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Honey Hill State Forest for hunters
Everything we could verify about this state forest in Schoharie County and 1 more (1,015 acres).
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Honey Hill State Forest
Acres and location of Honey Hill State Forest
Honey Hill State Forest counts as a DEC state forest; its ground is in Otsego and Schoharie counties. It reaches into Roseboom and Sharon, per the DEC page. DEC handles it from Region 4, the office for the Capital District and northern Catskills. Recorded size: 1,015 acres, from DEC Lands layer ACRES. By acres it places 237th among 409 state forests. The Cherry Valley plan covers it.
DEC page text: Honey Hill State Forest is open to hunting in appropriate seasons. Wildlife to expect in this area include whitetail deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse and turkey along with mink, raccoon, fox, coyote and bobcat.
From DEC honey hill state forest; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Honey Hill State Forest
Honey Hill State Forest and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Honey Hill State Forest, starting with Cherry Valley State Forest. Together they add 9,842 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Valley | State forest | 1,565 | 4F | 2.5 mi | northwest |
| Bear Swamp | State forest | 1,748 | 4F | 3.2 mi | south |
| R. Milton Hick Memorial | State forest | 1,396 | 4F | 5.4 mi | southwest |
| Roseboom | State forest | 632 | 4F | 6.4 mi | west |
| Decatur | State forest | 594 | 4F | 6.9 mi | south |
| Maple Valley | State forest | 806 | 4F | 7.0 mi | southwest |
| Lutheranville | State forest | 1,803 | 4F | 9.3 mi | south |
| Otsquago | State forest | 411 | 6S | 12 mi | northwest |
| Hooker Mountain | WMA | 83 | 4F | 13 mi | southwest |
| Hooker Mountain | State forest | 804 | 4F | 13 mi | southwest |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Honey Hill State Forest
Honey Hill State Forest follows the rules DEC sets for state forest land:
- Leave every tree on Honey Hill State Forest as you found it: hardware, trimmed lanes and built blinds are not allowed.
- Seasonal stands on Honey Hill State Forest need an ID tag (name and address or license number) and must be pulled when the season closes.
- Storing personal items on Honey Hill State Forest is not allowed; trail cameras count.
- Off-road driving is not allowed on Honey Hill State Forest unless a route is designated, and that covers ATVs.
- Overnight camps follow the state land permit rules.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Honey Hill State Forest
- 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 honey hill state forest, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Honey Hill State Forest
Honey Hill State Forest lies in WMU 4F, a Southern Zone unit of 1,161 square miles reaching Otsego, Schoharie and Delaware. Antlerless permits: 10,000 DMPs targeted for 4F in 2026, 16.9% average success, resident first-permit chance high. 4F bear hunting: Southern Zone. 4F fall turkey: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4F | Southern | 10,000 | 16.9% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer reported from 4F
DEC calculated 7,002 deer taken in 4F in 2022, against 7,790 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,790 | 4,112 |
| 2017 | 7,764 | 4,313 |
| 2018 | 8,042 | 4,136 |
| 2019 | 7,068 | 3,988 |
| 2020 | 7,683 | 3,822 |
| 2021 | 6,469 | 3,754 |
| 2022 | 7,002 | 3,680 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 4F with 9 (2023), 17 (2024), 16 (2025).
Bear management goal in 4F: 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.
Honey Hill State Forest season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 4F and the waterfowl zones over Honey Hill State Forest are listed: 48 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 4F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 4F | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 4F | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 4F | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 4F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 4F | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 4F | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 4F | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 4F | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 4F | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | 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 | East Central goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Dec 5, 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 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 4F | 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.
Honey Hill State Forest: species list
7 species groups lead the list for Honey Hill State Forest, each linked to its species page.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Ruffed grouse
Oct 1–Feb 28
Rabbit and hare
Oct 1–Feb 28
Squirrel
Sep 1–Feb 28
Coyote
Oct 1–Mar 28
Furbearers
Oct 25–Feb 15
Species from DEC honey hill state forest; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Honey Hill State Forest: lots, pull-offs and map files
Map on file: Honey Hill State Forest Map
Parking points and maps from DEC honey hill state forest; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear take around Honey Hill State Forest
Town-level numbers for Honey Hill State Forest: Roseboom gave up 107 deer in 2019 (62 adult bucks).
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roseboom | Otsego | 149 | 158 | 171 | 172 | 107 | 62 |
| Sharon | Schoharie | 199 | 214 | 223 | 243 | 220 | 124 |
By town, bears taken: 1 in Roseboom in 2022.
County-wide, Schoharie produced 2,960 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,150 | 1,974 | 1,013 |
| 2022 | 3,476 | 1,901 | 1,286 |
| 2023 | 2,899 | 1,708 | 973 |
| 2024 | 2,793 | 1,658 | 928 |
| 2025 | 2,960 | 1,749 | 953 |
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.
Honey Hill State Forest: 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 | 6:49 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:53 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:20 a.m. | 6:03 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:56 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:20 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 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. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:54 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 5:24 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 5:24 a.m. to 7:56 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.
Honey Hill State Forest: nearby towns and services
The quickest town stop is East Worcester (7.7 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Worcester | Otsego | 7.7 mi | – | 14,513 |
| Richmondville | Schoharie | 9.3 mi | 873 | 21,638 |
| Cooperstown | Otsego | 13 mi | 1,844 | 6,983 |
| St. Johnsville | Montgomery | 18 mi | 1,711 | 9,703 |
Read Honey Hill State Forest alongside its county page: Otsego County, Schoharie County.
Honey Hill State Forest: businesses close by
DEC lists 9 licensed guides with an address in Schoharie County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Honey Hill State Forest: 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.
What is planned around Honey Hill State Forest
Checked October 27, 2026: 2 upcoming events at or close to the property (hunter education course and mentored pheasant hunt).
Booked dates
| Held on | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Richmondville Fish and Game Clubs Youth and Novice Pheasant Hunt · mentored pheasant hunt | 9 | Richmondville | Reserve a spot | Source |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Hunter Education Course – East Worcester Fire House · hunter education course | 8 | East Worcester Fire House | Register with DEC | Source |
Honey Hill State Forest: nearest firing lines
Closest range open to everyone from Honey Hill State Forest: Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range, roughly 36 miles. Closer club ranges are shown as well.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Honey Hill State Forest in pictures
Honey Hill State Forest questions, answered from the record
How do stands work on Honey Hill State Forest?
A tagged portable stand is fine for the season; nothing permanent.
How far is Honey Hill State Forest from a town?
East Worcester, 7.7 mi straight-line.
Who may hunt Honey Hill State Forest?
Any licensed hunter may use it during open seasons; no extra permit is listed.
Is fluorescent pink legal at Honey Hill State Forest?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
What zone and WMU is Honey Hill State Forest?
It is 4F ground, Southern Zone.
What does Honey Hill State Forest measure?
1,015 acres (DEC Lands layer ACRES).
When does archery open near Honey Hill State Forest?
WMU 4F: Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
When does the regular deer season open on Honey Hill State Forest?
Regular Season: Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (WMU 4F).
Which animals are named for Honey Hill State Forest?
Listed: white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, rabbit and hare, squirrel and coyote.
How likely is a DMP for Honey Hill State Forest?
Resident first DMP odds in 4F: high; average success 16.9%.
What bear season covers Honey Hill State Forest?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 4F.
What are the spring turkey dates for Honey Hill State Forest?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
Honey Hill State Forest: confirm these before you go
Print the Honey Hill State Forest map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC honey hill state forest · 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: Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); ldifranza (CC BY-SA 2.0).