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WMU 6G and more

Jefferson County Hunting

A county brief for Jefferson County: the units DEC uses to set deer and bear dates, 2026 DMP numbers, the duck zone, public tracts with acres, 2025 deer take and the nearest DEC office.

NorthernBig game
6G,​6A,​6H,​6K,​6N +WMUs
NortheasternDuck zone
6DEC region
6,226Deer 2025

Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)

Measured on Census maps, Jefferson County holds 1,268 square miles of land around its seat at Watertown. Its population stood at 113,140 in 2024 (-3.1% on 2020). DEC manages wildlife here from its Region 6 office in Watertown. DEC sets dates by unit; here that means 6G, 6A, 6H, 6K, 6N and 6C. About 40,689 acres of DEC ground lie within the line.

WatertownCounty seat
113,140Residents 2024
1,268Area (sq mi)
NorthernZone
40,689DEC land, ac
6,226Take 2025

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 Jefferson County

Dexter Marsh Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 1 mi from Jefferson County

Directions
Gould Corners State Forest

Public land · 15 mi from Jefferson County

Directions
Lookout State Forest

Public land · 19 mi from Jefferson County

Directions
Lakeview Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 20 mi from Jefferson County

Directions
Winona State Forest

Public land · 21 mi from Jefferson County

Directions

Jefferson County unit-by-unit rules

The largest unit here is 6G, about 45% of the county; 6A (8%), 6H (8%) and 6K (4%) follow. Expect the bow opener Sept. 27 and the gun opener Oct. 24, as set for the Northern Zone. For 2026 DEC offers capped DMPs across 6G, 6A, 6H, 6K and 6C and none by law in 6N. Leftover limited permits appear about Nov. 1 after the Oct 1, 2026 deadline. Junior hunters 12-15 get the youth firearms hunt Oct 10 to Oct 12, 2026 outside bowhunting-only units. New for 2026, filling an antlerless tag earns a second buck tag.

WMUCounty shareZoneEarly archeryRegular seasonMuzzleloading
6G45%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6
Oct. 17–Oct. 23
Dec. 7–Dec. 13
6A8%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6
Oct. 17–Oct. 23
Dec. 7–Dec. 13
6H8%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6
Oct. 17–Oct. 23
Dec. 7–Dec. 13
6K4%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6Oct. 17–Oct. 23
6N3%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6Oct. 17–Oct. 23
6C2%NorthernSept. 27–Oct. 23Oct. 24–Dec. 6
Oct. 17–Oct. 23
Dec. 7–Dec. 13
Unit2026 DMPsAvg successResident 1stResident 2ndNonresidentBuck ruleBear areaFall turkey
6G21,00012.8%HighHighHighNoneWestern PeripheryOct. 1-14
6A2,300—PP ReqNoneNoneNoneWestern PeripheryOct. 1-14
6H60015.2%MedNoneNoneNoneAdirondacksOct. 1-14
6K6,50018.0%MedNoneNoneNoneWestern PeripheryOct. 1-14
6NNone by law————NoneWestern PeripheryOct. 1-14
6C3,80017.4%MedNoneNoneNoneAdirondacksOct. 1-14

Share is the part of the county inside each unit, from the GIS overlay.

WMU 6G · WMU 6A · WMU 6H · WMU 6K · WMU 6N · WMU 6C · Permit table · Antler restrictions

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.

Jefferson County dates from September to May

Jefferson County lies in the Northern Zone, and its WMUs (6G, 6A, 6H, 6K, 6N and 6C) decide the deer, bear, turkey and small game dates. The 50 rows below come from the 2026-27 guide.

GameSeasonAreaBeginsThroughRight now
White-tailed deerEarly BowhuntingAll WMUs hereSep 27, 2026Oct 23, 2026
White-tailed deerYouth deer weekendAll WMUs hereOct 10, 2026Oct 12, 2026
White-tailed deerEarly Muzzleloading (antlered deer only)WMU 6NOct 17, 2026Oct 23, 2026
White-tailed deerEarly Muzzleloading (deer of either sex)WMUs 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H, 6KOct 17, 2026Oct 23, 2026
White-tailed deerRegular SeasonAll WMUs hereOct 24, 2026Dec 6, 2026
White-tailed deerLate BowhuntingWMUs 6A, 6C, 6G, 6HDec 7, 2026Dec 13, 2026
White-tailed deerLate MuzzleloadingWMUs 6A, 6C, 6G, 6HDec 7, 2026Dec 13, 2026
Black bearEarly BowhuntingWMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6NSep 19, 2026Oct 23, 2026
Black bearRegular Season (Adirondacks)WMUs 6C, 6HSep 19, 2026Dec 6, 2026
Black bearYouth Firearms Bear HuntAll WMUs hereOct 10, 2026Oct 12, 2026
Black bearEarly MuzzleloadingWMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6NOct 17, 2026Oct 23, 2026
Black bearRegular Season (Western Periphery)WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, 6NOct 24, 2026Dec 6, 2026
Wild turkeyFall SeasonAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Oct 14, 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 hereSep 20, 2026Feb 28, 2027
WoodcockHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Nov 14, 2026
CottontailHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Mar 21, 2027
Snowshoe hareHuntingAll WMUs hereOct 1, 2026Mar 21, 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 1Northeastern ZoneOct 10, 2026Nov 29, 2026
DucksSplit 2Northeastern ZoneDec 12, 2026Dec 20, 2026
Scaup2-scaup windowNortheastern ZoneNov 19, 2026Nov 29, 2026
Scaup2-scaup windowNortheastern ZoneDec 12, 2026Dec 20, 2026
Canada gooseSeptember seasonNortheast goose areaSep 1, 2026Sep 25, 2026
Canada gooseRegular seasonNortheast goose areaOct 24, 2026Nov 29, 2026
Canada gooseRegular seasonNortheast goose areaDec 12, 2026Dec 19, 2026
Snow gooseRegular seasonNortheastern ZoneOct 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026
Snow gooseRegular seasonNortheastern ZoneFeb 26, 2027Mar 10, 2027
BrantRegular seasonNortheastern ZoneOct 10, 2026Nov 8, 2026
Youth waterfowlYouth daysNortheastern ZoneSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 2026
Veteran waterfowlVeteran daysNortheastern 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
BobcatHuntingWMUs 6A, 6C, 6G, 6H, 6NOct 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
Snapping turtleHuntingStatewideJul 15, 2026Sep 30, 2026
FrogsHuntingStatewideJun 15, 2026Sep 30, 2026

Youth, veteran and special permit hunts are on their own 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.

Jefferson County deer numbers since 2007

Jefferson County ranked 8th of the 56 counties DEC reports, with 6,226 deer in 2025. Since 2007 (6,734) the county moved -8%, with 2020 on top at 8,559. Adult does numbered 2,375 against 3,219 adult bucks. DEC's last town breakdown (2019) has Ellisburg, Henderson and Rutland as the top three.

Yearly deer take, Jefferson County02,5005,0007,50010,0002007: 6,7346,73420072008: 7,3087,30820082009: 6,9666,96620092010: 7,2617,26120102011: 6,3136,31320112012: 7,5067,50620122013: 8,0588,05820132014: 7,5997,59920142015: 5,5675,56720152016: 5,9645,96420162017: 6,0556,05520172018: 6,8916,89120182019: 6,9856,98520192020: 8,5598,55920202021: 6,9026,90220212022: 7,4107,41020222023: 6,6736,67320232024: 6,8716,87120242025: 6,2266,2262025
YearAdult bucksMale fawnsAdult doesFemale fawnsDeer
20253,2193372,3752956,226
20243,9302762,4362296,871
20233,8932122,3402286,673
20223,8604792,6344377,410
20213,6932622,6592886,902
20203,9574533,8343158,559
SeasonBucksAll deer
20193,9176,985
20183,5636,891
20173,3586,055
20162,9835,964
20152,8485,567
20143,3467,599
20133,6688,058
20123,7937,506
20112,8776,313
20103,1577,261
20093,2086,966
20083,3227,308
20073,2156,734

Unit numbers, 2022

UnitDeerAdult males/sq miDMPs issuedDMP harvestSuccess
6G6,5933.519,2022,77314.4%
6A4,5012.21,49840026.7%
6H3921.180019224.0%
6K5,0722.58,0001,61220.2%
6N9471.6———
6C3,5872.23,60076021.1%

Unit totals include land in neighbouring counties.

DEC calculated take: an estimate from reported harvest and the reporting rate, not a raw count.

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.

Jefferson County bear take, turkey dates and duck zones

Bears

DEC opens bear in 6G, 6A, 6H, 6K, 6N and 6C; the area is Western Periphery and Adirondacks. Look for bear windows between Sep 19 and Dec 6, 2026. Across 15 years of county tables the total is 403 bears. The 2025 summary credits 6C with 106 bears, the most of the units here. The unit objective reads maintain low bear density and maintain moderate bear density.

Jefferson County: bears per year0122537502007: 343420072008: 191920082009: 252520092010: 202020102011: 212120112012: 383820122014: 232320142015: 323220152016: 151520162017: 303020172018: 343420182019: 313120192020: 313120202021: 232320212022: 27272022
UnitEarlyBowMLRegularJuniorBearsPer 100 sq mi
6G—113050.5
6A—5050100.7
6H—00170179.8
6K—7380181.6
6N—5190153.1
6C—00106010610.9

Jefferson wild turkey

DEC sets fall turkey here as 6G, 6A, 6H, 6K, 6N and 6C Oct. 1-14. Bearded birds only in spring, May 1 to May 31, 2027; shooting stops at noon. The nearest spring figures are DEC's aggregates: St. Lawrence Valley came in near 478 for 2026.

DEC turkey areaWMUsSpring 2024Spring 2025Spring 2026
St. Lawrence Valley6A,​6C,​6H619436478
Central Tug Hill6N171147197
East Ontario Plain6G376439507
Tug Hill Transition6K622688682

Duck and goose areas

Ducks follow the Northeastern zone dates here. Canada geese follow the Northeast area dates.

AreaDatesPer day
NortheastSep 1–Sep 25, 202615
NortheastOct 24–Nov 29, 20263
NortheastDec 12–Dec 19, 20263

Bear area rules · Fall and spring turkey · Zone descriptions

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.

Jefferson County: forests, WMAs and other land

The 32 Jefferson County listings break down as 14 wildlife management areas, 10 state parks with hunting, 6 state forests and 1 unique area. State parks listed here allow hunting only under the park's own permit or rules; other parks are closed. Military land at Fort Drum needs its own pass. Look for DEC pheasant release sites in Jefferson County in the fall. The DEC places-to-hunt-waterfowl program lists Jefferson County.

32Places listed
40,689DEC ground
16,891SF land
22,781WMA, ac
1,018Other DEC ac

* Multi-county tract, total acreage shown.

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

Tracts in bordering counties

The closed list for Jefferson County: Chaumont Boat Launch, Stony Creek Boat Launch, Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, DeWolf Point State Park, Keewaydin State Park, Mary Island State Park, Rock Island Lighthouse State Park and Waterson Point State Park and 1 more.

Land by type · Wildlife management areas · State forests

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.

Jefferson County legal implements and disease rules

Nothing in the guide's no-rifle list covers Jefferson County. State setbacks: guns 500 ft, crossbows 250 ft, bows 150 ft from homes and schools. Junior hunters and their mentors must wear orange or pink with a firearm or crossbow. Scents and lures are fine; bait and feed for deer or bear are not. You may hunt on Sundays in all areas.

CWD rules

No wild deer has tested positive since 2005; 71,973 have been tested in all. Importing an intact head or whole carcass of any deer from another state is illegal.

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

Whether 12- and 13-year-olds can hunt deer with a gun here depends on a local opt-in law shown on DEC's map. Junior hunting

State law summary · CWD details · Youth hunts

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.

Jefferson County DEC offices, processors and shops

Businesses in Jefferson County come first; the nearest in bordering counties fill each group. Licensed guides based in Jefferson County: 39, per DEC. DEC lists 18 municipal license agents in Jefferson County.

DEC offices for Jefferson County

The Region 6 headquarters in Watertown answers at (315) 785-2239. Drive about 7 miles to reach NYSDEC Region 6 Headquarters (Watertown).

Region 6 Headquarters (Watertown)Head office, Region 6 · 317 Washington Street, Watertown, 13601

Meat processing

Wilderness Walt's TaxidermyNatural Bridge, Jefferson County · roughly 27 mi off
Nolt's ProcessingLowville, Lewis County · roughly 31 mi off
Miller's Meat MarketLowville, Lewis County · roughly 35 mi off · takes donated venison
Ted SearerMexico, Oswego County · roughly 39 mi off

Taxidermists

Patterson's TaxidermyAlexandria Bay, Jefferson County · roughly 24 mi off
Wilderness Walt's TaxidermyNatural Bridge, Jefferson County · roughly 27 mi off
Wilderness Walt's TaxidermyLowville, Lewis County · roughly 24 mi off
Boylston Taxidermy StudiosLacona, Oswego County · roughly 24 mi off

Guide services and preserves

Lowlands WhitetailsLowville, Lewis County · roughly 25 mi off

Hunting shops

B & J Bait ShopDexter, Jefferson County · roughly 1 mi off
Walmart (store 1690)Watertown, Jefferson County · roughly 5 mi off
DICK'S Sporting Goods (Watertown)Watertown, Jefferson County · roughly 5 mi off
Runnings (store 57)Watertown, Jefferson County · roughly 5 mi off

Licensed guide data

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.

Jefferson County town guides and neighbours

Use a Jefferson County town page to see the closest public land by distance.

  • Watertownseat of government · 24,038 people · 10,230 ac of hunting ground near
  • Belleville12,437 ac of hunting ground near
  • Carthage3,257 people · 9,243 ac of hunting ground near
  • Clayton1,689 people · 3,044 ac of hunting ground near
  • Dexter1,011 people · 8,371 ac of hunting ground near
  • Lorraine34,980 ac of hunting ground near
  • Natural Bridge27,229 ac of hunting ground near
  • Pamelia Center10,437 ac of hunting ground near
  • Three Mile Bay6,434 ac of hunting ground near

The Census adjacency file pairs Jefferson County with 4 New York neighbours.

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

Jefferson County legal hunting light

The DEC guide prints sunrise and sunset for Albany only. The times here are worked out for the centre of Jefferson County and match the Albany table within four minutes.

DayHuntFirst sunLast sunBig game windowBird window
Sep 27, 2026Northern bow opener6:56 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, 2026Southern bow opener7:00 a.m.6:47 p.m.6:30 a.m. to 7:17 p.m.6:30 a.m. to 6:47 p.m.
Oct 24, 2026Northern regular opener7:29 a.m.6:08 p.m.6:59 a.m. to 6:38 p.m.6:59 a.m. to 6:08 p.m.
Nov 21, 2026Southern regular opener7:06 a.m.4:34 p.m.6:36 a.m. to 5:04 p.m.6:36 a.m. to 4:34 p.m.
Dec 14, 2026Southern late season7:31 a.m.4:27 p.m.7:01 a.m. to 4:57 p.m.7:01 a.m. to 4:27 p.m.
Jan 1, 2027Late season close7:39 a.m.4:36 p.m.7:09 a.m. to 5:06 p.m.7:09 a.m. to 4:36 p.m.
May 1, 2027Spring turkey opener5:57 a.m.8:05 p.m.5:27 a.m. to 8:35 p.m.5:27 a.m. to 8:05 p.m.

September Canada goose seasons run to 30 minutes after sunset.

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.

Jefferson County hunting dates and results

Listed for this county: 1 upcoming event (youth pheasant hunt).

Dated ahead

OnListingVenueTickets or seatsRead at
Nov 14, 2026Fort Drum Youth Pheasant Hunt · youth pheasant huntReserve a spotSource, checked 10/27/2026

Your chapter or club hosting soon? List it free.

Jefferson County ranges and match dates

The guide counts 6 ranges in Jefferson County, from rod and gun clubs to indoor bays and archery.

Capt. James H. Small Firearms Training Range (an outdoor range)

Delhi, Jefferson County

Shoot here with shotgun, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery

Access not stated · source: boisegunclub.com

Lucky Star Ranch (a sporting clays course)

Chaumont, Jefferson County

Shoot here with sporting clays, shotgun

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Feraris Archery (an archery range)

Carthage, Jefferson County

Shoot here with archery, 3D archery

Access not stated · source: boisegunclub.com

Sno Fun Hunting Preserve (a trap and skeet club)

Evans Mills, Jefferson County

Shoot here with trap, shotgun

Access not stated · source: boisegunclub.com

Thousand Islands Sportsmens (a rod and gun club)

Redwood, Jefferson County

Shoot here with sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader

Access not stated · source: boisegunclub.com

Watertown Sportsmen Inc (a rod and gun club)

Watertown, Jefferson County

Shoot here with trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

Jefferson County has no public range within 60 miles of its center; club memberships fill the gap.

19 more across the county line.

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

Jefferson County hunters ask

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

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

What is the DEC phone for Jefferson County?

(315) 785-2239; wildlife (315) 785-2263.

Which processors take deer from Jefferson County?

Wilderness Walt's Taxidermy, Nolt's Processing and Miller's Meat Market, sorted by distance from mid-county.

When does regular deer season open in Jefferson County?

Oct. 24 in the Northern Zone units; it runs Oct. 24 to Dec. 6.

Can I get a DMP in Jefferson County?

In 6G, 6A, 6H, 6K and 6C, yes, with a 2026 target; 6N has none by law.

Can I use a crossbow in Jefferson County?

Yes, during the whole bowhunting season wherever vertical bows are legal, with bowhunter education.

Where does Jefferson County rank for deer?

It placed 8th among the 56 counties DEC reports for 2025, with 6,226 deer.

Is there an early bear season in Jefferson County?

No early firearms bear season here.

How many spring gobblers can I take in Jefferson County?

Two bearded birds, no more than one a day.

Can I hunt brant in Jefferson County?

Yes, Oct 10 to Nov 8, 2026 (Northeastern Zone).

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.

Jefferson County checks before the drive

Get permission before hunting private land in Jefferson County, and know where the 500-foot setback starts.

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: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0).