informationforhuntersonvillageofwestfieldproperty.pdf (westfieldny.com)

The Village of Westfield does permit hunting and fishing on village property. However, a written permit is needed for hunting and fishing can only be accessed from a DEC public fishing access point.  Taylor Road is NOT a DEC public fishing access point.  The only DEC public fishing access points are on Chestnut St. (County Rt 21) or The Chautauqua Gorge State Forest, Hannum Rd. Mayville.  This may be confirmed by contacting the Village of Westfield at 716-326-4961 or the DEC Region 9 office at 716-851-7050.

INFORMATION FOR HUNTERS ON VILLAGE OF WESTFIELD PROPERTY
Before heading out on Village property to hunt, please make
sure you understand all of the rules prior to heading afield. The following information represents a
few of the more important items that you should understand.
• Hunters must have written permission to hunt on Village owned property or they are
in violation of the Village’s rules and may either be denied future access or will be
charged. We require hunters to have permission (granted by the Village Clerk’s
office) because generally, it is unlawful to trespass on Village watershed or other
posted property at any other time. The Clerk issues a permission card that should be
on your person at all times while hunting on village property. In order to obtain
permission to hunt, you must submit a hunting permission application which
includes your full name, address, and telephone number along with a description of
the make and model of vehicle that you will be driving and the license plate number.
This information is required of all applicants or permission to hunt on Village
property will be denied.
• Only residents of the Village and/or Town of Westfield are allowed to hunt on
Village owned property. Up to two (2) non-resident guests are allowed to hunt;
however, they must be accompanied by a resident with a valid, Village of Westfield
issued hunting permission id card.
• Permission to hunt on Village property does NOT imply permission to use an ATV,
Snowmobile, Motorcycle, Four-wheel drive truck (4x4) or any other vehicle for any
reason. Therefore, the use of any vehicle is strictly prohibited. (Please note, exceptions
to this rule include Village employees carrying out their day-to-day work responsibilities, other
Village of Westfield authorized individuals e.g. surveyors, watershed management personnel, and gas
well attendants for example) Off duty village employees engaged in hunting on Village
property must abide by these rules like everybody else.
• Camping on Village property is strictly prohibited.
• Fires of any kind are prohibited on Village property.
• In order to appropriately conserve and manage precious timber resources, hunters
are not allowed to build and or erect any kind of permanent tree stand or use tree
steps that “screw” into a tree. The only tree stand devices allowed to be used on
village property are non-permanent, “portable” type tree stands that are either roped,
strapped, bracketed or chained to a tree. Climbing tree stands are also allowed as
long as they do not require the user to puncture the tree. Stands may be hung no
sooner than October 1st of each year and removed no later than December 15th of
each (the same year as when hung) year.
• Climbing aides that use ropes or straps are allowed. Again, as long as they do not
physically require the hunter to puncture the tree, the device is satisfactory. Some
portable tree stands require the use of a “t” screw for their proper final use and
installation; the use of these “t” screws are also prohibited. Generally, if you have to
either screw or nail the device to a tree, it is not allowed on Village property.
Examples of allowable tree stands:
Hang On
Climber
Ladder
• Hunters should note the appropriate times for fall hunting for any authorized game
species is regulated solely by the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC) under the Environmental Conservation law. As of this
writing, big game hunters may not begin hunting until sunrise time and may not hunt
beyond sunset time. Since these actual times change every day, hunters should make
sure they know the sunrise and sunset times before heading afield everyday.
• Spring turkey hunters may begin hunting on Village property per NYSDEC
guidelines during the spring turkey season. As of this writing, the current rule for
Spring Turkey hunting only is from “one half hour before sunrise until noon.”
Remember, hunters must follow the NYSDEC hunting rules and regulations that
they receive with their hunting licenses. This is very much true even on Village
property.
• Hunters caught violating these village property rules will have their privileges
revoked and could be brought up on charges. Hunters violating the game laws will
be handled through the NYSDEC.