State: Hunting, fishing licenses available online only from DEC

The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a warning Thursday about at least two websites not affiliated with the agency where people can purportedly purchase fishing and hunting licenses or receive hunter education training that meets New York requirements.

The sites, fishinglicense.org and hunting-license.org, offer information on how their products can simplify the purchase of a New York State fishing license or hunting license.

According to a DEC news release, although some of the logistical licensing information may be correct and useful, the sites offer consumers the ability to purchase timesaving downloads for recreational licensing services that are not affiliated with the DEC.

Consumers visiting these sites should understand that they are only getting assistance for their money and not an actual fishing or hunting license. Additionally, the money being charged by these websites is not a credit toward the purchase of any New York fishing or hunting license.

New York licensing information can be found on the DEC Sporting Licenses webpage, www.dec.ny.gov/permits/365.html.