ALBANY — Small game hunting season will open on Oct. 1, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced Friday.

Several small game hunting seasons will open on Oct. 1 across the state, including special youth hunts.

Ruffled grouse hunting season runs from Oct. 1 through the last day of February in most of the state. In northern New York, the season opened on Sept. 20. Approximately 30,000 adult pheasants will be released for a pheasant hunting season that begins Oct. 1 in northern and eastern New York. Rabbit, hare and wild turkey hunting season begins Oct. 1. Squirrel season is already underway.

Since 2007, the DEC has offered a special youth-only season for junior hunters on Sept. 26 and 27 in northern and eastern New York. Both junior hunters and their adult mentors must have hunting licenses; only the junior hunter is allowed to carry a firearm and harvest birds on those dates.

Hunting season for waterfowl (ducks, geese and brant) begins in early October.

For more information and safety tips, visit www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/hunting.html.