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State park · WMU 6A
Galop Island State Park for hunters
Everything we could verify about this state park in St. Lawrence County (708 acres).
Photo: MSVG (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Galop Island State Park
Acres and location of Galop Island State Park
Galop Island State Park counts as a state park with a hunting program; its ground is in St. Lawrence County. DEC handles it from Region 6, the office for the western Adirondacks, Tug Hill and the St. Lawrence Valley. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation runs it. Recorded size: 708 acres, from NY State Parks Property layer. By acres it places 50th among 83 state parks.
From NYS Parks state parks; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Galop Island State Park
Galop Island State Park and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Galop Island State Park, starting with Swallow Bluffs WMA. Together they add 20,730 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swallow Bluffs | WMA | 55 | 6A | 6.4 mi | northeast |
| Lisbon | Detached parcel | 34 | 6A | 6.7 mi | southeast |
| Waddington | Detached parcel | 10 | 6A | 9.1 mi | east |
| Upper and Lower Lakes | WMA | 8,803 | 6A | 14 mi | southeast |
| Sodom | State forest | 1,424 | 6A | 16 mi | east |
| De Peyster | Detached parcel | 81 | 6A | 16 mi | southwest |
| Coles Creek | State park | 1,731 | 6A | 17 mi | northeast |
| Dekalb | Detached parcel | – | 6A | 18 mi | south |
| Fish Creek | WMA | 4,556 | 6A | 19 mi | south |
| Wilson Hill | WMA | 4,036 | 6A | 19 mi | northeast |
Points: NY State Parks Property layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Galop Island State Park
The OPRHP hunting regulations, in force since May 11, 2016, cover Galop Island State Park:
- You need the park hunting permit, and you may hunt only inside the mapped hunting areas of Galop Island State Park.
- Read the permit: it lists the species, implements, areas and dates allowed.
- A portable stand is allowed only where the permit says so, and never a permanent one.
- The park can request a harvest report, and Restricted Areas stay closed.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Galop Island State Park
- 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 NYS Parks state parks, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Hunting areas inside Galop Island State Park
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Galop Island State Park
Galop Island State Park lies in WMU 6A, a Northern Zone unit of 1,472 square miles reaching St Lawrence, Franklin and Jefferson. For 6A, 2,300 DMPs are the 2026 goal, with resident odds listed as "PP Req". 6A bear hunting: Western Periphery. 6A fall turkey: Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6A | Northern | 2,300 | – | PP Req | No | All | Western Periphery | Oct. 1-14 |
Deer reported from 6A
DEC calculated 4,501 deer taken in 6A in 2022, against 2,486 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,486 | 1,953 |
| 2017 | 3,120 | 2,563 |
| 2018 | 3,043 | 2,417 |
| 2019 | 3,925 | 3,261 |
| 2020 | 4,161 | 3,256 |
| 2021 | 4,335 | 3,145 |
| 2022 | 4,501 | 3,173 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 6A with 22 (2023), 14 (2024), 10 (2025).
Bear management goal in 6A: 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.
Galop Island State Park season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 6A and the waterfowl zones over Galop Island State Park are listed: 47 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 6A | Sep 27, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 6A | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Muzzleloading | WMU 6A | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 6A | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 6A | Dec 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 6A | Dec 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 6A | Sep 19, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 6A | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Early Muzzleloading | WMU 6A | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season (Western Periphery) | WMU 6A | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 6A | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 6A | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 6A | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 20, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Northeastern Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Northeastern Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Northeastern Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | September season | Northeast goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Northeast goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Northeast goose area | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Feb 26, 2027 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 6A | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 6A | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 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.
Deer and bear take around Galop Island State Park
County-wide, St. Lawrence produced 6,306 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,781 | 4,246 | 1,330 |
| 2022 | 6,128 | 4,401 | 1,335 |
| 2023 | 6,113 | 4,261 | 1,459 |
| 2024 | 6,589 | 4,757 | 1,551 |
| 2025 | 6,306 | 4,353 | 1,516 |
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.
Galop Island State Park: 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 | 6:52 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:56 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:26 a.m. | 6:03 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:29 a.m. | 4:21 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:21 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:37 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:52 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:33 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:03 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.
Galop Island State Park trip planning
The quickest town stop is Waddington (12 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waddington | St. Lawrence | 12 mi | 926 | 5,410 |
| Rensselaer Falls | St. Lawrence | 13 mi | 319 | 9,951 |
| Canton | St. Lawrence | 16 mi | 6,957 | 10,494 |
| Morristown | St. Lawrence | 18 mi | – | 5,157 |
Read Galop Island State Park alongside its county page: St. Lawrence County.
Galop Island State Park: businesses close by
DEC lists 20 licensed guides with an address in St. Lawrence County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Galop Island State Park: 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.
Galop Island State Park: nearest firing lines
The three listed ranges closest to Galop Island State Park follow; Black Lake Fish & Game Association leads at 18 miles.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Galop Island State Park in pictures
Galop Island State Park questions, answered from the record
When does archery open near Galop Island State Park?
WMU 6A: Sep 27 to Oct 23, 2026.
When does the regular deer season open on Galop Island State Park?
Regular Season: Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026 (WMU 6A).
What are the spring turkey dates for Galop Island State Park?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
How likely is a DMP for Galop Island State Park?
Resident first DMP odds in 6A: PP Req; average success None.
How far is Galop Island State Park from a town?
Waddington, 12 mi straight-line.
What bear season covers Galop Island State Park?
Bear season runs Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026 in WMU 6A.
Is fluorescent pink legal at Galop Island State Park?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
Is Sunday hunting allowed at Galop Island State Park?
Yes. Each park issues a regional hunting permit.
Who may hunt Galop Island State Park?
Only in the designated hunting areas, with the park's NYS Parks regional hunting permit.
What are legal shooting hours on Galop Island State Park?
Deer and bear: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; small game sunrise to sunset.
What zone and WMU is Galop Island State Park?
It is 6A ground, Northern Zone.
What does Galop Island State Park measure?
708 acres (NY State Parks Property layer).
Galop Island State Park: confirm these before you go
Print the Galop Island State Park map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: NYS Parks state parks · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · NYS Parks StatewideHuntingRegulationsinNYStatePa; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).