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Big Flats Wildlife Management Area for hunters
Public hunting ground in Chemung County: access rules, WMU 8Y seasons, permits, harvest and nearby land.
Photo: Dougtone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Big Flats Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Big Flats Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Senator William T. Smith Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 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 Big Flats WMA
The records class Big Flats Wildlife Management Area as a DEC wildlife management area in Chemung County. Town lines: Big Flats. Regional staff for the western Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley (Region 8) look after it. Its 460 acres come from DEC Lands layer ACRES. That ranks 68th of the 119 WMAs on our New York list. For comparison, the DEC page lists 136 acres. Its unit management plan: Great Divide.
What DEC writes about hunting here: For hunters, there is a variety of game available. White-tailed deer , wild turkeys , and grey squirrels are the primary species. The Chemung River and Sing Sing Creek provide limited hunting for waterfowl.
Note on this record: Acreage conflict: DEC page text says 136 acres; DEC Lands layer 460 acres (layer value used; the page may describe a larger complex or an older boundary).
From DEC big flats wildlife management area; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Big Flats Wildlife Management Area
Open seasons on Big Flats WMA this year
47 dated seasons for 32 species reach Big Flats WMA, matched to WMU 8Y, the Western duck zone and the South goose area.
| Species | Season | WMU or zone | Open | Close | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 8Y | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 8Y | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8Y | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8Y | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 8Y | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 8Y | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 8Y | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 8Y | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8Y | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8Y | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 8Y | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 8Y | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 8Y | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 8Y | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 8Y | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8Y | 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 | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 8Y | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 8Y | 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.
Big Flats WMA: access and site rules
WMA regulations (6 NYCRR Part 51) govern Big Flats WMA:
- Shooting at targets is not permitted on Big Flats WMA unless posted.
- Camping needs written permission from DEC.
- Motor vehicles stay off the fields and woods unless a permit or sign allows them.
- Permanent structures and anything screwed into a tree are banned, as is cutting plants.
- Nothing stays behind on Big Flats WMA except a stand labeled with your name and address or DEC ID, removed at season end.
- Posted "No Trespassing" units are closed without written DEC permission.
- Moor no boat overnight and light a fire only to cook or warm up.
The record adds: Fee: None.
Rules from the state guide, on Big Flats WMA
- Pink counts the same as orange; firearm deer and bear hunters need 250 square inches or a qualifying hat.
- Keep 500 feet from occupied houses and farm buildings with a gun (250 feet with a crossbow, 150 feet with a bow) unless the owner consents.
- Feeding deer or bear is prohibited at any time, and baited areas are off limits.
- Sunday is a hunting day under state law.
From DEC big flats wildlife management area, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Where to park at Big Flats WMA
Access to Big Flats WMA starts at 1 DEC parking point.
| Access point, GPS | Link |
|---|---|
| Route 352 parking area: 42.1127, -76.9219 | Route |
Paper map to print: Big Flats WMA Map · DECinfo Locator
Parking points and maps from DEC big flats wildlife management area; checked October 27, 2026.
Big Flats WMA: species list
Game listed for Big Flats WMA: white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, squirrel and ring-necked pheasant.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Ducks and geese
Oct 10–Nov 1
Squirrel
Sep 1–Feb 28
Ring-necked pheasant
Oct 17–Feb 28
Species from DEC big flats wildlife management area; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Release days and birds on Big Flats WMA
The 2026 stocking table gives Big Flats WMA 322 pheasants in 5 drops.
| Site name | Access type | Town | Field acres | Hunts stocked | Stockings | Pheasants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Flats WMA | Public – open access | Big Flats | 63 | N/A | 5 | 322 |
| Week | Birds stocked |
|---|---|
| 10/12 | 77 |
| 10/26 | 70 |
| 11/02 | 63 |
| 01/05 | 56 |
| 01/12 | 56 |
| NA | – |
| NA | – |
| NA | – |
| NA | – |
| NA | – |
On release days: Closed to pheasant hunting on Tuesdays and Fridays.
DEC pheasant hunting and the 2026 DEC pheasant properties layer; checked October 27, 2026. All pheasant release sites.
Deer permits and harvest in the WMU over Big Flats WMA
8Y is the Wildlife Management Unit over Big Flats WMA; it covers 354 square miles in Chemung, Steuben and Tioga. 8Y gets 8,700 DMPs in 2026. Hunters fill about 15.0% of them, and first-choice resident odds are high. For bears, 8Y falls in the Southern Zone area. Fall turkey dates for 8Y: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | Avg. success | Chance, resident | APR | Weapons | Bear zone | Fall season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8Y | Southern | 8,700 | 15.0% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
8Y deer numbers
Deer take in 8Y: 2,271 in 2016, 2,633 in 2022.
| Season | Deer | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,271 | 1,283 |
| 2017 | 2,345 | 1,340 |
| 2018 | 2,421 | 1,269 |
| 2019 | 2,536 | 1,534 |
| 2020 | 3,297 | 1,512 |
| 2021 | 2,403 | 1,246 |
| 2022 | 2,633 | 1,389 |
Bears taken in 8Y: 16 in 2020, 18 in 2021, 19 in 2022, 24 in 2023, 37 in 2024, 29 in 2025.
DEC's bear objective for 8Y: 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.
Big Flats WMA and the public land around it
Big Flats WMA gets the large pin; the closest neighbor is Catlin State Forest, 9.1 mi north. The listed neighbors hold 9,855 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Unit | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catlin | State forest | 607 | 8W | 9.1 mi | north |
| Mark Twain | State park | 468 | 8W | 9.1 mi | northeast |
| Newtown Battlefield Reservation | State park | 449 | 8Y | 10 mi | east |
| Erwin Hollow | State forest | 529 | 8W | 11 mi | northwest |
| West Hill | State forest | 895 | 8W | 12 mi | northwest |
| Beaver Dams State Forest, | State forest | 532 | 8W | 13 mi | north |
| Erwin Mountain | State forest | 503 | 8T | 13 mi | west |
| Erwin | WMA | 2,770 | 8T | 13 mi | west |
| Dry Run | State forest | 1,330 | 8W | 14 mi | northwest |
| Cinnamon Lake | State forest | 1,772 | 8W | 14 mi | northwest |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Big Flats WMA trip planning
From Big Flats WMA, Elmira is 5.5 mi by straight line.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmira | Chemung | 5.5 mi | 26,255 | 755 |
| Gang Mills | Steuben | 12 mi | – | 11,892 |
| Montour Falls | Schuyler | 18 mi | 1,527 | 29,604 |
| Watkins Glen | Schuyler | 20 mi | 1,746 | 29,050 |
The county guide covering Big Flats WMA: Chemung County.
Big Flats WMA: businesses close by
Licensed guides based in Chemung County: 5, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
Nearest DEC desks for Big Flats WMA
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.
Local deer numbers for Big Flats WMA
In 2019, the final year DEC printed town totals, Big Flats came in at 224 deer.
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 adult bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Flats | Chemung | 186 | 173 | 158 | 180 | 224 | 133 |
Town bear take: Big Flats 2021: 1.
Chemung County as a whole recorded 2,978 deer in 2025.
| Year | Total | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,493 | 1,351 | 908 |
| 2022 | 2,676 | 1,456 | 901 |
| 2023 | 2,578 | 1,390 | 851 |
| 2024 | 2,991 | 1,575 | 1,069 |
| 2025 | 2,978 | 1,529 | 1,178 |
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.
Close to Big Flats Wildlife Management Area on the calendar
On the ground itself or nearby: 1 upcoming event, covering NWTF chapter banquet.
On the way
| Held on | Event | Distance | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2027 | Chemung Valley Ridgerunners NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 5 | Elmira | Get tickets | Source |
Big Flats Wildlife Management Area: nearest firing lines
It is about 4 miles from Big Flats Wildlife Management Area to Pine City Sports Mens Club, the closest range on the list.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Big Flats WMA shooting hours by key date
Big game legal light at Big Flats WMA brackets sunrise and sunset by 30 minutes; migratory birds open 30 minutes before sunrise and stop at sunset.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for big game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:58 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:02 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:29 a.m. | 6:13 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:27 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:35 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:04 a.m. | 8:04 p.m. | 5:34 a.m. to 8:34 p.m. | 5:34 a.m. to 8:04 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.
Big Flats WMA in pictures
Big Flats WMA FAQ for 2026-27
When is bear season at Big Flats WMA?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 8Y.
When is duck season at Big Flats WMA?
Western Zone: first split Oct 10 to Nov 1, 2026.
Are there release birds on Big Flats WMA?
Yes: 322 pheasants in 2026.
How far is Big Flats WMA from a town?
Elmira (5.5 mi).
Can I hunt Big Flats WMA with just a hunting license?
Yes. It is open to licensed hunters in season, and the fee is none.
What size do the sources give Big Flats WMA?
Its size is 460 acres.
Which WMU rules apply on Big Flats WMA?
WMU 8Y; that puts it in the Southern Zone.
What deer season covers Big Flats WMA?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026, per the 2026-27 guide.
Is there an early bow season at Big Flats WMA?
The first bow window is Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
What is the 2026 DMP target for Big Flats WMA?
8Y target: 8,700 DMPs.
Which animals are named for Big Flats WMA?
The list names white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, squirrel and ring-necked pheasant.
What are the spring turkey dates for Big Flats WMA?
Spring season runs May 1 to May 31, 2027; hours end at noon.
Big Flats WMA: confirm these before you go
Print the Big Flats WMA map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC big flats wildlife management area · DEC · DEC GIS · DEC · DEC GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Martin Cathrae (CC BY-SA 2.0); Bobolink (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0).