Best practices
for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

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Ch 3 : Section two: State laws related to wildlife control

Which species can licensed NWCOs handle or take in NY—and when?

Mammals that more commonly cause nuisances:

Animal	Anytime	It's just a nuisance	It damaged property	In specific defined circumstances
Bats (except Indiana bat)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Beaver	No	Permit A	Permit A	Permit A
Black bear	No	Permit A	Permit A	If destroying livestock or apiary, no permit needed. Otherwise, Permit A (public health/welfare threat)
Chipmunk	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Coyote	No	Permit A	Yes	Permit A (public health/welfare threat)
Deer (white-tailed)	No	Permit A	Permit A	Permit A
Foxes (red and gray)	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Mice	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Moles	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Muskrat	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Rabbit (cottontail)	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Raccoon	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Rats (except Allegheny woodrat)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Shrews	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Skunk (striped)	No	Yes	Yes	N/A
Squirrels (flying and red)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Squirrels (gray, black, fox)	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Voles	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Woodchuck	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A

Mammals that may cause nuisances:

Animal	Anytime	It's just a nuisance	It damaged property	In specific defined circumstances
Bobcat	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Fisher	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
European hare	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Snowshoe (a.k.a. varying) hare	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Marten (a.k.a. pine marten)	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Mink	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Opossum	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A
Otter (river otter)	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Porcupine	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Weasels	No	Permit A	Yes	N/A

Reptiles:

Animal	Anytime	It's just a nuisance	It damaged property	In specific defined circumstances
Snakes (except queen snake, timber rattlesnake, massasauge)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Turtles (except mud, bog, box, Blanding's, wood, and sea turtles, and diamond-backed terrapin)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Turtles: mud, box, Blanding's, and wood turtle	No	Permit A	Permit A	Permit A

Birds:

Animal	Anytime	It's just a nuisance	It damaged property	In specific defined circumstances
Canada goose	No	Permit B	Permit B	Permit B
Red-winged blackbird	No	No	Special case	Yes, when destroying crops from June–October
Cowbird	No	No	Special case	Yes, when destroying crops from June–October
Crow	No	Yes, if on cultivated lands	Yes	N/A
Ducks	No	Permit B	Permit B	Permit B
English sparrow (house sparrow)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Grackle	No	No	Special case	Yes, when destroying crops from June–October
Pigeon (if NOT wearing leg bands)	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
European starling	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Swan	No	Permit B	Permit B	Permit B
Turkey	No	Permit A	Permit A	N/A
Migratory birds, in general (such as songbirds, birds of prey, waterfowl)	No	Permit B	Permit B	Permit B

NO WAY, NO HOW:

Animal	Anytime	It's just a nuisance	It damaged property	In specific defined circumstances
Cats and dogs (feral or domestic)	No	No	No	No
Pigeons wearing leg bands	No	No	No	No
Fed. endangered, threatened spp.	No	No	No	Permit C
Indiana bat	No	No	No	Permit C
Allegheny woodrat	No	No	No	Permit D
Queen snake, massasauga, timber rattlesnake	No	No	No	Permit D

Permit A: Unless specifically listed and allowed on your NWCO license, you would need an additional permit from the DEC to handle this species (or group of species) under this situation.

Permit B: ONLY with US FWS and additional DEC permits (not just your NWCO license).

Permit C: PERHAPS with US FWS and additional DEC permits (not just your NWCO license). For nonlethal controls of these federally endangered or threatened species.

Permit D: PERHAPS with additional DEC permits (not just your NWCO license). For nonlethal controls of these state endangered or threatened species.

For a refresher on the definition of "nuisance" vs. "property damage," see page three of Chapter One and the species accounts in Appendices B and C.

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