State proposes wild turkey hunting season for 2023

Watch out, Suffolk County wild turkeys.

Draft regulations "giving hunters additional turkey hunting opportunities" — including a spring turkey season for Suffolk in 2023 — have been proposed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The spring season would be from May 1 through May 31, "with a bag limit of one bearded bird," a department news release said in the announcement, made Wednesday.

"The existence of wild turkeys on Long Island is a relatively recent phenomenon, with populations growing to more than 3,000 birds," according to the release. "The first turkey hunting season on Long Island was a five-day fall season in 2009 with a one-bird bag limit."

"In addition, another proposal scheduled to take effect this fall, would change the minimum shot size from #8 to #9 for turkey hunting statewide, to account for advances in shotshell technology," the release said. "Previously, shot sizes smaller than #8 were prohibited because they lacked the kinetic energy downrange to humanely harvest a turkey."

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.