NEW YORK STATE — With New York’s regular hunting season now underway, new or expanded access in four counties provides additional opportunities for sportsmen and sportswomen.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced on November 21 that it has opened access this year to 2,186 additional acres of water supply land where outdoor enthusiasts can hunt, hike and fish. The expanded access includes 714 acres on nine new parcels of recreation land, and 1,472 acres that were added to existing recreation areas throughout the Catskills.

DEP encourages sportsmen and sportswomen to utilize the 90,727 acres of water supply land that are open for hunting. That includes 66,125 acres known as “public access areas” that are open for hiking, hunting and trapping without a DEP Access Permit. Parcels open for hunting are spread across 326 recreation areas in Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Putnam, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Many hunters have already started to enjoy this expanded access during the early bow-hunting season that began in October.

Additional information about hunting on city-owned property in the watersheds can be found by going to nyc.gov/dep and clicking on the “Watershed Recreation” link.