered for award, and applicants must report their deer, bear, and turkey harvests prior to submitting their entry for those species. Entries may be disqualified based on incorrect species identification, improper game or firearm handling, evidence of illegal hunting methods, or failure to report harvest.
Each hunter or trapper will be limited to one sticker per species per season, and all submissions must include at least one photograph of the license holder with the harvest. Photograph(s) should be respectful of the animal and any implement in the photo should be pointed in a safe direction. Hunters and trappers have the option to allow DEC to use their photograph(s) for promotional purposes or to opt out of future use of the photograph(s).
