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Home › New York › Counties › Rensselaer County

Region 4 · 4 WMUs

Rensselaer County Hunting

DEC rules and numbers for Rensselaer County: 4 WMUs with their 2026-27 dates, 2026 DMP odds, bear and fall turkey areas, duck zones, 27,860 acres of DEC land and deer take since 2007.

WMU tableMapped tractsTake since 2007Hunting gear
SouthernBig game
4K,​4L,​4C,​5SWMUs
SoutheasternDuck zone
4DEC region
2,796Deer 2025

Photo note: Beebe Hill and Harvey Mt. State Forests, 26 miles away, stands in until a Rensselaer County image is available.

Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)

Rensselaer County is 652 square miles of the Capital District and northern Catskills, and Troy houses the county government. Census staff put the 2024 head count at 160,749, after a 0.2% fall since 2020. For DEC purposes it belongs to Region 4, headquartered in Schenectady. The county is carved into 4 WMUs for big game: 4K, 4L, 4C and 5S. GIS puts DEC holdings in the county at around 27,860 acres.

TroySeat
160,749Head count
652Dry-land sq mi
SouthernDeer dates
27,860DEC ground
2,7962025 deer
State landAcres by kind10 tractsTakeDeer chart38th of 56

Land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates, DEC region and offices from the DEC office list, WMUs from the DEC WMU season layer, DEC acres from the NYS DEC Lands layer (GIS measure). Checked October 27, 2026.

Nearby

Places to hunt and shoot around Rensselaer County

Cowee State Forest

Public land · 6 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions
Grafton Lakes State Park

Public land · 7 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions
Pittstown State Forest

Public land · 7 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions
Capital District Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 8 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions
Shooting Ranges Near Troy

Range · 8 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions
Shooting Ranges Near Albany

Range · 15 mi from Rensselaer County

Directions

Rensselaer County: WMU seasons and antlerless permits

By area, 4K leads with 36%, ahead of 4L, 4C and 5S. Southern Zone timing holds for most of the county: early bow Oct. 1 to Nov. 20, regular Nov. 21 to Dec. 13. Deer Management Permits this year: limited DMPs in 4K, 4L, 4C and 5S. Missed the Oct 1, 2026 deadline? Leftover DMPs are sold in person from around Nov. 1. The youth deer weekend, Oct 10 to Oct 12, 2026, is open with a firearm for hunters 12 to 15. Earn-a-2nd-Buck starts this season: an antlerless report unlocks another Antlered Deer Tag.

UnitArea shareDeer zoneBowhuntingGun seasonMuzzle
4K36%SouthernOct. 1–Nov. 20Nov. 21–Dec. 13
Dec. 14–Dec. 22
Dec. 26–Jan. 1
4L33%SouthernOct. 1–Nov. 20Nov. 21–Dec. 13
Dec. 14–Dec. 22
Dec. 26–Jan. 1
4C25%SouthernOct. 1–Nov. 20Nov. 21–Dec. 13
Dec. 14–Dec. 22
Dec. 26–Jan. 1
5S3%SouthernOct. 1–Nov. 20Nov. 21–Dec. 13
Dec. 14–Dec. 22
Dec. 26–Jan. 1
WMUTargetDMP success1st odds2nd oddsNonres oddsAntler ruleBearTurkey (fall)
4K3,00014.3%HighMedHighNoneSouthern ZoneOct. 17-30
4L40021.4%PP ReqNoneNoneNoneSouthern ZoneOct. 17-30
4C1,60015.2%HighNoneNoneNoneSouthern ZoneOct. 17-30
5S2,00020.3%MedNoneNoneNoneSouthern ZoneOct. 17-30

Fall turkey is one bird of either sex; spring turkey is separate.

WMU 4K · WMU 4L · WMU 4C · WMU 5S · DMP page · Antler rules

Unit shares and dates from the DEC WMU season layer (2026-27); DMP targets and odds from the 2026 DMP table and the guide DMP page; antler, bow-only, bear and turkey units from the 2026-27 guide. Checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County season dates for 2026-27

33 species and 48 dated windows reach Rensselaer County; the last column compares each with today.

QuarrySeasonUnitsFromToStatus today
White-tailed deerEarly BowhuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Nov 20, 2026
White-tailed deerYouth deer weekendAll WMUs hereOct 10, 2026Oct 12, 2026
White-tailed deerRegular SeasonAll WMUs hereNov 21, 2026Dec 13, 2026
White-tailed deerLate BowhuntingAll WMUs hereDec 14, 2026Dec 22, 2026
White-tailed deerLate MuzzleloadingAll WMUs hereDec 14, 2026Dec 22, 2026
White-tailed deerLate Bowhunting (holidays)All WMUs hereDec 26, 2026Jan 1, 2027
White-tailed deerLate Muzzleloading (holidays)All WMUs hereDec 26, 2026Jan 1, 2027
Black bearEarly BowhuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Nov 20, 2026
Black bearYouth Firearms Bear HuntAll WMUs hereOct 10, 2026Oct 12, 2026
Black bearRegular SeasonAll WMUs hereNov 21, 2026Dec 13, 2026
Black bearLate BowhuntingAll WMUs hereDec 14, 2026Dec 22, 2026
Black bearLate MuzzleloadingAll WMUs hereDec 14, 2026Dec 22, 2026
Wild turkeyFall SeasonAll WMUs hereOct 17, 2026Oct 30, 2026
Wild turkeyYouth Spring Turkey HuntAll WMUs hereApr 24, 2027Apr 25, 2027
Wild turkeySpring SeasonAll WMUs hereMay 1, 2027May 31, 2027
PheasantYouth Pheasant HuntAll WMUs hereSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 2026
PheasantRegular (either sex)All WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
Ruffed grouseHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
WoodcockHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Nov 14, 2026
CottontailHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
Snowshoe hareHuntingAll WMUs hereDec 14, 2026Feb 28, 2027
Gray squirrelHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
Black squirrelHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
Fox squirrelHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027
DucksSplit 1Southeastern ZoneOct 10, 2026Oct 18, 2026
DucksSplit 2Southeastern ZoneNov 7, 2026Dec 27, 2026
Scaup2-scaup windowSoutheastern ZoneDec 8, 2026Dec 27, 2026
Canada gooseSeptember seasonHudson Valley goose areaSep 1, 2026Sep 25, 2026
Canada gooseRegular seasonHudson Valley goose areaNov 7, 2026Dec 21, 2026
Snow gooseRegular seasonSoutheastern ZoneNov 24, 2026Mar 10, 2027
BrantRegular seasonSoutheastern ZoneOct 10, 2026Nov 8, 2026
Youth waterfowlYouth daysSoutheastern ZoneSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 2026
Veteran waterfowlVeteran daysSoutheastern ZoneSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 2026
SnipeHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
RailsHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
GallinuleHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
CrowHuntingAll WMUs hereSep 1, 2026Mar 31, 2027
CoyoteHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Mar 28, 2027
RaccoonHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
Red foxHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
Gray foxHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
BobcatHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
SkunkHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
OpossumHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
WeaselHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 25, 2026Feb 15, 2027
MinkHunting (Southern Zone only)Southern ZoneNov 10, 2026Apr 7, 2027
Snapping turtleHuntingStatewideJul 15, 2026Sep 30, 2026
FrogsHuntingStatewideJun 15, 2026Sep 30, 2026

Trapping seasons, falconry and closed species are on the species pages.

From the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation), WMU lists as printed, checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County bucks, does and fawns

The 2025 calculated take for Rensselaer County was 2,796 deer, 1.2% of the 227,032 statewide. The best year in the 2007-2025 run is 2020 (3,816); the lowest is 2007 (1,763). Fawns made up 260 of the 2025 total. By town, the Hoosick area led in 2019 with 396 deer, then Pittstown and Schodack.

Rensselaer County deer, 19 seasons01,2502,5003,7505,0002007: 1,7631,76320072008: 1,9511,95120082009: 2,2282,22820092010: 2,1662,16620102011: 2,5662,56620112012: 2,8412,84120122013: 2,9712,97120132014: 3,0343,03420142015: 3,0483,04820152016: 3,1723,17220162017: 2,8632,86320172018: 3,0703,07020182019: 2,7962,79620192020: 3,8163,81620202021: 3,1433,14320212022: 3,0803,08020222023: 2,6952,69520232024: 2,5882,58820242025: 2,7962,7962025
SeasonMales 1.5+Male fawnsFemales 1.5+Female fawnsSum
20251,6011119351492,796
20241,5071008781032,588
20231,6041118661142,695
20221,7321311,0931243,080
20211,908841,065863,143
20202,0391511,4521743,816
YearBucks 1.5+Deer
20191,7522,796
20181,8063,070
20171,6992,863
20161,8883,172
20151,7733,048
20141,6163,034
20131,6842,971
20121,8972,841
20111,6922,566
20101,4372,166
20091,4252,228
20081,4131,951
20071,1691,763

Deer and DMPs by WMU (2022)

WMUDeer 2022Bucks/sq miDMPs issuedDMP takeSuccess
4K1,3542.92,81644615.8%
4L6201.745010623.6%
4C1,1243.61,90032917.3%
5S2,1973.01,70038222.5%

WMU tables for 2023-2025 were not readable, so 2022 is the latest.

Before 2020 DEC split county figures only into adult bucks and total.

DEC 2025 deer take by county, earlier Deer Take by Town and County reports and the DEC deer and bear page; WMU and DMP figures from DEC deer reports (2022). Checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County bears, gobblers and ducks

Bear season

Southern Zone: that is the bear area for 4K, 4L, 4C and 5S. Bear dates here: Early Bowhunting Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026; Youth Firearms Bear Hunt Oct 10 to Oct 12, 2026; Regular Season Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026; Late Bowhunting Dec 14 to Dec 22, 2026. County bear take tables run 2011-2022; 2022 shows 12 bears. In 2025, a record year of 1,759 bears statewide, the units here gave up 52 (whole-unit totals). DEC aims to maintain low bear density in these units.

Rensselaer County: bears per year051015202011: 111120112012: 8820122016: 101020162018: 161620182020: 151520202021: 161620212022: 12122022
WMUEarlyBowMuzzleRegularYouthTotalPer 100 sq mi
4K07080155.9
4L04080125.4
4C0405095.5
5S07081163.8

Turkey

Fall turkey (one bird of either sex) is open in 4K, 4L, 4C and 5S Oct. 17-30. Spring gobblers open May 1, 2027 and close May 31, 2027, half an hour before sunrise to noon; youth hunt Apr 24 to Apr 25, 2027. Spring 2026 take in the North Taconic Highlands aggregate, which covers part of the county, was about 540.

Turkey aggregateUnits202420252026
North Taconic Highlands4C,​4L,​5S,​5T516531540
Hudson Valley3F,​3J,​3M,​3N,​3P,​4B,​4J,​4K,​4S,​4T,​4Y1,4371,5111,639
South Taconic Highlands3G,​4U,​4Z402422479

Migratory birds

For waterfowl the county is Southeastern zone. Goose hunters use Hudson Valley.

Canada goose areaOpenDaily bag
Hudson ValleySep 1–Sep 25, 202615
Hudson ValleyNov 7–Dec 21, 20263

Bear area list · Turkey areas · Waterfowl zones

Bear areas and dates from the guide bear page; county bear take from DEC Bear Take by Town and County tables; 2025 by WMU and heaviest bears from the 2025 Bear Harvest Summary; turkey dates from the guide turkey page and spring take from the DEC turkey harvest page; waterfowl from the guide migratory bird pages. Checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County state land and public ground

The 10 Rensselaer County listings break down as 5 state forests, 3 state parks with hunting, 1 wildlife management area and 1 state historic site. Parks on the list need a park hunting permit or follow posted park rules. Rensselaer County is one of 47 counties in the pheasant release program. Waterfowl access sites mapped by DEC reach Rensselaer County.

10Listed tracts
27,860DEC acreage
20,961State forest ac
6,897WMA ground
2Other DEC land

* Whole-tract acreage, not just this county.

DEC Pheasant Release Sites (statewide program) · DEC Places to Hunt Waterfowl (statewide map)

Nearest land outside Rensselaer

Leave Crailo State Historic Site out of the plan; hunting is not allowed there.

New York public land · WMA list · State forest list

Tracts from our New York land list (DEC property pages, OPRHP, USFWS, USFS and DEP records); acres by kind from the NYS DEC Lands layer and the USFS ownership layer (GIS measures, not official acreages). Checked October 27, 2026.

What the law says in Rensselaer County

Rensselaer County is not on the guide's list of places where rifles are barred for big game; check the legal implements map before you go. Without the owner's consent, stay 500 feet out with a firearm, 250 with a crossbow, 150 with a bow. Orange or pink is required for firearm deer and bear hunting; bowhunters in archery seasons are not covered. Feeding or baiting deer and bear is banned all year, salt and mineral licks included. Sunday hunting is legal everywhere in the state.

CWD and Rensselaer deer

CWD is not known in wild New York deer: DEC tested 3,050 in 2025 with no positives, and 71,973 since 2002. Hunting outside New York? Debone the meat and clean the skull before you come home.

SeasonSamplesPositives
2021-20222,9670
2022-20232,7270
2023-20242,7130
2024-20253,1890
2025-20263,0500

Junior firearm deer hunting at 12-13 is a county opt-in pilot through 2028. DEC junior big game page

All rules · CWD rules · Junior hunters

Rifle areas and setbacks from the guide legal implements map; orange from the guide big game rules; baiting from the general regulations; Sunday hunting from the guide; CWD from the DEC CWD page and the CWD surveillance plan. Checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County DEC offices, processors and shops

Businesses in Rensselaer County come first; the nearest in bordering counties fill each group. For a licensed guide, DEC's list has 12 in Rensselaer County. Town clerks count for 15 of the license outlets in Rensselaer County.

DEC offices

For Rensselaer County, DEC's regional office is in Schenectady. Schenectady has the nearest DEC office, 24 miles from mid-county.

Region 4 Headquarters (Schenectady)Region 4 headquarters · 1130 North Westcott Road, Schenectady, 12306
(518) 357-2234(518) 357-2355 (wildlife)Navigate

Processors

Big Buck Deer CuttingHoosick Falls, Rensselaer County · 11 mi from mid-county
(518) 663-8397PinOnline
Stratton's Custom Meats & SmokehouseHoosick Falls, Rensselaer County · 13 mi from mid-county
(518) 686-8299PinOnline
River Run Meat CollectiveNassau, Rensselaer County · 14 mi from mid-county · takes donated venison
(518) 572-4725PinOnline
Eagle Bridge Custom MeatEagle Bridge, Washington County · 19 mi from mid-county
(518) 677-5129PinOnline

Taxidermy

Clark's TaxidermyClifton Park, Saratoga County · 17 mi from mid-county
(518) 280-9499PinOnline
Timberwolf TaxidermyChatham, Columbia County · 23 mi from mid-county
(518) 392-7811PinOnline
River Bottom TaxidermyAthens, Greene County · 34 mi from mid-county
(518) 944-3700PinOnline
Wild Outdoors TaxidermyCraryville, Columbia County · 36 mi from mid-county
(518) 851-7530PinOnline

Hunting preserves

Easton View OutfittersValley Falls, Washington County · 19 mi from mid-county
(518) 692-9999PinOnline
Lido's Game FarmHillsdale, Columbia County · 40 mi from mid-county
(518) 329-1551PinOnline

Gun and archery shops

Walmart (store 2428)Troy, Rensselaer County · 7 mi from mid-county
(518) 410-7025PinOnline
Benchmark GunworksPetersburg, Rensselaer County · 7 mi from mid-county
(518) 279-3800PinOnline
Karen & Charlie's GunsBerlin, Rensselaer County · 7 mi from mid-county
(518) 658-0298PinOnline
Karen & Charlie's GunsPetersburg, Rensselaer County · 8 mi from mid-county
(518) 658-2222PinOnline

Guides licensed by DEC

Offices from the DEC office list; processors from the DEC 2026 processor list and directories; guides and clerks from DEC data.ny.gov lists; shops from directories and store locators. Checked October 27, 2026; call ahead. All New York hunting services.

Rensselaer County town guides and neighbours

Rensselaer County has 5 town guides, seat first; each lists the public land within reach and the nearest shops.

  • Troyseat · 51,065 residents (2024) · 392 public ac nearby
  • Averill Park11,499 public ac nearby
  • East Nassau516 residents (2024) · 10,675 public ac nearby
  • Hoosick Falls3,190 residents (2024) · 7,692 public ac nearby
  • Valley Falls453 residents (2024) · 2,356 public ac nearby

5 New York counties touch Rensselaer County; Bennington (VT) and Berkshire (MA) lie beyond the border.

Albany CountySouthern ZoneColumbia CountySouthern ZoneGreene CountySouthern ZoneSaratoga CountyNorthern Zone + Southern ZoneWashington CountySouthern Zone + Northern Zone

Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.

Rensselaer County legal hunting light

Spring turkey hunting ends at noon, fall turkey and upland birds run sunrise to sunset, and big game gets the half hour on each end.

DateMomentSunriseSunsetDeer and bearWaterfowl
Sep 27, 2026Northern bow opener6:45 a.m.6:45 p.m.6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.6:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Oct 1, 2026Southern bow opener6:50 a.m.6:38 p.m.6:20 a.m. to 7:08 p.m.6:20 a.m. to 6:38 p.m.
Oct 24, 2026Northern regular opener7:17 a.m.6:00 p.m.6:47 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.6:47 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Nov 21, 2026Southern regular opener6:53 a.m.4:28 p.m.6:23 a.m. to 4:58 p.m.6:23 a.m. to 4:28 p.m.
Dec 14, 2026Southern late season7:16 a.m.4:21 p.m.6:46 a.m. to 4:51 p.m.6:46 a.m. to 4:21 p.m.
Jan 1, 2027Late season close7:24 a.m.4:30 p.m.6:54 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.6:54 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
May 1, 2027Spring turkey opener5:50 a.m.7:52 p.m.5:20 a.m. to 8:22 p.m.5:20 a.m. to 7:52 p.m.

Coyote hunting is open at any hour; raccoon and fox after sunrise on opening day, then any hour.

Hours rule from the DEC guide sunrise and sunset page; sun times calculated for the county centre (NOAA method), checked against the guide’s Albany table; checked October 27, 2026. Legal hours for every county.

Rensselaer County ranges and match dates

Up to six Rensselaer County ranges show as cards; any others are in the table below.

Brunswick Sportsman`s Club (a rod and gun club)

Cropseyville, Rensselaer County

Range offers trap, archery, handgun, rifle, highpower

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Bullseye Jim's Archery Inc. (an archery range)

East Greenbush, Rensselaer County

Range offers archery

Access not stated · source: findarcheryranges.com

Hendrick Hudson Fish & Game Club (a rod and gun club)

Averill Park, Rensselaer County

Range offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, handgun

Access not stated · source: boisegunclub.com

RPI Air Rifle Club (a rod and gun club)

Troy, Rensselaer County

Range offers air gun, handgun

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Castleton Fish & Game Protective Association (a rod and gun club)

Castleton-on-Hudson, Rensselaer County

Range offers trap, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Nassau Sportsmans Club (a sporting clays course)

East Shodack, Rensselaer County

Range offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, shotgun

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Range or clubTownShootingWho may shoot
The Indoor Gun Range (an indoor range)TroyAccess not stated
Tri-Village Bowhunters (an archery range)East Nassauarchery/3D archeryAccess not stated

Nearest public range: Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range in Albany County, about 24 miles from the county center. Range page

The surrounding counties have 26.

Shoots coming up here

Date and eventTypeLink
Nov 11, 2026 / Veterans Day at New York State 4-H Shooting SportsYouthEnter
Nov 21, 2026 / LOW Light Rifle/pistol at Brunswick Sportsmans ClubClassCourse page

Ranges from DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.

Counties near Rensselaer County

Measured centre to centre.

Albany County

12,280 DEC acres

Schenectady County

28 miles away

Saratoga County

2,554 deer, 2025

Columbia County

Region 4

Shooting rangesYouth and veteran huntsSeason dates

Rensselaer County hunting questions

Which Canada goose area covers Rensselaer County?

Goose areas here: Hudson Valley.

When does spring turkey open in Rensselaer County?

May 1, 2027; youth hunt Apr 24 to Apr 25, 2027.

How far from a house can I shoot in Rensselaer County?

500 feet with a firearm, 250 with a crossbow and 150 with a bow, unless the owner consents.

How much Forest Preserve is in Rensselaer County?

None by the DEC Lands layer.

Where does a Rensselaer County deer go for cutting and wrapping?

Big Buck Deer Cutting is closest on our list; phone before dropping off.

How far is Rensselaer County from a DEC office?

NYSDEC Region 4 Headquarters (Schenectady), about 24 miles away.

What are the DMP odds in WMU 4K?

Resident first DMP: High; second: Med.

Is there a late muzzleloader season in Rensselaer County?

Yes: Dec. 14 to Dec. 22, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Where does Rensselaer County rank for deer?

It placed 38th among the 56 counties DEC reports for 2025, with 2,796 deer.

Are there antler restrictions in Rensselaer County?

No. None of the units here is an antler point restriction unit.

Answers from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, the DMP pages, harvest reporting rules, DEC harvest data and the sources above. Checked October 27, 2026.

Rensselaer County trip checklist

Units in and around Rensselaer County can change between seasons; read the WMU page and the guide before you go.

Season datesWMUs62 countiesRead the guide

Sources: 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, DEC hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 27, 2026.

Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); eflon (CC BY 2.0); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0).