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State forest · WMU 4O
Arctic-China State Forest for hunters
Everything we could verify about this state forest in Delaware County (2,948 acres).
Photo: Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Arctic-China State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Arctic-China State Forest
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.4 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.
Acres and location of Arctic-China State Forest
Arctic-China State Forest counts as a DEC state forest; its ground is in Delaware County. It reaches into Masonville and Deposit, per the DEC page. DEC handles it from Region 4, the office for the Capital District and northern Catskills. Recorded size: 2,948 acres, from DEC Lands layer ACRES. By acres it places 65th among 409 state forests. The Treaty Line plan covers it.
DEC page text: Good hunting opportunities exist on this state forest.
From DEC arctic china state forest; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Arctic-China State Forest
Arctic-China State Forest and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Arctic-China State Forest, starting with Oquaga Creek State Park. Together they add 23,017 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oquaga Creek | State park | 1,272 | 4O | 2.3 mi | northwest |
| Steam Mill | State forest | 5,610 | 4O | 2.5 mi | northeast |
| Michigan Hill State Forest, | State forest | 594 | 4O | 2.5 mi | south |
| Wagon Wheel | Watershed unit | 71 | 4O | 2.9 mi | east |
| Barbour Brook | State forest | 759 | 4O | 3.1 mi | east |
| Beals Pond | State forest | 1,113 | 4O | 3.2 mi | north |
| Barbour Brook | Watershed unit | 421 | 4O | 3.9 mi | east |
| Johnny Brook | Watershed unit | 3,806 | 4O | 4.7 mi | southeast |
| Melondy Hill | State forest | 5,660 | 4O | 5.2 mi | west |
| Speedwell Mountain | Watershed unit | 3,711 | 4O | 5.4 mi | southeast |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Arctic-China State Forest
Arctic-China State Forest follows the rules DEC sets for state forest land:
- Leave every tree on Arctic-China State Forest as you found it: hardware, trimmed lanes and built blinds are not allowed.
- Seasonal stands on Arctic-China State Forest need an ID tag (name and address or license number) and must be pulled when the season closes.
- Storing personal items on Arctic-China State Forest is not allowed; trail cameras count.
- Off-road driving is not allowed on Arctic-China State Forest unless a route is designated, and that covers ATVs.
- Overnight camps follow the state land permit rules.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Arctic-China State Forest
- The orange-or-pink rule covers firearm deer and bear hunters and their companions.
- Boundary houses matter: no gun discharge within 500 feet of a dwelling without consent.
- Bait piles and mineral blocks are not allowed for deer or bear.
- State law no longer limits Sunday hunting anywhere.
From DEC arctic china state forest, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Arctic-China State Forest
Arctic-China State Forest lies in WMU 4O, a Southern Zone unit of 760 square miles reaching Delaware, Broome and Chenango. Antlerless permits: 2,100 DMPs targeted for 4O in 2026, 25.1% average success, resident first-permit chance PP Req. 4O is one of the 11 antler-restricted WMUs. 4O bear hunting: Southern Zone. 4O fall turkey: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4O | Southern | 2,100 | 25.1% | PP Req | Yes | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer reported from 4O
DEC calculated 2,779 deer taken in 4O in 2022, against 2,528 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,528 | 1,677 |
| 2017 | 2,463 | 1,607 |
| 2018 | 2,709 | 1,888 |
| 2019 | 3,016 | 1,969 |
| 2020 | 3,163 | 1,812 |
| 2021 | 2,664 | 1,777 |
| 2022 | 2,779 | 1,751 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 4O with 34 (2023), 38 (2024), 58 (2025).
Bear management goal in 4O: 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.
Arctic-China State Forest season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 4O and the waterfowl zones over Arctic-China State Forest are listed: 47 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 4O | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 4O | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4O | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4O | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 4O | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 4O | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 4O | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 4O | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4O | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4O | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 4O | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 4O | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 4O | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 4O | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 4O | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Southeastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Southeastern Zone | Dec 8, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| 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 | Southeastern Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 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 | |
| Snipe | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 4O | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 4O | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 4O | 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 |
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.
Arctic-China State Forest: lots, pull-offs and map files
1 parking location serve Arctic-China State Forest, each with coordinates.
| Parking area, lat and lon | Link |
|---|---|
| Arctic-China State Forest is accessed from NYS Route 8 via Shear Road. Shear Road is approximately 10.4 miles south of Masonville on the west side of NYS Route 8. The area can also be accessed from Delaware County Route 20 at Schofield, Clark Pond and Hellerud Roads. Access is limited to the interior of this state forest due to the seasonal maintenance of these town roads. Most roads are plowed to the boundary of state property: 42.1676, -75.3598 | Map it |
Map on file: Arctic-China State Forest Map · DECinfo Locator · Treaty Line Draft UMP Maps
Parking points and maps from DEC arctic china state forest; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear take around Arctic-China State Forest
Town-level numbers for Arctic-China State Forest: Masonville gave up 216 deer in 2019 (141 adult bucks).
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masonville | Delaware | 219 | 187 | 165 | 165 | 216 | 141 |
| Deposit | Delaware | 145 | 161 | 147 | 153 | 159 | 108 |
By town, bears taken: 1 in Masonville in 2020; 2 in Masonville in 2022; 4 in Deposit in 2020; 6 in Deposit in 2021; 3 in Deposit in 2022.
County-wide, Delaware produced 5,279 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,330 | 3,488 | 1,578 |
| 2022 | 5,347 | 3,415 | 1,579 |
| 2023 | 5,343 | 3,520 | 1,452 |
| 2024 | 5,715 | 3,715 | 1,620 |
| 2025 | 5,279 | 3,393 | 1,477 |
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.
Arctic-China State Forest: first and last legal light
Deer and bear may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks and geese close at sunset, and small game runs sunrise to sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Ducks and geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:51 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:55 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:22 a.m. | 6:06 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 6:06 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:57 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:20 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:28 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:57 a.m. | 7:57 p.m. | 5:27 a.m. to 8:27 p.m. | 5:27 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.
Arctic-China State Forest trip planning
The quickest town stop is Deposit (7.2 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit | Broome | 7.2 mi | 1,413 | 15,497 |
| Afton | Chenango | 8.2 mi | 785 | 21,701 |
| Sidney | Delaware | 9.8 mi | 3,613 | 17,702 |
| Guilford | Chenango | 17 mi | – | 6,677 |
Read Arctic-China State Forest alongside its county page: Delaware County.
Arctic-China State Forest: businesses close by
DEC lists 11 licensed guides with an address in Delaware County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Arctic-China State Forest: the nearest DEC offices
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.
What is planned around Arctic-China State Forest
Checked October 27, 2026: 1 upcoming event at or close to the property (NWTF chapter banquet).
Booked dates
| Held on | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 2027 | Catskill Strutters Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 10 | Sidney | Get tickets | Source |
Arctic-China State Forest: nearest firing lines
The three listed ranges closest to Arctic-China State Forest follow; Rockdale Rod & Gun Club leads at 15 miles.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Arctic-China State Forest in pictures
Arctic-China State Forest questions, answered from the record
When does archery open near Arctic-China State Forest?
WMU 4O: Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
When does the regular deer season open on Arctic-China State Forest?
Regular Season: Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (WMU 4O).
What are the spring turkey dates for Arctic-China State Forest?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
How likely is a DMP for Arctic-China State Forest?
Resident first DMP odds in 4O: PP Req; average success 25.1%.
How far is Arctic-China State Forest from a town?
Deposit, 7.2 mi straight-line.
What bear season covers Arctic-China State Forest?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 4O.
Is fluorescent pink legal at Arctic-China State Forest?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
How do stands work on Arctic-China State Forest?
A tagged portable stand is fine for the season; nothing permanent.
Who may hunt Arctic-China State Forest?
Any licensed hunter may use it during open seasons; no extra permit is listed.
What are legal shooting hours on Arctic-China State Forest?
Deer and bear: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; small game sunrise to sunset.
What zone and WMU is Arctic-China State Forest?
It is 4O ground, Southern Zone.
What does Arctic-China State Forest measure?
2,948 acres (DEC Lands layer ACRES).
Arctic-China State Forest: confirm these before you go
Print the Arctic-China State Forest map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC arctic china state 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: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); Martin Cathrae (CC BY-SA 2.0).