DEC reports 2025 as New York State’s safest hunting season in recorded history

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2026 at 11:38 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: These deer are pictured on Nov. 20, 2014 when they were close to the road on the west side of Route 279 in Gaines, just south of Route 104.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation is reporting 2025 was the safest in New York’s recorded history with seven hunting-related shooting incidents.

Those incidents include five which were self-inflicted and two involved more than one person. One incident involved an unlicensed individual who was hunting illegally, the DEC said. There were no hunting-related shooting fatalities.

“The historic low number of incidents observed in 2025 demonstrates that hunting is safe and is getting safer thanks to the efforts of DEC’s Hunter Education Program, volunteer instructors, and the vigilance of New York’s hunters,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “In addition to being safe, hunting is ecologically important, helping manage wildlife populations, promoting conservation-related behaviors, and providing a local, affordable food source. I am proud of our team’s efforts to grow New York’s hunting community.”

Hunting remains one of the most popular forms of wildlife-related recreation in the state with nearly 600,000 New Yorkers participating annually, helping achieve state wildlife management objectives and safely enjoying time outdoors, the DEC said.

The DEC reported these hunting-related shooting incidents:

Small Game Hunting:

Jan. 3 in Ulster County – While rabbit hunting, a 60-year-old hunter slipped and unintentionally discharged a round of birdshot into their left forearm.
May 13 in Orange County – While turkey hunting, the 64-year-old shooter fired one round, striking the victim approximately 40 yards away with multiple pellets. The victim sustained injuries to their right eye, left ring finger and left shoulder. (The shooter was not legally hunting, and had no hunting license, but injured a legal hunter during an open hunting season.)
Sept. 27 in Livingston County – During squirrel hunting, the 28-year-old hunter was shot with one round of pellets, causing superficial penetrative injuries on the front of their body from chin to abdomen.

Big Game Hunting:

Oct. 30 in Erie County – A 59-year-old hunter sustained a self-inflicted crossbow injury to the left foot while afield hunting deer.
Nov. 15 in Sullivan County – While exiting the woods after deer hunting, a 46-year-old hunter’s holstered handgun discharged one round into the upper thigh.
Nov. 19 in Chautauqua County – While pulling a loaded firearm from a vehicle, the 14-year-old hunter unintentionally discharged one round, which entered and exited their mid-torso.
Nov. 21 in Delaware County – While tracking a deer, the 68-year-old hunter tried to remove a handgun from its holster and accidentally discharged a round into their left calf.

The seven incidents in 2025 follows 11 in 2024, and 12 in 2023. In 2020, there were 22 incidents. The 10-year average shows 12.7 incidents a year, according to the DEC.

There were no fatal incidents last year. There was one in 2024 and two in 2023.