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Wild forest · Region 5
Wilmington Wild Forest: a hunter's guide for 2026-27
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this wild forest in Essex County and 1 more, 16,940 acres.
Photo: Adventure George (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Wilmington Wild Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Wilmington Wild Forest
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Hiker ParkingParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Lake Everest Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Where Wilmington Wild Forest is and who runs it
Wilmington Wild Forest sits in Clinton and Essex counties, filed as a Forest Preserve wild forest. Its towns are Black Brook, Wilmington, Keene and Jay. Region 5 of DEC covers it, along with the rest of the eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain. 16,940 acres are on record from DEC Lands layer ACRES. Sorted by acreage, the 35 wild forests put it 19th. Unit plan on file: Wilmington.
The property page says: Hunters may use the parking areas , roads, seasonal access roads, trailheads, and trails used by hikers, and hand launches used by paddlers to access the lands and waters in this area. Due to its ease of access from the many trails and roads in the unit, and proximity to nearby hamlets, the Wilmington Wild Forest receives much use by small game, big game and waterfowl hunters. There are a number of areas throughout the unit that see regular use. Whiteface/Marble Mountain Tract on the lower slopes of Whiteface …
From DEC wilmington wild forest; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Wilmington Wild Forest
Wilmington Wild Forest pinned with nearby tracts
The nearest public land to Wilmington Wild Forest is McKenzie Mountain Wilderness, 8.2 mi away to the southwest. Combined: 197,491 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie Mountain | Wilderness | 37,366 | 5F | 8.2 mi | southwest |
| Taylor Pond | Wild forest | 39,698 | 5C, 5F | 8.4 mi | northwest |
| Sentinel Range | Wilderness | 23,871 | 5F | 8.8 mi | south |
| Jay Mountain | Wilderness | 7,864 | 5F | 12 mi | southeast |
| Terry Mountain | State forest | 4,814 | 5C | 13 mi | northeast |
| Hurricane Mountain | Wilderness | 14,235 | 5F | 14 mi | southeast |
| Burnt Hill | State forest | 1,578 | 5C | 15 mi | northeast |
| Macomb | State forest | 1,057 | 5C | 17 mi | northeast |
| Kushaqua | Easement tract | 19,419 | 5C | 18 mi | northwest |
| Chazy Highlands | Wild forest | 47,589 | 5C | 18 mi | north |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Wilmington Wild Forest regulations, plainly
Part 190 of 6 NYCRR, the Forest Preserve use rules, covers Wilmington Wild Forest:
- Wilmington Wild Forest is open to hunting and trapping in season, except where posted.
- No trees may be cut on Wilmington Wild Forest, and nothing may be screwed or nailed into one.
- Backcountry camps sit at least 150 feet from trails, roads and water unless designated.
State law reminders for Wilmington Wild Forest
- Fluorescent orange or pink (250 square inches above the waist, or a hat at least half orange or pink) is required for anyone hunting deer or bear with a gun.
- Firearms may not be discharged within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling, farm building, school, playground or church without permission; bows 150 feet, crossbows 250 feet.
- No baiting for big game, upland birds, turkey or waterfowl, and no salt or mineral licks for deer or bear.
- New York allows hunting on Sundays in every county.
From DEC wilmington wild forest, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
WMU 5C facts for Wilmington Wild Forest
The WMU map puts Wilmington Wild Forest in 5C, with 5F also overlapping; 5C spans 1,126 square miles of Clinton, Franklin and Essex. No Deer Management Permits exist for 5C. Adirondacks bear rules cover 5C. The fall turkey window for 5C is Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Deer zone | DMP goal | Success rate | Odds (resident) | APR | Implements | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5C | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
| 5F | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
Deer take in WMU 5C
5C yielded 1,210 deer in 2022; the WMU tables stop at 2022.
| Year | Total | Adult bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 583 | 480 |
| 2017 | 616 | 528 |
| 2018 | 847 | 691 |
| 2019 | 1,003 | 808 |
| 2020 | 939 | 703 |
| 2021 | 955 | 794 |
| 2022 | 1,210 | 955 |
The 2025 bear harvest in 5C came to 46.
DEC's bear plan for 5C reads "Maintain moderate bear density".
WMU facts from the 2026 DMP table, the 2026-27 DEC guide, DEC deer take reports and the DEC bear harvest dashboard; WMU from the DEC WMU layer; checked October 27, 2026.
Every season window on Wilmington Wild Forest
31 species have open dates on Wilmington Wild Forest this license year; the table holds 43 rows and a live open-or-closed column.
| Quarry | Season | Covers | Starts | Ends | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 27, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Muzzleloading | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season (Adirondacks) | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMUs 5C, 5F | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMUs 5C, 5F | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 20, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Northeastern Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Northeastern Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Northeastern Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | September season | Northeast goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Northeast goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Northeast goose area | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Feb 26, 2027 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMUs 5C, 5F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Snapping turtle | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 15, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
Season rows from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, matched to the DEC WMU, duck zone and goose area layers; checked October 27, 2026. All New York seasons.
Wilmington Wild Forest game species
The source names big game, black bear, ducks and geese and small game on Wilmington Wild Forest.
Species from DEC wilmington wild forest; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Getting into Wilmington Wild Forest: parking and maps
Map download: Wilmington Wild Forest Map · trail map of Whiteface and Esther Mountains · Cobble Lookout trail map · Clements Pond trail map · Cooper Kill trail map · Wilmington Flume Trail Network Map
Parking points and maps from DEC wilmington wild forest; checked October 27, 2026.
Wilmington Wild Forest: town and county harvest
DEC's last take-by-town table (2019) credits the town of Black Brook with 139 deer, 108 of them adult bucks.
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Brook | Clinton | 94 | 77 | 98 | 133 | 139 | 108 |
| Wilmington | Essex | 85 | 48 | 42 | 90 | 78 | 68 |
| Keene | Essex | 131 | 102 | 97 | 97 | 113 | 92 |
| Jay | Essex | 89 | 90 | 86 | 80 | 82 | 62 |
Bears reported by town: Black Brook 7 in 2020; Black Brook 2 in 2021; Black Brook 8 in 2022; Wilmington 5 in 2020; Wilmington 1 in 2021; Wilmington 5 in 2022.
Essex County deer, 2025: 1,788.
| Year | County deer | Adult bucks | Adult does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,436 | 1,167 | 252 |
| 2022 | 1,864 | 1,418 | 362 |
| 2023 | 1,559 | 1,302 | 203 |
| 2024 | 1,524 | 1,251 | 247 |
| 2025 | 1,788 | 1,418 | 275 |
DEC deer take by town and county (towns 2007-2019), county deer take 2021-2025 and DEC bear take by town; checked October 27, 2026.
Wilmington Wild Forest hunting-hour table
Sun times below are calculated for Wilmington Wild Forest; the game column adds the big game half hour and the bird column stops at sunset.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and bear | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:46 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:51 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:20 a.m. | 5:59 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:58 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:22 a.m. | 4:17 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:17 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:30 a.m. | 4:26 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:26 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:48 a.m. | 7:57 p.m. | 5:18 a.m. to 8:27 p.m. | 5:18 a.m. to 7:57 p.m. |
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.
Wilmington Wild Forest: nearby towns and services
Wilmington is the nearest town with its own page, 2.9 mi from Wilmington Wild Forest.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | Essex | 2.9 mi | – | 86,312 |
| Lake Placid | Essex | 11 mi | 2,302 | 148,134 |
| Redford | Clinton | 13 mi | – | 55,286 |
| Saranac Lake | Franklin | 15 mi | 4,856 | 129,641 |
Wilmington Wild Forest falls inside these county guides: Clinton County, Essex County.
Wilmington Wild Forest: businesses close by
20 licensed guides are registered in Essex County, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
DEC offices closest to Wilmington Wild Forest
Towns and populations from Census 2024 estimates; businesses from store locators and listings; DEC offices and licensed guide counts from DEC. Checked October 27, 2026.
Wilmington Wild Forest: nearest firing lines
Nearest range to Wilmington Wild Forest: Chesterfield Fish & Game Club, roughly 8 miles. DEC has no firearm range, and no local public range is close.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Wilmington Wild Forest in pictures
Wilmington Wild Forest: short answers
What game is found on Wilmington Wild Forest?
Big game, black bear, ducks and geese and small game top the list.
How long is spring turkey on Wilmington Wild Forest?
May 1 to May 31, 2027, with shooting until noon.
When does bear hunting open near Wilmington Wild Forest?
Sep 19 to Dec 6, 2026 (regular Season (Adirondacks)).
When does waterfowl open at Wilmington Wild Forest?
It is in the Northeastern Zone; split one Oct 10 to Nov 29, 2026.
Which town page is closest to Wilmington Wild Forest?
Wilmington, about 2.9 mi away.
What are the stand rules on Wilmington Wild Forest?
No permanent stands or screw-in steps; a labeled portable stand may stay during the season.
How does access work on Wilmington Wild Forest?
No special permit is listed; a valid license and the open seasons are what count.
What does Wilmington Wild Forest measure?
About 16,940 acres by the source used here.
Which WMU rules apply on Wilmington Wild Forest?
WMU 5C (also 5F), in the Northern Zone.
When does the main deer season run on Wilmington Wild Forest?
WMUs 5C, 5F: regular Season Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026.
When can I bowhunt deer on Wilmington Wild Forest?
Bowhunting opens Sep 27, 2026 (WMUs 5C, 5F).
What about DMPs on Wilmington Wild Forest?
None: 5C is a no-DMP unit.
Wilmington Wild Forest: what to double-check
After a deer, bear or turkey on Wilmington Wild Forest, report it: paper tags within 48 hours, e-tags right away in HuntFishNY.
Sources: DEC wilmington wild forest · DEC · DEC GIS · DEC; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); cm195902 (CC BY 2.0).