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Cayuga Lake State Park for hunters
Public hunting ground in Seneca County: access rules, WMU 8J seasons, permits, harvest and nearby land.
Photo: seabamirum (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Cayuga Lake State Park
Cayuga Lake State Park at a glance
The records class Cayuga Lake State Park as a state park with a hunting program in Seneca County. Regional staff for the western Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley (Region 8) look after it. The managing agency is the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Its 139 acres come from NY State Parks Property layer. That ranks 75th of the 83 state parks on our New York list.
From NYS Parks cayuga lake state park; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cayuga Lake State Park
Open seasons on Cayuga Lake State Park this year
46 dated seasons for 30 species reach Cayuga Lake State Park, matched to WMU 8J, the Western duck zone and the West Central goose area.
| Species | Season | WMU or zone | Open | Close | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | WMU 8J | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 8J | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 8J | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8J | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8J | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 8J | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 8J | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 8J | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 8J | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8J | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8J | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 8J | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 8J | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 8J | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 8J | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (cocks only) | WMU 8J | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8J | 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 | West Central goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | West Central goose area | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | |
| 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 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 8J | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 8J | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 8J | 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.
Cayuga Lake State Park: access and site rules
Park hunting on Cayuga Lake State Park runs under the OPRHP statewide hunting rules (6 NYCRR 372.7(q)):
- A NYS Parks regional hunting permit for this park is required, and only the designated hunting areas are open.
- Species, hunting areas, legal implements and dates all come from the permit.
- Tree damage, permanent blinds and permanent stands are all off limits.
- Respect posted Restricted Areas and answer park harvest requests.
Rules from the state guide, on Cayuga Lake State Park
- 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 NYS Parks cayuga lake state park, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Cayuga Lake State Park: what the park permit covers
Park page text: Small game hunting is permitted in late season ONLY. Hunters must be in boats at all times. Please reference the Duck & goose hunting at Cayuga Lake State Park is . All hunters must be in boats at all times. Boats cannot be on shore or grounded. Boats must be placed in the water at the Boat Launch only and cannot be launched from shore A valid New York State hunting license with the proper hunting stamps will serve as the regional hunting permit. Except where otherwise stated, this is the only permit necessary.
Park documents: NYS DEC Hunting & Trapping Guide
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
Cayuga Lake State Park: species list
1 species group lead the list for Cayuga Lake State Park, each linked to its species page.
Ducks and geese
Oct 10–Nov 1
Species from NYS Parks cayuga lake state park; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Waterfowl places listing for Cayuga Lake State Park
Duck and goose hunters will find Cayuga Lake State Park on DEC's waterfowl places map. Duck dates follow the Western zone. Canada geese follow the West Central goose area.
| Property | Owner | Type | Special rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayuga Lake State Park | NYSOPRHP | State Park | Yes |
DEC map note: See State Park webpage for current rules and access information. Some parks may only allow boat access to public waterways.
DEC Places to Hunt Waterfowl; checked October 27, 2026. Waterfowl zones.
Deer permits and harvest in the WMU over Cayuga Lake State Park
8J is the Wildlife Management Unit over Cayuga Lake State Park; it covers 712 square miles in Ontario, Seneca and Yates. DMPs are unlimited in 8J for 2026. For bears, 8J falls in the Southern Zone area. Fall turkey dates for 8J: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | Avg. success | Chance, resident | APR | Weapons | Bear zone | Fall season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8J | Southern | Unlimited/bonus | 14.0% | 100% | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
8J deer numbers
Deer take in 8J: 5,137 in 2016, 4,724 in 2022.
| Season | Deer | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5,137 | 1,870 |
| 2017 | 4,272 | 1,909 |
| 2018 | 4,627 | 1,892 |
| 2019 | 4,592 | 2,049 |
| 2020 | 4,973 | 1,969 |
| 2021 | 4,192 | 1,965 |
| 2022 | 4,724 | 2,155 |
Bears taken in 8J: 0 in 2020, 0 in 2021, 0 in 2022, 0 in 2023, 1 in 2024, 1 in 2025.
DEC's bear objective for 8J: maintain infrequent bear presence.
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.
Cayuga Lake State Park and the public land around it
Cayuga Lake State Park gets the large pin; the closest neighbor is Canoga Marsh WMA, 2.4 mi south. The listed neighbors hold 44,045 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Unit | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canoga Marsh | WMA | 104 | 8J | 2.4 mi | south |
| Montezuma | Wildlife refuge | 10,240 | 7F, 8F | 5.8 mi | north |
| Seneca Lake | State park | 155 | 8J | 10 mi | west |
| Deans Cove Boat Launch | Park boat launch | 9 | 8J | 11 mi | south |
| Cayuga-Tompkins Cooperative Hunting Area | Co-op area | 22,479 | 7H | 12 mi | southeast |
| Northern Montezuma | WMA | 7,738 | 8F, 8J | 13 mi | north |
| Long Point State Park | State park | 253 | 7H | 13 mi | south |
| Sampson | State park | 2,047 | 8J | 14 mi | southwest |
| Galen | WMA | 770 | 8J | 14 mi | northwest |
| Bonavista | State park | 250 | 8S | 17 mi | south |
Points: NY State Parks Property layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Cayuga Lake State Park trip planning
From Cayuga Lake State Park, Cayuga is 2.0 mi by straight line.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayuga | Cayuga | 2.0 mi | 541 | 11,296 |
| Waterloo | Seneca | 5.3 mi | 4,722 | 8,592 |
| Auburn | Cayuga | 9.8 mi | 25,963 | 3,898 |
| Savannah | Wayne | 12 mi | – | 18,802 |
The county guide covering Cayuga Lake State Park: Seneca County.
Cayuga Lake State Park: businesses close by
Licensed guides based in Seneca County: 10, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
Nearest DEC desks for Cayuga Lake 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.
Local deer numbers for Cayuga Lake State Park
Seneca County as a whole recorded 2,361 deer in 2025.
| Year | Total | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,734 | 823 | 714 |
| 2022 | 2,152 | 848 | 965 |
| 2023 | 1,921 | 862 | 764 |
| 2024 | 2,040 | 996 | 791 |
| 2025 | 2,361 | 1,079 | 1,042 |
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 Cayuga Lake State Park on the calendar
On the ground itself or nearby: 2 upcoming events, covering DU dinner and NWTF chapter banquet.
On the way
| Held on | Event | Distance | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2026 | Seneca Falls Annual Dinner · DU dinner | 2 | Seneca Falls Country Club | Get tickets | Source |
| Feb 13, 2027 | Cayuga County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 5 | Union Springs | Get tickets | Source |
Cayuga Lake State Park: nearest firing lines
It is about 6 miles from Cayuga Lake State Park to Waterloo Rifle & Pistol Club, the closest range on the list.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Cayuga Lake State Park shooting hours by key date
Big game legal light at Cayuga Lake State Park 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 | 6:59 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:03 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:30 a.m. | 6:13 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:06 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:30 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:38 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:03 a.m. | 8:06 p.m. | 5:33 a.m. to 8:36 p.m. | 5:33 a.m. to 8:06 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.
Cayuga Lake State Park in pictures
Cayuga Lake State Park FAQ for 2026-27
Which WMU rules apply on Cayuga Lake State Park?
WMU 8J; that puts it in the Southern Zone.
What deer season covers Cayuga Lake State Park?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026, per the 2026-27 guide.
Is there an early bow season at Cayuga Lake State Park?
The first bow window is Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
Which animals are named for Cayuga Lake State Park?
The list names ducks and geese.
What are the spring turkey dates for Cayuga Lake State Park?
Spring season runs May 1 to May 31, 2027; hours end at noon.
When is bear season at Cayuga Lake State Park?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 8J.
When is duck season at Cayuga Lake State Park?
Western Zone: first split Oct 10 to Nov 1, 2026.
How far is Cayuga Lake State Park from a town?
Cayuga (2.0 mi).
Where do I get the hunting permit for Cayuga Lake State Park?
From the park office or the NYS Parks regional permit system; the permit sets areas, species, implements and dates.
What are the blaze orange rules at Cayuga Lake State Park?
Firearm deer and bear hunters must wear orange or pink above the waist.
Can I hunt Cayuga Lake State Park with just a hunting license?
Through the park's hunting permit and only in designated areas.
What size do the sources give Cayuga Lake State Park?
Its size is 139 acres.
Cayuga Lake State Park: confirm these before you go
Print the Cayuga Lake State Park map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: NYS Parks cayuga lake state park · NYS Parks state parks · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · NYS Parks StatewideHuntingRegulationsinNYStatePa · DEC GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); seabamirum (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0).