2023 New York Laws › ENV - Environmental Conservation › Article 11 - Fish and Wildlife › Title 5 - Fish and Wildlife Management Practices Cooperative Program; Prohibitions; Taking of Fish, Wildlife, Shellfish and Crustacea for Scientific Or › 11-0523 - Destructive or Menacing Wildlife; Taking Without Permit.

§ 11-0523. Destructive or menacing wildlife; taking without permit.
1. Owners and lessees and members of their immediate families actually
  occupying  or  cultivating  lands, and persons authorized in writing and
  actually employed by them  in  cultivating  such  lands,  may  take  (a)
  unprotected  wildlife  other  than birds and (b) starlings, common crows
  and, subject to section 11-0513, pigeons, when such wildlife is injuring
  their property or has become a nuisance thereon. Such taking may be done
  in any manner, notwithstanding any provision of the  Fish  and  Wildlife
  Law, except section 11-0513, or the Penal Law or any other law.
2.  Any  bear  killing  or  worrying  livestock  on  land  occupied or
  cultivated, or destroying an apiary thereon, may be taken or killed,  at
  any time, by shooting or device to entrap or entice on such land, by the
  owner,  lessee  or  occupant  thereof,  or  any  member  of the owner's,
  lessee's or occupant's immediate family or by  any  person  employed  by
  such  owner,  lessee  or  occupant.  The owner or occupant of such lands
  shall promptly notify the nearest environmental conservation officer and
  deliver to such officer the carcass of any bear killed pursuant to  this
  subdivision. The environmental conservation officer shall dispose of the
  carcass as the department may direct.
3.  Red-winged blackbirds, common grackles and cowbirds destroying any
  crop may be killed during the months of June,  July,  August,  September
  and  October by the owner of the crop or property on which it is growing
  or by any person in his employ.
4. Varying hares, cottontail rabbits  and  European  hares  which  are
  injuring  property  on  occupied farms or lands may be taken thereon, at
  any time, in any manner, except by the use of ferrets, fitch-ferrets  or
  fitch,  by the owners or occupants of such farms or lands or by a person
  authorized  in  writing  by  them  and  actually  employed  by  them  in
  cultivating such farm lands.
5.  Skunks  injuring  property  or which have become a nuisance may be
  taken at any time in any manner.
6. Raccoons, muskrats, coyotes or fox injuring private property may be
  taken by the owner, occupant or lessee thereof, or an employee or family
  member of such owner, occupant or lessee, at any time in any manner.
7. Whenever black, grey and fox squirrels,  opossums  or  weasels  are
  injuring  property  on occupied farms or lands or dwellings, they may be
  taken at any time in any manner, by the owners or occupants  thereof  or
  by a person authorized in writing by such owner or occupant.
8. No license or permit from the department is required for any taking
  authorized by this section.
9.  Varying  hares,  cottontail  rabbits,  skunks, black, grey and fox
  squirrels, raccoons, muskrats, opossums or  weasels  taken  pursuant  to
  this  section  in  the  closed  season  or  in a manner not permitted by
  section 11-0901 shall be immediately buried or cremated. No person shall
  possess or traffic in such skunks or raccoons or the pelts thereof or in
  such varying hares or cottontail rabbits or the flesh thereof.