A wild turkey roams at the Elizabeth A. Morton National...

A wild turkey roams at the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor on Sept. 20, 2020. Credit: Randee Daddona

For the first time, Long Islanders this spring may hunt Suffolk’s wild turkeys, as the last 14 years of autumn hunts did not derail their comeback, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said on Friday.

“Long Island’s wild turkey population is an example of successful restoration and management efforts,” the DEC said in a statement, announcing hunting will be allowed between a half-hour before sunrise and noon from May 1 to May 31.

Licensed hunters can choose shotguns or handguns — the latter are banned on state lands — with shot ranging in size from number 2 to 9 allowed, along with bows, but no crossbows or rifles. The limit is one bearded turkey a day. Adult turkeys can grow beards as long as seven to nine inches.

Estimating the size of Long Island’s flocks at 3,000, the DEC was not immediately available to say why that was just half the total it said mostly lived in Suffolk County in 2019.

Long Island's wild turkeys descended from a small flock that crossed into Western New York from Pennsylvania around 1948 and stayed, according to the DEC. That was a century after farming and overhunting led to their disappearance from New York. 

The more recent arrivals thrived, and in the 1990s, the DEC moved about 75 to Suffolk County — from Montauk in the east, to Rocky Point in the north, to Southaven County Park in the south. 

Some turkeys have done enough damage, the DEC said, to justify nuisance permits.

“Wild turkeys have become a common sight at many locations in Suffolk County and some locations in Nassau County,” the DEC said.

For tips and further details, contact the DEC regional wildlife office at (631) 444-0310 or visit DEC’s Turkey Hunting Regulations webpage.

Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Credit: Newsday

Romantic spas in the winter ... What's up on LI ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV

Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Credit: Newsday

Romantic spas in the winter ... What's up on LI ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV

FLASH SALE

$1 FOR ONE YEAR

Unlimited Digital Access

SUBSCRIBE NOW >>Cancel anytime - new subscribers only