Does anyone know if you need a hunting license to shoot squirrels in NYS - ? I can find nothing definitive.

I am not talking about pest control (although I suppose the shooter could argue that shooting them is, in fact, pest control and not "sport") but just someone out in the backyard, shooting squirrels, in season.

I don't know how to remove a post so I'll answer my own question. The DEC JUST advised me (shotgun opened yesterday so they are fully staffed) that squirrel season in NY is 9/1-2/28 AND a hunting license is required for pellet, shotgun, bb gun and just about every other firearm. The "pest control" argument will not fly unless the person doing the shooting has a pesticide license OR is a farmer and can show proof of extreme "squirrel" activity. Odd choice of words.

In fact, you cannot fire any of the above within 500 feet of a residence, pest control or not.

Anyway - that's the answer.

Typiical lawyer talk, asked and answered LOL. Not up on NY law but in Illinois you can't expect to take a squirrel even if you have a license. The state and each county has limits to the distance you must be from a home or a road to discharge a fire arm. When you take that measurement you must include the measurement to your own house. I can't get 1500 yards away from my home without being under 1500 yards to the next house.

Typiical lawyer talk, asked and answered LOL. Not up on NY law but in Illinois you can't expect to take a squirrel even if you have a license. The state and each county has limits to the distance you must be from a home or a road to discharge a fire arm. When you take that measurement you must include the measurement to your own house. I can't get 1500 yards away from my home without being under 1500 yards to the next house.



Well, I DID charge myself for the legal advice I gave myself - and I rounded off to the next hour and charged for my time on the Internet. I can't wait until I get the bill from myself!

Here it's 500 feet, which seems very close.

Gad, 500' is still in the kill zone of a BB gun. Not sure how they picked that measurement, a 22 cal can easily travel 5280' . Squirrels are safe for now and you had a great lawyer.

gad, 500' is still in the kill zone of a bb gun. Not sure how they opicked that measurement, a 22 cal can easily travel 5280' . Squirrels are safe for now and you had a great lawyer.




:d:d