“Historic low” number of incidents recorded during 2025 hunting season in New York, DEC says
The numbers of hunting incidents recorded during the 2025 season across New York are at a “historic low,” the DEC says.
In fact, DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton claims that the 2025 hunting season was the safest in New York’s recorded history.
There were seven total hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSI) documented in 2025, five of which were self-inflicted and two involved more than one person. One incident involved an unlicensed individual, who was hunting illegally.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities from HRSI’s.
“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 Commissioner 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.”
DEC also documented nine falls from tree stands or elevated platforms, including one fatality. Like HRSIs, elevated hunting incidents (EHIs) can be avoided by following simple safety measures.
Hunters can prevent severe injuries or death, due to falls from tree stands or elevated platforms, by wearing and properly using a fall-arrest system.
Hunters are always strongly urged to adhere to the golden rules of hunting safety:
- Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
- Control the muzzle, always keep it pointed in a safe direction.
- Identify your target and what lies beyond it.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.
- Wear hunter orange or pink.
NYS DEC image.
