New York DEC adopts electronic hunting tags as an alternative to paper licenses, tags

Published on October 02, 2025

NYS DEC

The New York State DEC has announced the adoption of several changes to streamline use and reporting of hunting tags and provide new deer hunting opportunities.

Hunters can now use DEC’s online app for their licenses and tags as an alternative to paper license and tag options.

In addition to traditional paper licenses and tags, New York hunters can utilize the ‘HuntFishNY’ mobile app as electronic proof of licensure and possession of tags for deer, bear, or turkey.

Users of electronic tags (e-tags) will be able to immediately report their harvest with the mobile app whether they have cell service or not.

Users also won’t need to attach a physical tag to their harvested deer, bear, or turkey while they remain in possession of the carcass, including in their vehicle and at their home.

DEC also enhanced the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) by extending the permit renewal cycle from three years to five years and rescinding the limit on number of DMAP tags that may be used per hunter.

DEC will still determine the number of tags available with each DMAP permit based on property size and management need, but hunters will no longer be limited by the number of DMAP tags they can fill on that property.

These changes increase flexibility for landowners, improving their ability to use DMAP to meet land management objectives.

DEC also created a new opportunity for youth hunters. DEC will issue a bonus regular season tag to youth hunters (ages 12-15) who successfully take and report a deer taken during a Youth Big Game Hunt weekend with their regular season tag and who do not possess a Deer Management Permit (DMP) for the regular firearms season.

The bonus regular season tag will be valid for a deer of the sex opposite from what was harvested during the youth hunt (e.g., harvest of an antlered deer during the Youth Deer Hunt would yield an antlerless-only bonus tag for the regular season).

DEC will mail this tag to the eligible hunters.

NYS DEC image.