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WMA · WMU 4L
Capital District Wildlife Management Area for hunters
Everything we could verify about this wma in Rensselaer County (6,865 acres).
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Capital District Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Capital District Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 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 Capital District WMA
Capital District Wildlife Management Area counts as a DEC wildlife management area; its ground is in Rensselaer County. It reaches into Stephentown and Berlin, per the DEC page. DEC handles it from Region 4, the office for the Capital District and northern Catskills. Recorded size: 6,865 acres, from DEC Lands layer ACRES. By acres it places 10th among 119 WMAs. The Capital District HMP plan covers it.
From DEC capital district wildlife management a; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Capital District Wildlife Management Area
Capital District WMA and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Capital District WMA, starting with Cherry Plain State Park. Together they add 30,173 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Plain | State park | 150 | 4L | 0.6 mi | east |
| Cowee | State forest | 4,908 | 4L | 4.5 mi | north |
| Berlin | State forest | 1,949 | 4L | 6.3 mi | east |
| Taconic Ridge | State forest | 11,036 | 4L | 8.5 mi | northeast |
| Hand Hollow | State forest | 1,139 | 4U | 10 mi | south |
| Grafton Lakes | State park | 2,612 | 4L | 12 mi | north |
| Pittstown | State forest | 2,342 | 4L | 13 mi | north |
| Tibbitts | State forest | 846 | 4C, 4L | 16 mi | north |
| Beebe Hill and Harvey | State forest | 4,012 | 4U, 4Z | 19 mi | south |
| Schodack Island | State park | 1,179 | 4K, 4S | 20 mi | southwest |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Capital District WMA
The Part 51 rules for DEC wildlife management areas apply on Capital District WMA:
- Capital District WMA is not a target range: plinking is prohibited unless posted otherwise.
- You cannot camp on Capital District WMA without written DEC approval.
- Driving off the roads on Capital District WMA needs a permit or posted permission.
- Leave the brush standing and skip permanent stands, blinds or tree steps.
- A stand with your name and address or DEC ID may be left overnight; everything else, cameras included, goes home.
- Written permission is needed to enter parts posted "No Trespassing".
- Boats may not be moored overnight, and fires are only for cooking or warmth.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Capital District WMA
- 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 capital district wildlife management a, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Capital District WMA
Capital District WMA lies in WMU 4L, a Southern Zone unit of 221 square miles reaching Rensselaer. Antlerless permits: 400 DMPs targeted for 4L in 2026, 21.4% average success, resident first-permit chance PP Req. 4L bear hunting: Southern Zone. 4L fall turkey: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4L | Southern | 400 | 21.4% | PP Req | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer reported from 4L
DEC calculated 620 deer taken in 4L in 2022, against 543 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 543 | 439 |
| 2017 | 555 | 398 |
| 2018 | 643 | 479 |
| 2019 | 540 | 411 |
| 2020 | 734 | 467 |
| 2021 | 685 | 523 |
| 2022 | 620 | 383 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 4L with 15 (2023), 6 (2024), 12 (2025).
Bear management goal in 4L: 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.
Capital District WMA season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 4L and the waterfowl zones over Capital District WMA are listed: 47 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 4L | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 4L | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4L | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4L | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 4L | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 4L | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 4L | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 4L | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4L | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4L | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 4L | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 4L | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 4L | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 4L | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 4L | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4L | 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 | Hudson Valley goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Hudson Valley goose area | Nov 7, 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 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 4L | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 4L | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 4L | 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.
Capital District WMA: lots, pull-offs and map files
14 parking locations serve Capital District WMA, each with coordinates.
| Parking area, lat and lon | Link |
|---|---|
| North intersection of Jiggs/Miller Roads by kiosk: 42.6473, -73.4102 | Map it |
| Dingman Road: 42.6245, -73.4313 | Map it |
| Miller Road, east side of lake: 42.6183, -73.4078 | Map it |
| Intersection of Jiggs/Miller Roads: 42.6301, -73.4092 | Map it |
| Miller Road, north end: 42.6510, -73.4068 | Map it |
| Dynamite Shack Road: 42.6462, -73.3937 | Map it |
| Parking area for escarpment trail: 42.6410, -73.3941 | Map it |
| Dynamite Shack Road: 42.6340, -73.3979 | Map it |
| Jiggs Hwy: 42.6441, -73.4126 | Map it |
| By bridge in center of WMA parking area: 42.6225, -73.4103 | Map it |
| Black River Road: 42.6051, -73.4075 | Map it |
| Game Refuge Road: 42.6047, -73.4211 | Map it |
| Pesticide Shack Road: 42.6248, -73.4135 | Map it |
| Game Refuge Road: 42.6138, -73.4288 | Map it |
Map on file: Capital District WMA Map · (see PDF map for details)
Parking points and maps from DEC capital district wildlife management a; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear take around Capital District WMA
Town-level numbers for Capital District WMA: Stephentown gave up 149 deer in 2019 (97 adult bucks).
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephentown | Rensselaer | 129 | 46 | 46 | 158 | 149 | 97 |
| Berlin | Rensselaer | 139 | 169 | 150 | 165 | 129 | 98 |
By town, bears taken: 1 in Stephentown in 2020; 3 in Stephentown in 2021; 2 in Stephentown in 2022; 8 in Berlin in 2020; 3 in Berlin in 2021; 3 in Berlin in 2022.
County-wide, Rensselaer produced 2,796 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,143 | 1,908 | 1,065 |
| 2022 | 3,080 | 1,732 | 1,093 |
| 2023 | 2,695 | 1,604 | 866 |
| 2024 | 2,588 | 1,507 | 878 |
| 2025 | 2,796 | 1,601 | 935 |
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.
Capital District WMA: 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 | 6:45 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:50 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:17 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:53 a.m. | 4:28 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:28 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:16 a.m. | 4:21 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 4:21 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:24 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:50 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. to 8:22 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. to 7:52 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.
Capital District WMA trip planning
The quickest town stop is East Nassau (6.6 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Nassau | Rensselaer | 6.6 mi | 516 | 10,675 |
| Averill Park | Rensselaer | 6.8 mi | – | 11,499 |
| Troy | Rensselaer | 15 mi | 51,065 | 392 |
| Albany | Albany | 19 mi | 101,317 | 2,050 |
Read Capital District WMA alongside its county page: Rensselaer County.
Capital District WMA: businesses close by
DEC lists 12 licensed guides with an address in Rensselaer County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Capital District WMA: 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.
Capital District Wildlife Management Area: nearest firing lines
Closest range open to everyone from Capital District Wildlife Management Area: Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range, roughly 28 miles. Closer club ranges are shown as well.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Capital District WMA in pictures
Capital District WMA questions, answered from the record
When does archery open near Capital District WMA?
WMU 4L: Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
When does the regular deer season open on Capital District WMA?
Regular Season: Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (WMU 4L).
What are the spring turkey dates for Capital District WMA?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
How likely is a DMP for Capital District WMA?
Resident first DMP odds in 4L: PP Req; average success 21.4%.
How far is Capital District WMA from a town?
East Nassau, 6.6 mi straight-line.
What bear season covers Capital District WMA?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 4L.
Is fluorescent pink legal at Capital District WMA?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
How do stands work on Capital District WMA?
A tagged portable stand is fine for the season; nothing permanent.
Who may hunt Capital District WMA?
Any licensed hunter may use it during open seasons; no extra permit is listed.
What are legal shooting hours on Capital District WMA?
Deer and bear: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; small game sunrise to sunset.
What zone and WMU is Capital District WMA?
It is 4L ground, Southern Zone.
What does Capital District WMA measure?
6,865 acres (DEC Lands layer ACRES).
Capital District WMA: confirm these before you go
Print the Capital District WMA map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC capital district wildlife management a · 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); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0).