Are There Safe Places to Go Hunting on Long Island?

Yes. There are designated places to legally hunt on Long Island, including thousands of acres of state-managed land and numerous Suffolk County park properties where hunting is regulated through licenses, permits, designated access points, reservations and seasonal restrictions. Most public hunting opportunities are in Suffolk County, particularly in the more heavily wooded areas of central and eastern Long Island.

For hunters accustomed to large rural areas elsewhere in New York, hunting on Long Island can be surprisingly extensive. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) manages public hunting areas in the Long Island Pine Barrens and elsewhere in Suffolk County, while Suffolk County Parks operates separate hunting programs on county-owned properties. Opportunities include deer, wild turkey, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel and waterfowl, depending on the property and season.

However, no hunting area should be considered completely risk-free. Long Island combines protected open space with densely developed communities, roads, hiking trails and residential neighborhoods. Hunters are responsible for knowing property boundaries, legal shooting distances, permitted hunting methods and the specific rules applying to the land they enter. Some public hunting properties remain open to hikers and other recreational users during hunting seasons.

Where Can You Hunt on Long Island?

Most public hunting land is concentrated in Suffolk County, where larger undeveloped tracts remain within the Town of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southampton and East Hampton areas. The DEC maintains a system of Long Island public hunting areas showing which properties permit deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl and other forms of hunting.

Among the best-known public hunting areas are the Otis Pike Preserve Cooperative Hunting Area, Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area and David A. Sarnoff Cooperative Hunting Area. Other state-managed opportunities include Henry’s Hollow Pine Barrens State Forest, Westhampton Management Area, Barcelona Neck Cooperative Hunting Area, Brookhaven State Park Cooperative Hunting Area, Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest, Carmans River Pine Barrens State Forest and several properties farther east.

Otis Pike Preserve

The Otis Pike Preserve is one of Long Island’s most important public hunting areas. Its large network of wooded parcels and designated parking locations stretches through portions of central and eastern Suffolk County. Depending on the season and specific section, the property provides opportunities for deer, turkey, small game and waterfowl hunting.

Access is deliberately managed. During November and December, many Otis Pike parking locations require a daily access permit rather than simply allowing hunters to enter at will. Certain high-volume hunting days use reservations, while other sections remain accessible with the DEC’s Managed Land Access Permit. Hunters therefore need to identify the exact section and parking location they intend to use rather than treating Otis Pike as one unrestricted hunting area.

Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area

Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area is another major public hunting destination in the Town of Brookhaven. Like Otis Pike, Rocky Point uses numbered parking and access locations, with daily permits required for much of the property during November and December.

The reservation and access system is particularly important on weekends, holidays and other high-volume hunting days. Rather than allowing an unlimited number of hunters to independently enter the same section of woods, DEC can control access through parking locations, daily permits and reservations. Hunters should consult the current DEC property map before entering because individual locations may have different rules.

David A. Sarnoff Cooperative Hunting Area

The David A. Sarnoff Cooperative Hunting Area contains more than 2,700 acres of oak and pine woodland near Riverhead. The property is another significant component of Long Island’s public hunting system and includes designated parking areas along Route 104 and surrounding roads.

Depending on the season, Sarnoff can provide opportunities for deer, turkey and small game hunting. As with other DEC-managed properties, hunters should check the current hunting-area map and permit requirements before visiting.

Other Public Hunting Areas

Long Island’s public hunting network extends well beyond its three best-known hunting properties. DEC identifies additional opportunities at Henry’s Hollow Pine Barrens State Forest near Hampton Bays, Westhampton, Barcelona Neck, Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest, Carmans River Pine Barrens State Forest, Brookhaven State Park and cooperative hunting areas on the East End.

Farther east, hunting opportunities can also be found on selected public lands in the East Hampton and Montauk region, including areas associated with Hither Hills, Napeague and Montauk Point. The type of hunting allowed can vary substantially by property, location, day of the week and season, making the individual DEC hunting maps important planning tools.

Can You Hunt Deer on Long Island?

Yes. Deer hunting represents one of Long Island’s most significant hunting opportunities. Long Island is within New York’s Wildlife Management Unit 1C for most of Suffolk County, and both archery and limited firearms hunting opportunities are available under state and local rules.

Archery provides the broadest public-land deer hunting opportunities. DEC-managed lands and numerous Suffolk County properties participate in archery programs, although each property can have its own access restrictions. Suffolk County Parks maintains an extensive system of mapped archery hunting locations extending from central Suffolk to the East End.

Long Island also has a special January firearms deer season. On participating state lands, hunting during this period requires advance reservations and daily permits. DEC has opened designated portions of Rocky Point, Otis Pike, David A. Sarnoff, Henry’s Hollow, Barcelona Neck and Westhampton for this controlled season.

Can You Hunt in Suffolk County Parks?

Yes. Suffolk County Parks operates its own hunting programs in addition to hunting available on state-managed land. County programs include archery deer hunting, special shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunting, spring turkey hunting and waterfowl hunting.

The county’s archery program is particularly extensive, with mapped hunting locations on dozens of county properties. Hunters must satisfy state licensing requirements as well as county requirements, which can include a Suffolk County Green Key and a county hunting permit. Some programs are limited to Suffolk County residents.

For the special firearms deer season, Suffolk County has used Hubbard County Park and Montauk County Park. Those properties are divided into individual hunting areas, and the county limits the number of hunters assigned to each area. Reservations and additional permits are required.

Can You Hunt Wild Turkey on Long Island?

Yes. The return of wild turkeys to Long Island has created both spring and fall hunting opportunities. DEC-managed properties open to spring turkey hunting include portions of Rocky Point, Otis Pike, Sarnoff, Henry’s Hollow, Barcelona Neck, Westhampton and several smaller properties. Some locations permit shotgun hunting, while others are restricted to archery.

Suffolk County Parks also operates a spring turkey hunting program on selected county properties. Recent participating locations have included properties in Calverton, Riverhead, Manorville, Eastport, Wainscott and other parts of eastern Suffolk County. Reservations and county permits may be required in addition to state hunting credentials.

What Small Game Can Be Hunted?

Small-game hunting remains part of Long Island’s hunting tradition. DEC provides opportunities for species including pheasant, cottontail rabbit and squirrel. Pheasants are stocked at selected DEC-managed hunting areas during the season, including locations within the Rocky Point and Otis Pike systems.

Because individual properties do not necessarily permit every form of hunting, hunters should never assume that land open for deer hunting is automatically open for pheasant, rabbit or other small game. DEC’s public hunting area listings identify permitted activities property by property.

Waterfowl Hunting on Long Island

Long Island is also one of New York’s major waterfowl hunting regions. DEC notes that Long Island supports a large share of the state’s wintering waterfowl, with numerous species of ducks and geese using its bays, tidal wetlands, marshes and coastal waters.

Waterfowl hunting is fundamentally different from hunting in the Pine Barrens. Access can involve tidal wetlands, boats, blinds and specialized coastal equipment, and state and federal migratory bird regulations apply. Suffolk County Parks also maintains controlled waterfowl hunting opportunities at selected county properties.

County waterfowl rules can include assigned blinds, check-in and check-out procedures, shotgun restrictions and requirements governing ammunition and shooting locations. These controlled systems are intended to manage hunters within public parkland while reducing conflicts between hunting parties and other land uses.

What Makes Long Island Hunting Areas Controlled?

Long Island’s population density makes hunting management particularly important. Public hunting does not generally mean that a hunter can simply enter any wooded public property with a firearm or bow. Instead, many of the island’s hunting areas operate under multiple layers of regulation.

• Hunters must possess the appropriate New York State hunting license and privileges.
• DEC-managed Long Island hunting lands generally require a Managed Land Access Permit or a daily access permit.
• Some high-demand hunts require advance reservations.
• Many properties use numbered or specifically designated parking areas.
• Some county hunts assign hunters to particular hunting areas or blinds.
• Individual properties may restrict the type of hunting equipment that can be used.
• Hunters must remain within legal property boundaries and observe required setbacks.
• Some public hunting lands remain open to hikers and other recreational users during hunting seasons.

How Far Must Hunters Be From Homes and Buildings?

New York law establishes minimum distances for discharging hunting implements near occupied structures. In general, a firearm may not be discharged within 500 feet of a dwelling, farm building or certain other occupied structures unless an applicable legal exception or permission exists. A bow generally has a 150-foot setback. Crossbows have special rules, and in Suffolk County the discharge setback for a crossbow is generally 500 feet from protected structures unless the applicable permission requirements are satisfied.

Hunters also may not fire in a manner that causes a projectile or load to pass over any part of a public highway. These restrictions are especially significant on Long Island, where residential development can be located relatively close to otherwise undeveloped woodland.

Can You Hunt With a Rifle on Long Island?

No. New York State hunting regulations prohibit the use of rifles for hunting on Long Island and prohibit carrying a rifle afield for hunting there. Long Island firearm hunting opportunities instead generally involve shotguns or, where specifically permitted, muzzleloading firearms. Hunters should verify the legal hunting implement for the particular species, season and property before going afield.

Do You Need a Special Permit to Hunt on Long Island?

In many cases, yes. A New York hunting license alone does not automatically provide access to public hunting property on Long Island. DEC requires a free Managed Land Access Permit for its Long Island hunting lands except where a daily access permit is required. The Managed Land Access Permit is currently valid for three years.

Rocky Point and portions of Otis Pike use daily access permits during parts of November and December. The January firearms deer season on participating DEC properties also requires advance reservations and daily permits. Suffolk County Parks has separate permits and reservation procedures for its programs.

What Should First-Time Long Island Hunters Know?

Anyone unfamiliar with Long Island hunting should begin with the official DEC property map rather than choosing a wooded location based solely on appearance. Property boundaries can be irregular, nearby land may be privately owned, and hunting rules can change from one public parcel to another.

New York also requires hunter education for first-time hunters before they can obtain a hunting license. DEC offers hunter education programs covering firearm safety, hunting laws, wildlife identification, responsible hunting practices and other fundamentals. Separate requirements can apply to bowhunting and other specialized activities.

Hunters should also remember that they may be sharing public land with hikers, birdwatchers, cyclists and other visitors. Suffolk County explicitly advises archery hunters that hikers remain permitted in participating areas during archery season. Conversely, Suffolk County closes hiking at Hubbard and Montauk county parks during the January shotgun hunting period.

Are There Hunting Opportunities in Nassau County?

Public hunting opportunities are far more limited in Nassau County than in Suffolk County. Long Island’s major state and county public hunting areas are concentrated farther east, where larger tracts of undeveloped woodland, Pine Barrens, wetlands and parkland remain.

That geographic concentration is one reason Long Island hunting is commonly associated with central and eastern Suffolk County rather than the densely developed western portion of the island. Hunters considering private property must obtain appropriate landowner permission and comply with state law, local restrictions and required discharge setbacks.

Where Should Hunters Check Before Going?

Hunting seasons, access rules, participating properties and permit procedures can change. Before planning a hunt, check the New York State DEC Hunting on Long Island page and the DEC’s Long Island Public Hunting Areas listings. Hunters using county property should separately review the Suffolk County Parks hunting program.

Those official resources provide current maps, access requirements, seasonal restrictions and information about which forms of hunting are permitted at individual locations. Checking the current rules immediately before a trip is particularly important because a property that permits one activity or hunting method may prohibit another.

Key Facts & Details

Is hunting legal on Long Island?	Yes, during established seasons and in locations where hunting is legally permitted.
Where is most public hunting?	Primarily in central and eastern Suffolk County.
Major DEC hunting areas	Otis Pike Preserve, Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area and David A. Sarnoff Cooperative Hunting Area, along with several smaller state and cooperative properties.
David A. Sarnoff area	More than 2,700 acres of oak-pine woodland.
Common game	White-tailed deer, wild turkey, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, ducks and geese, depending on season and location.
Deer hunting	Archery opportunities are widespread on participating public lands, with controlled firearm hunting available during designated seasons and at designated properties.
Rifle hunting	Rifles may not be used for hunting or carried afield for hunting on Long Island.
DEC land permit	A free Managed Land Access Permit is generally required on DEC-managed Long Island hunting lands unless a daily access permit is required.
Controlled access	Some properties use numbered parking locations, reservations, daily access permits, assigned hunting areas or blinds.
Firearm setback	Generally 500 feet from protected occupied structures unless a legal exception or required permission applies.
Bow setback	Generally 150 feet from protected occupied structures unless a legal exception or required permission applies.
Crossbow setback in Suffolk County	Generally 500 feet from protected structures unless applicable permission requirements are met.
County hunting	Suffolk County Parks operates archery, special firearms deer, turkey, waterfowl and other hunting programs on selected properties.
Other park users	Some hunting properties remain open to hikers and other recreational users during hunting seasons.
Current rules	Always verify seasons, maps, permits and property restrictions with the New York State DEC and the applicable county or land manager before hunting.

Despite Long Island’s suburban reputation, regulated hunting remains an established outdoor activity across significant portions of Suffolk County. Large public properties such as Otis Pike, Rocky Point and Sarnoff, along with smaller state forests, cooperative areas, wetlands and county park properties, provide legal hunting opportunities under carefully defined rules. For hunters willing to obtain the proper licenses and permits, study the property maps and follow access and safety requirements, Long Island offers considerably more hunting territory than its densely populated image might suggest.