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State park · 2026-27
Buttermilk Falls State Park: a hunter's guide for 2026-27
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this state park in Tompkins County, 818 acres.
Photo: generalising (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Buttermilk Falls State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Buttermilk Falls State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- GateGate · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- GateGate · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- GateGate · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 2.1 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.
Where Buttermilk Falls State Park is and who runs it
Buttermilk Falls State Park sits in Tompkins County, filed as a state park with a hunting program. Region 7 of DEC covers it, along with the rest of central New York. It is managed by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. 818 acres are on record from NY State Parks Property layer. Sorted by acreage, the 83 state parks put it 42nd.
From NYS Parks buttermilk falls state park; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Buttermilk Falls State Park
Buttermilk Falls State Park pinned with nearby tracts
Pins show Buttermilk Falls State Park and 10 neighbors; Robert H. Treman State Park sits 3.2 mi off. Combined: 34,122 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert H. Treman | State park | 1,122 | 7R | 3.2 mi | west |
| Danby | State forest | 7,705 | 7R | 7.8 mi | south |
| Yellow Barn | State forest | 1,386 | 7R | 9.2 mi | east |
| Connecticut Hill | WMA | 11,375 | 7R | 9.9 mi | southwest |
| Newfield | State forest | 1,453 | 7R | 9.9 mi | southwest |
| Taughannock Falls | State park | 840 | 8S | 11 mi | northwest |
| Shindagin Hollow | State forest | 5,378 | 7R | 11 mi | southeast |
| Hammond Hill | State forest | 3,702 | 7R | 11 mi | east |
| Cliffside | State forest | 963 | 7R | 12 mi | southwest |
| Dryden Lake | Multiple use area | 198 | 7R | 13 mi | east |
Points: NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer (hunting-area polygons) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Buttermilk Falls State Park regulations, plainly
Hunters on Buttermilk Falls State Park follow the NYS Parks statewide hunting regulations:
- Permit first, then the designated areas: that is how hunting on Buttermilk Falls State Park works.
- Implements, dates, species and areas are printed on the permit.
- Only portable stands the permit allows, set without tree damage; no permanent blinds.
- No hunting in posted Restricted Areas; harvest reports go to the park on request.
State law reminders for Buttermilk Falls State Park
- Fluorescent orange or pink (250 square inches above the waist, or a hat at least half orange or pink) is required for anyone hunting deer or bear with a gun.
- Firearms may not be discharged within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling, farm building, school, playground or church without permission; bows 150 feet, crossbows 250 feet.
- No baiting for big game, upland birds, turkey or waterfowl, and no salt or mineral licks for deer or bear.
- New York allows hunting on Sundays in every county.
From NYS Parks buttermilk falls state park, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Buttermilk Falls State Park hunting areas, species and implements
The park layer pairs each species on Buttermilk Falls State Park with legal implements.
| Game | Allowed implements |
|---|---|
| Deer | Archery, Crossbow |
Sign-in is part of the rules. Park phone: (607) 273-5761 (607) 273-3440.
Buttermilk Falls State Park hunting area notes
- Deer hunting is archery and crossbow only. Contact park office for additional information.
NYS Parks writes: Bow hunting for deer is permitted in season Deer hunting (bow only) is permitted in season in DESIGNATED SECTIONS OF THE PARK ONLY. Please reference the A valid New York State hunting license with the proper hunting stamps will serve as the regional hunting permit. The Self-Issued Hunting Permit can be printed out and completed from the above link, and is also available outside each of the park offices during the season. Hunters at Buttermilk Falls must sign in each day at the park office or upper contact station, whichever is closest to where they are hunting. If a deer is taken, hunters …
Park hunting files: New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide · Self-Issued Hunting Permit · How to legally hunt select areas in Robert Treman & Buttermilk Falls · Self-Issue Hunting Permit
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
WMU 7R facts for Buttermilk Falls State Park
The WMU map puts Buttermilk Falls State Park in 7R; 7R spans 739 square miles of Tompkins, Tioga and Cortland. 7R has unlimited Deer Management Permits in 2026. Southern Zone bear rules cover 7R. The fall turkey window for 7R is Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Deer zone | DMP goal | Success rate | Odds (resident) | APR | Implements | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7R | Southern | Unlimited/bonus | 9.3% | 100% | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer take in WMU 7R
7R yielded 5,336 deer in 2022; the WMU tables stop at 2022.
| Year | Total | Adult bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,023 | 2,025 |
| 2017 | 4,322 | 1,891 |
| 2018 | 5,328 | 2,094 |
| 2019 | 4,851 | 2,203 |
| 2020 | 5,716 | 2,355 |
| 2021 | 4,863 | 2,086 |
| 2022 | 5,336 | 2,140 |
The 2025 bear harvest in 7R came to 4.
DEC's bear plan for 7R reads "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.
Every season window on Buttermilk Falls State Park
31 species have open dates on Buttermilk Falls State Park this license year; the table holds 47 rows and a live open-or-closed column.
| Quarry | Season | Covers | Starts | Ends | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | WMU 7R | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 7R | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 7R | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 7R | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 7R | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 7R | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 7R | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 7R | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 7R | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 7R | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 7R | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 7R | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 7R | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 7R | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 7R | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 7R | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 7R | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 7R | 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 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 7R | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 7R | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 7R | 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.
Buttermilk Falls State Park game species
The source names white-tailed deer on Buttermilk Falls State Park.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Species from NYS Parks buttermilk falls state park; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Getting into Buttermilk Falls State Park: parking and maps
Map download: Hunting Map · Buttermilk Falls Hunting Map (Black & White)
Parking points and maps from NYS Parks buttermilk falls state park; checked October 27, 2026.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: town and county harvest
Tompkins County deer, 2025: 3,398.
| Year | County deer | Adult bucks | Adult does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,408 | 1,585 | 1,425 |
| 2022 | 3,513 | 1,614 | 1,392 |
| 2023 | 3,150 | 1,568 | 1,152 |
| 2024 | 3,543 | 1,741 | 1,348 |
| 2025 | 3,398 | 1,659 | 1,402 |
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.
Buttermilk Falls State Park hunting-hour table
Sun times below are calculated for Buttermilk Falls State Park; the game column adds the big game half hour and the bird column stops at sunset.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and bear | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:57 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:01 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:28 a.m. | 6:12 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:12 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:27 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:35 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:02 a.m. | 8:04 p.m. | 5:32 a.m. to 8:34 p.m. | 5:32 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.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: nearby towns and services
Ithaca is the nearest town with its own page, 2.4 mi from Buttermilk Falls State Park.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ithaca | Tompkins | 2.4 mi | 33,768 | 8,461 |
| Newfield | Tompkins | 5.5 mi | – | 21,736 |
| West Danby | Tompkins | 6.0 mi | – | 23,452 |
| Brooktondale | Tompkins | 6.1 mi | – | 22,196 |
Buttermilk Falls State Park falls inside these county guides: Tompkins County.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: businesses close by
5 licensed guides are registered in Tompkins County, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
DEC offices closest to Buttermilk Falls State Park
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.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: nearest firing lines
Nearest range to Buttermilk Falls State Park: Cortland Pistol Club, roughly 3 miles. DEC has no firearm range, and no local public range is close.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Buttermilk Falls State Park in pictures
Buttermilk Falls State Park: short answers
How does access work on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
Get the regional hunting permit for this park; it lists areas, species and dates.
What does Buttermilk Falls State Park measure?
About 818 acres by the source used here.
Which WMU rules apply on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
WMU 7R, in the Southern Zone.
When does the main deer season run on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
WMU 7R: regular Season Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026.
When can I bowhunt deer on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
Bowhunting opens Oct 1, 2026 (WMU 7R).
What game is found on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
White-tailed deer.
How long is spring turkey on Buttermilk Falls State Park?
May 1 to May 31, 2027, with shooting until noon.
When does bear hunting open near Buttermilk Falls State Park?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (regular Season).
Which town page is closest to Buttermilk Falls State Park?
Ithaca, about 2.4 mi away.
Can I hunt anywhere in Buttermilk Falls State Park?
No, only the designated hunting areas.
What colors are required at Buttermilk Falls State Park in gun season?
Orange or pink, 250 square inches, when hunting deer or bear with a firearm.
What time does hunting end at Buttermilk Falls State Park?
Big game ends 30 minutes after sunset; upland birds at sunset.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: what to double-check
After a deer, bear or turkey on Buttermilk Falls State Park, report it: paper tags within 48 hours, e-tags right away in HuntFishNY.
Sources: NYS Parks buttermilk falls state park · NYS Parks state parks · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · NYS Parks StatewideHuntingRegulationsinNYStatePa · DEC state parks that allow hunting; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).