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Northeast region · WMU 3D
Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge Hunting Guide
Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 5,813 acres in Monroe and Northampton counties: whitetails, WMU 3D seasons, antlerless numbers, nearby land and towns.
Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli (CC BY 2.0)
Sizing up Cherry Valley NWR
Type of ground: national wildlife refuge with a hunting program. Location: Monroe and Northampton counties, WMU 3D. Day-to-day management sits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With 5,813 acres, it ranks 2nd by area among 3 wildlife refuges. Of the towns with a guide here, Stroudsburg is closest; the map point is about 7 miles southwest of it.
The 2 counties around Cherry Valley NWR
| County | Seat of county | Population 2024 | Land area | WMUs in county | Special Regulations | Feeding ban | CWD bin | Bears taken 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | Stroudsburg | 166,523 | 608 | 3D | No | — | No | 93 |
| Northampton County | Easton | 322,989 | 370 | 5C, 3D | No | — | No | 28 |
From the source record (USFWS Annual Report of Lands as of 9/30/2025 (Cherry Valley, 5,813.25 acres)), counties and WMUs from the PGC county and WMU layers; county facts from the Census and the 2026-27 digest; bear counts from the PGC 2024 bear release. Checked October 12, 2026.
Cherry Valley NWR: who may hunt, and how
Each card cites its source.
Getting in
Refuge hunting permit required, awarded by lottery ($5 entry, $35 permit, free youth permits); each permit is valid for one hunt area.
Licenses for this game
Start with the general hunting license, which includes the buck and turkey tags.
Statewide rules that apply
Small game hunters and firearm deer, bear and elk hunters wear orange. Archers in archery season, turkey hunters and waterfowlers are exempt.
All Sundays inside season dates are legal for 2026-27, with migratory birds the exception.
Species at Cherry Valley NWR, with limits
Game on the list: whitetails.
White-tailed deer
WMU 3D hunters took an estimated 15,600 deer in 2025-26.
Species from the area record; bag limits and seasons from the PGC seasons and bag limits; harvest from PGC deer report, PGC harvest data and PGC turkey report. Checked October 12, 2026.
What Cherry Valley NWR holds
Counts and acreages come from PGC and DCNR layers; the quoted text is the agency description.
The the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service write-up
FWS: public hunting on over 5,000 acres in three hunt areas (Aquashicola, Godfrey's Ridge and Headwaters); 2026-27 lottery window July 1-21, 2026, permits sold from Aug. 1, 2026 at cherry.recaccess.com; two mentored deer hunts with PGC and the National Deer Association. Species open are listed in the refuge hunting rules PDF.
Facts from the source record, USFWS, USFWS, FWS realty layer; retrieved 2026-10-12, checked October 12, 2026.
Open and upcoming seasons, Cherry Valley NWR
From the first junior squirrel weekend to late flintlock, 48 segments apply somewhere in Cherry Valley NWR this license year.
| Species | Hunt | Unit | Opening day | Closing day | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Agricultural Deer Control (Ag Tag, antlerless only) | This area | Aug 1, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | October muzzleloader (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Special firearms (antlerless only) | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Rifle (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (antlered and antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended regular firearms (antlerless only) | This area | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Flintlock (antlered or antlerless) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Archery | This area | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Special firearms | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Extended firearms | This area | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall season (male or female) | This area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler youth hunt | Statewide | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (morning only) | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler season (all day) | Statewide | May 16, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (male or female) | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Junior hunt | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Junior hunt | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Woodchuck | Regular | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Regular (Thursday-Sunday only) | Statewide | Aug 20, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Fox | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 24, 2026 | |
| Porcupine | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | This area | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 3, 2027 | |
| Opossum, striped skunk and weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Starling and English sparrow | No closed season | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Gallinules | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Virginia and sora rails | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Regular | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 |
From the Pennsylvania Game Commission seasons and bag limits and the 2026-27 digest, checked October 12, 2026.
Around Cherry Valley NWR: more public land
Orange is Cherry Valley NWR; the other pins are public land within 25 miles. State Game Lands 168 leads the list by size, 7,814 acres.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish and Boat Commission Lands (CWMA 403) | Cooperative WMA | 600 | 5 mi | east | 3D, 4C, 5C |
| Northampton County Lands (CWMA 444) | Cooperative WMA | 1,733 | 6 mi | northeast | 3D, 5C |
| State Game Lands 186 | State Game Lands | 965 | 7 mi | northwest | 3D |
| Chestnuthill Township Lands (CWMA 445) | Cooperative WMA | 1,158 | 8 mi | northwest | 3D |
| Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center | State park | 937 | 8 mi | south | 5C |
| State Game Lands 168 | State Game Lands | 7,814 | 10 mi | southwest | 3D |
| Big Pocono State Park | State park | 800 | 11 mi | northwest | 3D |
| State Game Lands 38 | State Game Lands | 5,818 | 12 mi | northwest | 3D |
| State Game Lands 318 | State Game Lands | 858 | 17 mi | northwest | 3D |
| Beltzville State Park | State park | 1,700 | 18 mi | west | 3D |
| Beltzville Lake | Corps lake | 3,557 | 18 mi | west | 3D |
| State Game Lands 221 | State Game Lands | 4,684 | 19 mi | north | 3D |
Points from PGC, DCNR, USFS, USFWS and NPS GIS layers (USFWS National Realty interest GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Antlerless licenses and harvest around Cherry Valley NWR
These numbers describe the whole WMU, not this property alone.
| WMU | Sq mi | SGL sq mi | Antler rule | Antlerless 2026-27 | Change | 2025 sellout | CWD found | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3D | 2,102 | 249 | 3 points, one side | 52,000 | +/- 0 | 9/2 | No | 15,600 |
Since 2015, the WMU 3D harvest has ranged from 7,200 (2015) to 15,600 (2025). The 2025-26 harvest broke down to 6,000 antlered, 9,600 antlerless. By season: 5,460 archery, 9,500 firearms, 640 muzzleloader. 52,000 antlerless licenses go to WMU 3D for 2026-27, a change of +/- 0.
County bear harvest
| County | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe | 93 | 111 |
| Northampton | 28 | — |
Unit harvest
| WMU | Turkey 2024 | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| WMU 3D | 1,002 | 416 |
WMU areas from the PGC WMU pages; antlerless allocations from the PGC allocation; deer harvest from the 2025-26 PGC report and the PGC historic harvest dashboard; bears from PGC releases; turkeys from PGC job report. Checked October 12, 2026.
Cherry Valley NWR: nearest towns and businesses
Each town links to its own hunting guide.
| Base town | County | Away | Area is | Residents | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroudsburg | Monroe | 7 mi | southwest | 5,819 | 3,883 |
| Easton | Northampton | 15 mi | north | 30,432 | 847 |
| Mount Pocono | Monroe | 16 mi | south | 3,039 | 40,488 |
| Walnutport | Northampton | 20 mi | northeast | 2,100 | 16,438 |
After the shot: local businesses
Agency offices
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates and Gazetteer; public acres within 10 miles from PGC, DCNR and federal layers; businesses from Hunters Sharing the Harvest, PDA, store locators and listings; offices from PGC and DCNR pages. Checked October 12, 2026. Call ahead.
Where to sight in near Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge
About 21 miles separates Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge from State Game Lands 127 Public Shooting Range, the nearest PGC range. Club ranges nearby round out the list.
Rifle range 50/100 yd, 12 points; Handgun range 10/25 yd, 5 points
Shotgun
From the PGC Shooting Ranges layer and the Game Commission range rules, checked October 12, 2026.
Packing for Cherry Valley NWR
Matched to the species on this page, with live listings.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Fluorescent orange vest
Hunters in rifle season must wear the orange combination.
Shooting hours at Cherry Valley NWR this week
Morning shooting time begins a half hour before sunup. Big game and small game run to a half hour after sundown; ducks, geese and doves stop at sundown.
Times worked out for Cherry Valley NWR in Eastern time from the rule in the Pennsylvania Game Commission digest (shooting hours). Some furbearers may be taken at night; check the digest. Shooting hours for every county.
Answers for Cherry Valley NWR hunters
Which office is in charge of Cherry Valley NWR?
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service runs it as a national wildlife refuge with a hunting program.
Are bears taken near Cherry Valley NWR?
121 bears were taken in Monroe and Northampton counties in 2024.
Where do hunters stay when they hunt Cherry Valley NWR?
Start from Stroudsburg; the area lies 7 miles to the southwest, in Monroe and Northampton counties.
How large a tract is Cherry Valley NWR?
Roughly 5,813 acres.
Can I get a doe tag for Cherry Valley NWR?
A WMU 3D antlerless license; PGC allocated 52,000 for 2026-27.
Which unit sets the seasons on Cherry Valley NWR?
WMU 3D covers it. Three points on one antler makes a legal buck in WMU 3D.
Are Sundays open at Cherry Valley NWR?
Yes, in every 2026-27 season except migratory birds.
When is deer season on Cherry Valley NWR?
Bowhunting from Oct 3, 2026, rifle Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Every segment is in the table above.
Which license covers hunting on Cherry Valley NWR?
Residents need the $20.97 adult license; juniors pay $6.97.
Do I need orange on Cherry Valley NWR?
In small game and firearms big game seasons, 250 square inches combined on head, chest and back.
Are there drawn hunts on Cherry Valley NWR?
Yes, some are. Refuge hunting permit required, awarded by lottery ($5 entry, $35 permit, free youth permits); each permit is valid for one hunt area.
Closing notes on Cherry Valley NWR
Seasons, closures and road access on Cherry Valley NWR can change during the license year. Check the official page before you load the truck.
Sources for this page: USFWS: hunting · USFWS: cherry valley national wildlife refuge hunting r · USFWS: 2025 annual report of lands data tables v2 · FWS realty layer: FeatureServer 0; regulations from the 2026-27 PGC digest. Checked October 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: tuchodi (CC BY 2.0); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0).