New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens has announced that, beginning Thursday, Dec. 26, the public will not be able to purchase hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses, or secure a recreational marine fishing registration or report game that has been killed.

The temporary blackout period is due to a transition that DEC will undergo from the current computerized licensing system to a newly developed system and is expected to last approximately one to two weeks.

The contract with the provider of the current system ends Dec. 31 and that provider will no longer be in sporting license business, according to a release from the DEC; the new sporting license system is part of a larger multi-agency effort in New York State to consolidate licensing systems and help securing licenses.

Hunters, anglers, and trappers need to purchase their licenses, stamps, and permits prior to Dec. 26 in order to hunt or fish during the blackout period. Sporting licenses are available at nearly 1,500 locations across New York State, via telephone (1-866-933-2257) and via the Internet at https://nyfgisales.appsolgrp.com/fgnyia/html/index.jsp.  For a list of license agents, visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6101.html.

Hunters are required, by law, to report deer, bear, and turkey killed pursuant to a hunting license within seven days of taking the animal.  During the blackout period, hunters will not be able to report their kills; however, they will be given a seven-day grace period to report once the new system is up and running.