New York
170,400
Duck Statewide Harvest
108,300
Goose Statewide Harvest
23,300
No. Waterfowl Licenses Sold Annually
8.5
Ducks Per Hunter
7.0
Geese Per Hunter
$22
Cost of Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
$100
Cost of Non-Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
Photo by Krumpelman Photography
When you combine loads of enthusiastic hunters with diverse waterfowl opportunities, you see some impressive numbers.
New York hunters shot more than 170,000 ducks and almost 105,000 geese in 2023-'24. The usual suspects — mallards, buffleheads, wood ducks, black ducks and green-winged teal — led the way, but Empire State waterfowlers also took good numbers of wigeon, pintails, redheads, bluebills, goldeneyes, scoters, eiders and long-tailed ducks. Honkers topped the goose category, of course, but New York hunters also shot more than 2,400 brant.
Various waterfowl habitats — including inland wetlands, Lake Champlain, the Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and the Niagara River — and abundant public land give New York a solid A grade.
