NEW YORK STATE — Beginning Thursday, December 26 New York State’s (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will temporarily suspend sales of sporting licenses for a period anticipated to last approximately one to two weeks. This blackout period, during which the public will not be able to purchase hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses, or secure a recreational marine fishing registration or report harvested game, will last while DEC transitions to a new sporting license system as part of a larger multi-agency effort in NYS to consolidate licensing systems. The agency’s contract with its current provider expires on December 31, and that provider will no longer be in the sporting license business.

Hunters, anglers and trappers wanting to hunt or fish during this closure need to purchase their licenses, stamps and permits prior to December 26. Sporting licenses are available at nearly 1,500 locations in NYS, by calling 866/933-2257, or online at nyfgisales.appsolgrp.com/fgnyia/html/index.jsp.

“In order to transfer the most current data and transition to the new system, we need to completely shut down license sales and game harvest reporting,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. “[While] the public will be notified as soon as the new system is accessible… we encourage anglers, hunters and trappers to periodically check the DEC website for updates.” (www.dec.ny.gov)

Hunters will be given a seven-day grace period to report their harvest once the new system is up and running.