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Western New York
Niagara County Hunting
Plan a Niagara County season from the unit level up: WMU 9A and 9F dates, antlerless permit chances, antler rules, waterfowl zones, public land acres and DEC Region 9 contacts.
Photo: wonkanerd (CC BY 2.0)
From its seat in Lockport, Niagara County spreads over 522 square miles in DEC Region 9. With 209,570 people in 2024, the county changed -1.5% from the 2020 count. The county falls under DEC Region 9, run out of Buffalo. 2 Wildlife Management Units set the dates: 9A and 9F. Mapped DEC land totals some 3,384 acres here.
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.
Niagara County deer units and permits
Most of Niagara County (38%) is WMU 9A, with slices of 9F. Regular season dates here are Nov. 21 to Dec. 13, after early bowhunting Oct. 1 to Nov. 20. The 2026 DMP table gives a bonus DMP for each one filled in 9A and 9F. 9A and 9F open early for antlerless deer, Sep 12 to Sep 20, 2026. Oct 10 to Oct 12, 2026 is reserved for junior hunters with firearms. A reported antlerless deer earns the 2nd Antlered Deer Tag this year.
| Unit | Share | Zone | Archery | Regular | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9A | 38% | Southern | Oct. 1–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 13 | Dec. 14–Dec. 22 Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
| 9F | 6% | Southern | Oct. 1–Nov. 20 | Nov. 21–Dec. 13 | Dec. 14–Dec. 22 Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
| WMU | Permits | Success | First DMP | Second DMP | Nonres first | Antler rule | Bear | Fall bird |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9A | Unlimited | 10.0% | 100% | 100% | 100% | None | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
| 9F | Unlimited | 10.4% | 100% | 100% | 100% | None | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
WMU 9A · WMU 9F · All DMP targets · APR units
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.
Niagara County hunting calendar by species
Waterfowl rows follow the duck zones and goose areas that DEC maps across Niagara County; upland and big game rows follow WMUs 9A and 9F.
| Game | Segment | WMU or zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | All WMUs here | 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 (cocks only) | All WMUs here | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 2 | Western Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Western Zone | Dec 22, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September season | South goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | South goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 11, 2027 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Western Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Western Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Western 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.
Deer harvest history for Niagara County
Last season Niagara County gave up 4,068 deer, adult bucks 1,956 of them. 2025 leads the series with 4,068 deer, and 2017 trails with 2,267. Females, adults and fawns together, came to 1,924. The busiest towns in 2019 were Royalton, Hartland and Newfane.
| Season | Adult males | Buck fawns | Adult females | Doe fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,956 | 188 | 1,709 | 215 | 4,068 |
| 2024 | 2,015 | 250 | 1,509 | 253 | 4,027 |
| 2023 | 1,405 | 231 | 1,196 | 207 | 3,039 |
| 2022 | 1,538 | 262 | 1,389 | 241 | 3,430 |
| 2021 | 1,281 | 199 | 1,404 | 184 | 3,068 |
| 2020 | 1,359 | 246 | 1,470 | 219 | 3,294 |
| Year | Bucks | Total take |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,313 | 2,812 |
| 2018 | 1,138 | 2,604 |
| 2017 | 1,058 | 2,267 |
| 2016 | 1,169 | 2,690 |
| 2015 | 989 | 2,501 |
| 2014 | 1,069 | 2,660 |
| 2013 | 1,255 | 2,929 |
| 2012 | 1,238 | 3,108 |
| 2011 | 1,203 | 2,923 |
| 2010 | 1,099 | 2,969 |
| 2009 | 929 | 2,435 |
| 2008 | 1,036 | 2,311 |
| 2007 | 1,019 | 2,525 |
WMU take, 2022
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.
Niagara County beyond whitetails
Niagara black bear
9A and 9F are open for black bear under the Southern Zone rules. Bear segments start Oct 1 and the last one closes Dec 22, 2026. The most bears in one year was 2, in 2018. Whole-unit 2025 figures: 9A 0; 9F 0. On the bear objective map these units read maintain infrequent bear presence.
Turkey seasons
The fall season, one bird either sex, runs 9A and 9F Oct. 17-30. Youth spring turkey is Apr 24 to Apr 25, 2027, and the regular spring season follows May 1 to May 31, 2027. Turkey take is grouped by DEC area; Great Lakes Plain is the main one here.
| DEC area | Units | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes Plain | 8A,8C,8F,8G,8H,8J,9A,9C,9F | 1,804 | 1,809 | 1,820 |
Waterfowl zones
Use Western zone dates for ducks, brant and snow geese. For Canada geese, check South.
| Goose area | Runs | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| South | Sep 1–Sep 25, 2026 | 15 |
| South | Oct 24–Jan 11, 2027 | 5 |
Bear area map · Turkey seasons by unit · Goose areas
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.
Niagara County tracts open to hunters
Niagara County has 7 listed properties open to hunters, led by Oak Orchard And Tonawanda Wildlife Management Areas (8,350 acres). Only the listed parks allow hunting, each with its own permit. Niagara County is on the county list of the DEC pheasant release program. Duck hunters can find DEC-mapped waterfowl areas in Niagara County.
- Wildlife management areas in Niagara (3)Oak Orchard And Tonawanda Wildlife Management Areas (8,350 acres*), Hartland Swamp Wildlife Management Area (402 acres), Motor Island Wildlife Management Area (19 acres)
- State parks with hunting, 4Wilson-Tuscarora State Park (481 acres), Joseph Davis State Park (383 acres), Golden Hill State Park (372 acres), Fort Niagara State Park (270 acres)
DEC Pheasant Release Sites (statewide program) · DEC Places to Hunt Waterfowl (statewide map)
Next-door public land
- Buckhorn Island State Park17 miles away · 576 acres
- Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area17 miles away · 34 acres
- Beaver Island State Park22 miles away · 759 acres
- Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge24 miles away · 10,810 acres
- John White Wildlife Management Area25 miles away · 329 acres
Closed to hunting: Rt. 62 North Tonawanda Boat Launch, Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site, Earl W. Brydges Artpark, Four Mile Creek State Park, Niagara Falls State Park – Devil's Hole Area, Niagara Falls State Park – Whirlpool Area, Niagara Falls State Park at Niagara Reservation and Reservoir State Park.
Land finder · All WMAs · State forest pages
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.
Rules that bite in Niagara County
The legal implements map bars rifles in Cities of Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda (Niagara County). Setbacks: no firearm discharge within 500 feet of a dwelling, school, playground or church, 250 feet for crossbows and 150 feet for bows. Deer and bear hunters with a firearm, and anyone with them, wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink, or a hat at least half orange or pink. Hunting over bait is illegal for big game, and so is feeding deer or bear. Sundays are open days for every season.
CWD testing
Statewide surveillance found no CWD in the 3,050 deer checked in 2025-2026. Bring only deboned meat, clean skull caps, antlers, hides and finished mounts from out-of-state deer.
| Season | Tests | Detections |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Local opt-in decides 12-13-year-old firearm deer hunting; DEC posts a county map. Junior hunter rules
Legal reference · Carcass import rules · Young 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.
Niagara County offices and businesses
DEC lists processors who agreed to be named; shops and taxidermists come from directories, so call before you go. Niagara County is home to 4 licensed hunting guides on DEC's list. 15 town or village clerk offices in Niagara County sell sporting licenses.
Agency contacts
Regional DEC staff for Niagara County work out of Buffalo. NYSDEC Region 9 Headquarters (Buffalo) is the closest DEC office, 26 miles out. Region 9 phones here are DEC permit lines.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Preserves nearby
Niagara area gun and bow counters
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.
Niagara County towns plus the counties that touch it
Use a Niagara County town page to see the closest public land by distance.
- Lockportseat · 20,394 townspeople · 238 ac public, 10-mi ring
Niagara County borders 3 New York counties.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Niagara County shooting time on key dates
East and west matter: sunrise in Buffalo comes about 20 minutes after sunrise in Albany, so use local times for Niagara County.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for big game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:11 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:39 a.m. | 6:20 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:15 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:39 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:47 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:10 a.m. | 8:15 p.m. | 5:40 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. | 5:40 a.m. to 8:15 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.
Niagara County hunting events and results
Checked October 27, 2026: 3 upcoming events, covering DU gun raffle, NWTF chapter banquet and youth pheasant hunt.
On the way
| Held on | Event | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | WNY Delta Waterfowl 2nd annual Youth Pheasant Hunt · youth pheasant hunt | Barker | Reserve a spot | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Niagara Co Gun Bash · DU gun raffle | Rapids Fire Company Station 1 Lockport | Get tickets | Source |
| Apr 4, 2027 | Niagara County Gobblers Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | Youngstown | Get tickets | Source |
Niagara County ranges, clubs and shoots
8 Niagara County ranges are listed, and every card says who may shoot.
| Club or range | Nearest town | Guns and bows | Entry rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonawandas Sportsmen's Club (a rod and gun club) | Tonawanda | trap/skeet/sporting clays/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/archery/muzzleloader/air gun/action pistol/shotgun | Members only |
| Twin City Shooting Club (a rod and gun club) | Tonawanda | handgun/rifle | Members only |
Public ranges are scarce here: none within 60 miles of the Niagara County center.
Ranges from DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Niagara County, answered
How much Forest Preserve is in Niagara County?
None by the DEC Lands layer.
When does duck season open in Niagara County?
Oct 10, 2026 in the Western Zone.
How does a Niagara County resident buy a hunting license?
Online, by phone, or at a town clerk or license agent; 15 clerk offices sell them in the county.
Must I wear orange in Niagara County?
Yes for firearm deer and bear hunting: 250 square inches of orange or pink, or a hat at least half orange or pink.
Is there a late muzzleloader season in Niagara County?
Yes: Dec. 14 to Dec. 22, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
Who cuts deer close to Niagara County?
Start with Deer Guys Mobile Processing; the services band lists more.
Is any part of Niagara County bowhunting only?
No. Firearms are legal in the regular season in every unit here.
How many DMPs can one hunter hold in Niagara County?
Up to four applications statewide: two in limited WMUs and two in unlimited/bonus WMUs, plus leftovers from about Nov. 1.
Is bear hunting open in Niagara County?
Yes, in 9A and 9F.
Is the Niagara County deer harvest going up?
DEC puts 2025 at 4,068 deer against 4,027 the season before, a +1% move.
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.
Niagara County, last word
Dates on this page are for 2026-27 only; recheck the guide for a later season.
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); TonySprezzatura (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0).