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Region 7 · 3 WMUs
Cortland County Hunting
DEC rules and numbers for Cortland County: 3 WMUs with their 2026-27 dates, 2026 DMP odds, bear and fall turkey areas, duck zones, 32,084 acres of DEC land and deer take since 2007.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Cortland County is 499 square miles of central New York, and Cortland houses the county government. Census staff put the 2024 head count at 45,945, after a 1.8% fall since 2020. For DEC purposes it belongs to Region 7, headquartered in Syracuse. The county is carved into 3 WMUs for big game: 7M, 7R and 7J. GIS puts DEC holdings in the county at around 32,084 acres.
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 Cortland County
Cortland County: WMU seasons and antlerless permits
By area, 7M leads with 62%, ahead of 7R and 7J. 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 7M and unlimited permits in 7R and 7J. Missed the Oct 1, 2026 deadline? Leftover DMPs are sold in person from around Nov. 1. September brings an antlerless-only window to 7R and 7J. 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.
| Unit | Area share | Deer zone | Bowhunting | Gun season | Muzzle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7M | 62% | Southern | Oct. 1–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 13 | Dec. 14–Dec. 22 Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
| 7R | 23% | Southern | Oct. 1–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 13 | Dec. 14–Dec. 22 Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
| 7J | 16% | Southern | Oct. 1–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 13 | Dec. 14–Dec. 22 Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
| WMU | Target | DMP success | 1st odds | 2nd odds | Nonres odds | Antler rule | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7M | 20,200 | 14.4% | High | Med | High | None | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
| 7R | Unlimited | 9.3% | 100% | 100% | 100% | None | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
| 7J | Unlimited | 9.7% | 100% | 100% | 100% | None | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
WMU 7M · WMU 7R · WMU 7J · 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.
Cortland County season dates for 2026-27
32 species and 58 dated windows reach Cortland County; the last column compares each with today.
| Quarry | Season | Units | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | WMUs 7J, 7R | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | All WMUs here | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | All WMUs here | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | All WMUs here | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | All WMUs here | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | All WMUs here | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | All WMUs here | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | All WMUs here | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | All WMUs here | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Western Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Southeastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Western Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Southeastern Zone | Dec 8, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Western Zone | Dec 22, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September season | East Central goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | September season | South goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | South goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 11, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Western Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Southeastern Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Western Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Western Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Southeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Southeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Western Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Mink | Hunting (Southern Zone only) | Southern Zone | Nov 10, 2026 | Apr 7, 2027 | |
| Snapping turtle | Hunting | Statewide | Jul 15, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Frogs | Hunting | Statewide | Jun 15, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
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.
Cortland County bucks, does and fawns
The 2025 calculated take for Cortland County was 2,550 deer, 1.1% of the 227,032 statewide. The best year in the 2007-2025 run is 2014 (3,564); the lowest is 2023 (2,354). Fawns made up 221 of the 2025 total. By town, the Virgil area led in 2019 with 321 deer, then Homer and Cortlandville.
| Season | Males 1.5+ | Male fawns | Females 1.5+ | Female fawns | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,343 | 100 | 986 | 121 | 2,550 |
| 2024 | 1,387 | 149 | 942 | 153 | 2,631 |
| 2023 | 1,231 | 154 | 838 | 131 | 2,354 |
| 2022 | 1,343 | 217 | 1,194 | 209 | 2,963 |
| 2021 | 1,137 | 150 | 1,061 | 136 | 2,484 |
| 2020 | 1,311 | 235 | 1,388 | 204 | 3,138 |
| Year | Bucks 1.5+ | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,380 | 2,853 |
| 2018 | 1,468 | 3,272 |
| 2017 | 1,249 | 2,540 |
| 2016 | 1,326 | 2,984 |
| 2015 | 1,249 | 2,616 |
| 2014 | 1,627 | 3,564 |
| 2013 | 1,523 | 3,400 |
| 2012 | 1,547 | 3,276 |
| 2011 | 1,456 | 3,154 |
| 2010 | 1,319 | 2,802 |
| 2009 | 1,313 | 2,750 |
| 2008 | 1,171 | 2,682 |
| 2007 | 1,155 | 2,435 |
Deer and DMPs by WMU (2022)
| WMU | Deer 2022 | Bucks/sq mi | DMPs issued | DMP take | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7M | 7,666 | 3.0 | 20,200 | 3,490 | 17.3% |
| 7R | 5,336 | 2.9 | 28,761 | 2,996 | 10.4% |
| 7J | 5,977 | 2.9 | 31,619 | 3,247 | 10.3% |
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.
Cortland County bears, gobblers and ducks
Bear season
Southern Zone: that is the bear area for 7M, 7R and 7J. 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 2013-2022; 2022 shows 1 bear. In 2025, a record year of 1,759 bears statewide, the units here gave up 5 (whole-unit totals). DEC aims to maintain infrequent bear presence and maintain low bear density in these units.
Turkey
Fall turkey (one bird of either sex) is open in 7M, 7R and 7J 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 East Appalachian Plateau aggregate, which covers part of the county, was about 2,049.
| Turkey aggregate | Units | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Appalachian Plateau | 7M,7P,7R,7S | 1,943 | 2,096 | 2,049 |
| Oneida Lake Plains | 6P,7F,7H,7J | 1,161 | 1,181 | 1,097 |
Migratory birds
For waterfowl the county is Southeastern and Western zone. Goose hunters use East Central and South.
| Canada goose area | Open | Daily bag |
|---|---|---|
| East Central | Sep 1–Sep 25, 2026 | 15 |
| East Central | Oct 24–Nov 20, 2026 | 3 |
| East Central | Dec 5–Dec 21, 2026 | 3 |
| South | Sep 1–Sep 25, 2026 | 15 |
| South | Oct 24–Jan 11, 2027 | 5 |
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.
Cortland County state land and public ground
The 17 Cortland County listings break down as 15 state forests, 1 multiple use area and 1 unique area.
- State forests, 15 listedCuyler Hill State Forest (5,635 acres*), Morgan Hill State Forest (5,307 acres*), Taylor Valley State Forest (4,762 acres), James Kennedy State Forest (4,507 acres), Tuller Hill State Forest (2,498 acres), Griggs Gulf State Forest (2,344 acres*), Hoxie Gorge State Forest (2,118 acres), Robinson Hollow State Forest (2,106 acres*), Baker School House State Forest (1,264 acres), Donahue Woods State Forest (1,158 acres), Hewitt State Forest (937 acres), Maxon Creek State Forest (905 acres), Gee Brook State Forest (865 acres), Dog Hollow State Forest (729 acres), Kettlebail State Forest (579 acres)
- Unique areas, 1Labrador Hollow Unique Area (1,477 acres*)
- Multiple use areas in Cortland (1)Papish Pond Multiple Use Area (191 acres)
Nearest land outside Cortland
- Lincklaen State Forest13 miles by map · 4,631 acres
- Pitcher Springs State Forest13 miles by map · 1,836 acres
- Dryden Lake Multiple Use Area14 miles by map · 198 acres
- Balsam Swamp State Forest14 miles by map · 2,679 acres
- Five Streams State Forest14 miles by map · 6,375 acres
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 Cortland County
Cortland 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 Cortland 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.
| Season | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 2,967 | 0 |
| 2022-2023 | 2,727 | 0 |
| 2023-2024 | 2,713 | 0 |
| 2024-2025 | 3,189 | 0 |
| 2025-2026 | 3,050 | 0 |
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.
Cortland County DEC offices, processors and shops
Businesses in Cortland County come first; the nearest in bordering counties fill each group. For a licensed guide, DEC's list has 3 in Cortland County. Town clerks count for 10 of the license outlets in Cortland County.
DEC offices
For Cortland County, DEC's regional office is in Syracuse. Cortland has the nearest DEC office, 6 miles from mid-county.
Processors
Taxidermy
Hunting preserves
Gun and archery shops
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.
Cortland County town guides and neighbours
Cortland County has 5 town guides, seat first; each lists the public land within reach and the nearest shops.
- Cortlandseat · 17,459 residents (2024) · 14,301 public ac nearby
- Blodgett Mills15,903 public ac nearby
- Marathon883 residents (2024) · 19,481 public ac nearby
- McGraw977 residents (2024) · 16,778 public ac nearby
- Virgil21,230 public ac nearby
Cortland County borders 7 New York counties.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Cortland 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.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and bear | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:56 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:00 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:27 a.m. | 6:10 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:03 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:26 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:34 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:00 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 5:30 a.m. to 8:32 p.m. | 5:30 a.m. to 8:02 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.
What Cortland County has scheduled
4 upcoming events (NWTF chapter banquet, Whitetails Unlimited banquet and mentored pheasant hunt), checked October 27, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Dates | What | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | CNY Pheasants Forever / Little Tags Youth, Women, and Novice Pheasant hunt · mentored pheasant hunt | Truxton | Reserve a spot | Source |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Whitetails Unlimited Cortland County Chapter Banquet · Whitetails Unlimited banquet | Cortland Country Music Park | Event details | Source |
| Nov 8, 2026 | CNY Pheasants Forever / Little Tags Youth, Women, and Novice Pheasant hunt · mentored pheasant hunt | Truxton | Reserve a spot | Source |
| Feb 27, 2027 | Cortland Limbhangers NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | Cortland | Get tickets | Source |
Cortland County ranges and match dates
Up to six Cortland County ranges show as cards; any others are in the table below.
DEC runs no firearm ranges, and no public range of any kind lies within 60 miles of the Cortland County center, so clubs and private ranges are the choices here.
Ranges from DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Cortland County hunting questions
How far is Cortland County from a DEC office?
NYSDEC Region 7 Cortland Sub-Office, about 6 miles away.
How far from a house can I shoot in Cortland County?
500 feet with a firearm, 250 with a crossbow and 150 with a bow, unless the owner consents.
Is there a late muzzleloader season in Cortland County?
Yes: Dec. 14 to Dec. 22, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
Where does a Cortland County deer go for cutting and wrapping?
Matt's Custom Meats is closest on our list; phone before dropping off.
Are there antler restrictions in Cortland County?
No. None of the units here is an antler point restriction unit.
What are the DMP odds in WMU 7M?
Resident first DMP: High; second: Med.
How many bears may one hunter take in Cortland County?
One per license year.
Where does Cortland County rank for deer?
It placed 42nd among the 56 counties DEC reports for 2025, with 2,550 deer.
Which Canada goose area covers Cortland County?
Goose areas here: East Central and South.
When does spring turkey open in Cortland County?
May 1, 2027; youth hunt Apr 24 to Apr 25, 2027.
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.
Cortland County trip checklist
Units in and around Cortland County can change between seasons; read the WMU page and the guide before you go.
Sources: 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, DEC hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 27, 2026.
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