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WMA · Region 6
Indian River Wildlife Management Area: a hunter's guide for 2026-27
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this wma in Jefferson County, 942 acres.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Indian River Wildlife Management Area
Where Indian River WMA is and who runs it
Indian River Wildlife Management Area sits in Jefferson County, filed as a DEC wildlife management area. Its town is Theresa. Region 6 of DEC covers it, along with the rest of the western Adirondacks, Tug Hill and the St. Lawrence Valley. 942 acres are on record from DEC Lands layer ACRES. Sorted by acreage, the 119 WMAs put it 50th. Unit plan on file: Indian River HMP.
The property page says: The several ecological communities present on the Indian River WMA provide diverse habitat and supports a wide variety of game and non-game wildlife species.
From DEC indian river wildlife management area; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Indian River Wildlife Management Area
Indian River WMA pinned with nearby tracts
The nearest public land to Indian River WMA is Pulpit Rock State Forest, 3.0 mi away to the east. Combined: 7,220 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulpit Rock | State forest | 1,602 | 6A | 3.0 mi | east |
| South Hammond | State forest | 2,086 | 6A | 5.5 mi | north |
| Yellow Lake | State forest | 760 | 6A | 5.8 mi | east |
| Pleasant Lake | State forest | 963 | 6A | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Cranberry Creek | WMA | 13 | 6A | 8.4 mi | west |
| Kring Point | State park | 54 | 6A | 8.7 mi | northwest |
| Lonesome Bay | State forest | 1,122 | 6A | 9.8 mi | north |
| Cedar Island | State park | 8 | 6A | 11 mi | north |
| Coyote Flats | State forest | 560 | 6G | 11 mi | southwest |
| Collins Landing | WMA | 52 | 6G | 13 mi | west |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Indian River WMA regulations, plainly
Part 51 of 6 NYCRR lays out what is allowed on Indian River WMA:
- Target shooting on Indian River WMA is banned unless a posted range allows it.
- Written permission from DEC comes before any camp.
- Vehicles leave the roads only where a permit or posting allows.
- No cutting vegetation and no permanent structures, blinds, stands or hardware in trees.
- Only labeled stands (name and address or DEC ID) may stay on Indian River WMA overnight, and they come out at season end; other gear leaves with you.
- Signs reading "No Trespassing" close those parts without written permission.
- Overnight mooring is banned and fires serve only cooking or warmth.
State law reminders for Indian River WMA
- 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 DEC indian river wildlife management area, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
WMU 6A facts for Indian River WMA
The WMU map puts Indian River WMA in 6A; 6A spans 1,472 square miles of St Lawrence, Franklin and Jefferson. 2,300 Deer Management Permits are planned for 6A; resident chance: "PP Req". Western Periphery bear rules cover 6A. The fall turkey window for 6A is Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Deer zone | DMP goal | Success rate | Odds (resident) | APR | Implements | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6A | Northern | 2,300 | – | PP Req | No | All | Western Periphery | Oct. 1-14 |
Deer take in WMU 6A
6A yielded 4,501 deer in 2022; the WMU tables stop at 2022.
| Year | Total | Adult bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The 2025 bear harvest in 6A came to 10.
DEC's bear plan for 6A 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 Indian River WMA
31 species have open dates on Indian River WMA this license year; the table holds 47 rows and a live open-or-closed column.
| Quarry | Season | Covers | Starts | Ends | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Getting into Indian River WMA: parking and maps
Park at one of the 2 access points DEC gives for Indian River WMA.
| Access and location | Map |
|---|---|
| Red Lake Road, large parking area, gravel: 44.2703, -75.7468 | Open map |
| Red Lake Road, next to Indian River, gravel: 44.2648, -75.7606 | Open map |
Map download: Indian River WMA Map
Parking points and maps from DEC indian river wildlife management area; checked October 27, 2026.
Indian River WMA: town and county harvest
DEC's last take-by-town table (2019) credits the town of Theresa with 215 deer, 143 of them adult bucks.
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theresa | Jefferson | 154 | 187 | 223 | 243 | 215 | 143 |
Bears reported by town: Theresa 1 in 2020; Theresa 2 in 2021.
Jefferson County deer, 2025: 6,226.
| Year | County deer | Adult bucks | Adult does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,902 | 3,693 | 2,659 |
| 2022 | 7,410 | 3,860 | 2,634 |
| 2023 | 6,673 | 3,893 | 2,340 |
| 2024 | 6,871 | 3,930 | 2,436 |
| 2025 | 6,226 | 3,219 | 2,375 |
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.
Indian River WMA hunting-hour table
Sun times below are calculated for Indian River WMA; 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 | 6:56 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:00 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:29 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:08 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:06 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:31 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:27 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:39 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:57 a.m. | 8:05 p.m. | 5:27 a.m. to 8:35 p.m. | 5:27 a.m. to 8:05 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.
Indian River WMA: nearby towns and services
Hammond is the nearest town with its own page, 10 mi from Indian River WMA.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond | St. Lawrence | 10 mi | 282 | 9,569 |
| Clayton | Jefferson | 19 mi | 1,689 | 3,044 |
| Natural Bridge | Jefferson | 19 mi | – | 27,229 |
| Morristown | St. Lawrence | 20 mi | – | 5,157 |
Indian River WMA falls inside these county guides: Jefferson County.
Indian River WMA: businesses close by
39 licensed guides are registered in Jefferson County, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
DEC offices closest to Indian River WMA
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.
Indian River Wildlife Management Area: nearest firing lines
Nearest range to Indian River Wildlife Management Area: Thousand Islands Sportsmens, roughly 6 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.
Indian River WMA in pictures
Indian River WMA: short answers
How does access work on Indian River WMA?
No special permit is listed; a valid license and the open seasons are what count.
What does Indian River WMA measure?
About 942 acres by the source used here.
Which WMU rules apply on Indian River WMA?
WMU 6A, in the Northern Zone.
When does the main deer season run on Indian River WMA?
WMU 6A: regular Season Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026.
When can I bowhunt deer on Indian River WMA?
Bowhunting opens Sep 27, 2026 (WMU 6A).
What are the DMP odds near Indian River WMA?
Resident first-permit odds in 6A are PP Req; the target is 2,300.
How long is spring turkey on Indian River WMA?
May 1 to May 31, 2027, with shooting until noon.
When does bear hunting open near Indian River WMA?
Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026 (regular Season (Western Periphery)).
Which town page is closest to Indian River WMA?
Hammond, about 10 mi away.
What are the stand rules on Indian River WMA?
No permanent stands or screw-in steps; a labeled portable stand may stay during the season.
What colors are required at Indian River WMA in gun season?
Orange or pink, 250 square inches, when hunting deer or bear with a firearm.
What time does hunting end at Indian River WMA?
Big game ends 30 minutes after sunset; upland birds at sunset.
Indian River WMA: what to double-check
After a deer, bear or turkey on Indian River WMA, report it: paper tags within 48 hours, e-tags right away in HuntFishNY.
Sources: DEC indian river wildlife management area · 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: MSVG (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0).