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State forest · WMU 7M
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County for hunters
Everything we could verify about this state forest in Madison County and 1 more (3,490 acres).
Photo: andrusdevelopment (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Parking, trailheads and gates near Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.0 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 Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County counts as a DEC state forest; its ground is in Madison and Oneida counties. It reaches into Brookfield and Bridgewater, per the DEC page. DEC handles it from Region 7, the office for central New York. Recorded size: 3,490 acres, from DEC Lands layer ACRES. By acres it places 53rd among 409 state forests. The Brookfield plan covers it.
DEC page text: Hunting is allowed throughout the property. Please abide by all game laws.
From DEC beaver creek state forest madison coun; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Where Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County sits among public tracts
Big pin: Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County. Nearest other public ground: Mount Hunger State Forest at 2.8 mi. Together they add 19,728 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Hunger | State forest | 600 | 7M | 2.8 mi | northwest |
| Brookfield Railroad | State forest | 847 | 7M | 3.3 mi | southwest |
| Gorton Lake | State forest | 507 | 7M | 3.4 mi | west |
| Albert J. Woodford Memorial | State forest | 2,649 | 6S | 4.9 mi | north |
| Plainfield | State forest | 1,862 | 4F | 6.7 mi | southeast |
| Charles E. Baker | State forest | 9,064 | 7M | 7.8 mi | southwest |
| Exeter | State forest | 1,966 | 4F | 11 mi | east |
| Basswood Pond | State forest | 716 | 4F | 11 mi | southeast |
| Pine Ridge | State forest | 275 | 7P | 14 mi | southwest |
| Hartwick | State forest | 1,242 | 4F | 15 mi | southeast |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County follows the rules DEC sets for state forest land:
- Leave every tree on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County as you found it: hardware, trimmed lanes and built blinds are not allowed.
- Seasonal stands on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County need an ID tag (name and address or license number) and must be pulled when the season closes.
- Storing personal items on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County is not allowed; trail cameras count.
- Off-road driving is not allowed on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County unless a route is designated, and that covers ATVs.
- Overnight camps follow the state land permit rules.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
- 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 beaver creek state forest madison coun, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County lies in WMU 7M, a Southern Zone unit of 1,242 square miles reaching Chenango, Madison and Cortland. Antlerless permits: 20,200 DMPs targeted for 7M in 2026, 14.4% average success, resident first-permit chance high. 7M bear hunting: Southern Zone. 7M fall turkey: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7M | Southern | 20,200 | 14.4% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer reported from 7M
DEC calculated 7,666 deer taken in 7M in 2022, against 7,919 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,919 | 3,953 |
| 2017 | 7,717 | 4,041 |
| 2018 | 8,952 | 4,135 |
| 2019 | 8,159 | 4,077 |
| 2020 | 8,285 | 3,607 |
| 2021 | 6,858 | 3,371 |
| 2022 | 7,666 | 3,675 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 7M with 6 (2023), 8 (2024), 1 (2025).
Bear management goal in 7M: maintain low 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.
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 7M and the waterfowl zones over Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County are listed: 47 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 7M | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 7M | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 7M | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 7M | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 7M | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 7M | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 7M | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 7M | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 7M | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 7M | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 7M | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 7M | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 7M | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 7M | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 7M | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 7M | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7M | 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 | East Central 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 | East Central goose area | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | |
| 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 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 7M | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 7M | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 7M | 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.
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County: lots, pull-offs and map files
2 parking locations serve Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County, each with coordinates.
| Parking area, lat and lon | Link |
|---|---|
| To access the forest from State Route 20, take State Highway 8 south from Bridgewater approximately 3.5 miles to Skaneateles Turnpike (County Route 80) and turn right. Proceed 4 miles west to the village of Brookfield. Turn right onto Fairgrounds Road and look for State land on both sides of the road approximately a 1/4 mile past the Madison County fairgrounds. For camping permits, contact the State Forest Ranger at 315-886-1669: 42.8257, -75.3072 | Map it |
| Little Assembly Area: 42.8582, -75.3022 | Map it |
Map on file: Beaver Creek State Forest Map · Brookfield Trail System Map · DECinfo Locator
Parking points and maps from DEC beaver creek state forest madison coun; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear take around Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Town-level numbers for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County: Brookfield gave up 605 deer in 2019 (265 adult bucks).
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield | Madison | 576 | 643 | 616 | 760 | 605 | 265 |
| Bridgewater | Oneida | 86 | 106 | 81 | 94 | 101 | 66 |
County-wide, Madison produced 3,669 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,975 | 1,730 | 1,765 |
| 2022 | 4,124 | 1,747 | 1,753 |
| 2023 | 3,783 | 1,826 | 1,435 |
| 2024 | 3,872 | 1,863 | 1,520 |
| 2025 | 3,669 | 1,669 | 1,621 |
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.
Hunting hours worked out for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
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 | 6:54 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:58 a.m. | 6:46 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:16 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:26 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:08 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:02 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:26 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:33 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:58 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 5:28 a.m. to 8:32 p.m. | 5:28 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.
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County trip planning
The quickest town stop is Bridgewater (3.0 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater | Oneida | 3.0 mi | – | 14,176 |
| South Edmeston | Otsego | 12 mi | – | 15,426 |
| Earlville | Madison | 15 mi | 771 | 20,050 |
| Utica | Oneida | 17 mi | 63,660 | 1,743 |
Read Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County alongside its county page: Madison County, Oneida County.
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County: businesses close by
DEC lists 10 licensed guides with an address in Madison County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Who to call about Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
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.
Ranges near Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
The three listed ranges closest to Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County follow; Tollgate Bowhunting Supply leads at 9 miles.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Photos for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Straight answers about hunting Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County
Is fluorescent pink legal at Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
How do stands work on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
A tagged portable stand is fine for the season; nothing permanent.
Who may hunt Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Any licensed hunter may use it during open seasons; no extra permit is listed.
What are legal shooting hours on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Deer and bear: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; small game sunrise to sunset.
Is Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County in the Northern or Southern Zone?
It is 7M ground, Southern Zone.
What acreage is on file for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
3,490 acres (DEC Lands layer ACRES).
When does archery open near Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
WMU 7M: Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
When is deer season on Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Regular Season: Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (WMU 7M).
What are the spring turkey dates for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
How likely is a DMP for Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Resident first DMP odds in 7M: high; average success 14.4%.
Where can I stay near Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Bridgewater, 3.0 mi straight-line.
What bear season covers Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 7M.
Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County: confirm these before you go
Print the Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC beaver creek state forest madison coun · 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: Russ Nelson (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain).