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What hunters need to know about Jacques Cartier State Park
Rules, WMU 6A season dates, maps and neighbors for a state park in St. Lawrence County.
Photo: MSVG (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Jacques Cartier State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Jacques Cartier State Park
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Henry Street Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 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.
What Jacques Cartier State Park is
Jacques Cartier State Park is a state park with a hunting program in St. Lawrence County. It is a Region 6 property, in the western Adirondacks, Tug Hill and the St. Lawrence Valley. Rules on the ground come from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Size: 459 acres (NY State Parks Property layer). 61 others of the 83 state parks are larger.
From NYS Parks jacques cartier state park; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Jacques Cartier State Park
Jacques Cartier State Park hunting rules for 2026-27
For Jacques Cartier State Park, the state parks hunting rules set the terms:
- NYS Parks opens only designated parts of Jacques Cartier State Park to hunters who hold the park's permit.
- Dates, species and implements differ by permit, so check yours.
- No permanent blinds or tree stands; a portable stand only if the permit allows it and it does not damage the tree.
- Posted Restricted Areas are closed to hunting, and take must be reported when the park asks.
Statewide rules that follow you onto Jacques Cartier State Park
- In firearm deer and bear seasons, wear the required orange or pink above the waist.
- Setbacks from occupied buildings: firearm 500 feet, crossbow 250 feet, bow 150 feet.
- Do not hunt over bait; New York bans it for big game, turkey, upland birds and waterfowl.
- Sunday hunting is legal everywhere in New York unless a property rule says otherwise.
From NYS Parks jacques cartier state park, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Jacques Cartier State Park park permit details
NYS Parks maps 8 species groups for Jacques Cartier State Park, each with its implements.
| Species | Legal tools |
|---|---|
| Deer | All legal |
| Bear | All legal |
| Turkey (fall) | All legal |
| Turkey (spring) | All legal |
| Waterfowl | All legal |
| Migratory game birds | All legal |
| Furbearers | All legal |
| Small game | All legal |
Park notes on Jacques Cartier State Park hunting areas
- Big game deer and small game hunting permitted on the southeast side of Route 12. Waterfowl hunting permitted only at the designated blind locations. Contact park office for additional information.
- Parking permitted along Route 12 within the designated hunting area. DEC Blinds #21 & 22
The park website says: Deer hunting is permitted in season only on the Southeast side of Route 12. Waterfowl hunting is permitted in season.
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
What is open on Jacques Cartier State Park, and when
This calendar is cut down to Jacques Cartier State Park: its WMU (6A), duck zone and goose area decide which of the 2026-27 rows appear.
| Game | Hunt | Unit or zone | From | To | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Jacques Cartier State Park: WMU 6A numbers
Deer, bear and turkey rules here follow WMU 6A, 1,472 square miles in the Northern Zone covering parts of St Lawrence, Franklin and Jefferson. Antlerless permits in 6A: a target of 2,300 for 2026 (resident first DMP: "PP Req"). The bear area for 6A is Western Periphery. Fall turkey in 6A: Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | DMP success | Resident odds | Antler rule | Deer weapons | Bear | Fall turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6A | Northern | 2,300 | – | PP Req | No | All | Western Periphery | Oct. 1-14 |
Calculated deer take, 6A
In 2022, 6A produced 4,501 deer by DEC's estimate (2,486 in 2016).
| Season | Total take | Bucks 1.5+ |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Bear harvest in 6A for 2025 was 10, or 0.7 per 100 square miles.
The bear objective DEC lists for 6A is to 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.
Jacques Cartier State Park game species
Expect white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ducks and geese on Jacques Cartier State Park.
White-tailed deer
Oct 24–Dec 6
Black bear
Oct 24–Dec 6
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Ducks and geese
Oct 10–Nov 29
Migratory game birds
Oct 10–Nov 29
Furbearers
Oct 25–Feb 15
Small game
Oct 1–Mar 21
Species from NYS Parks jacques cartier state park; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Maps and parking around Jacques Cartier State Park
Map in print form: Hunting Map
Parking points and maps from NYS Parks jacques cartier state park; checked October 27, 2026.
Jacques Cartier State Park and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Jacques Cartier State Park, starting with De Peyster Forest Preserve Detached Parcel. Combined: 13,178 acres.
| Area | Category | Acreage | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Peyster | Detached parcel | 81 | 6A | 7.3 mi | east |
| Fish Creek | WMA | 4,556 | 6A | 7.4 mi | east |
| Lonesome Bay | State forest | 1,122 | 6A | 8.0 mi | south |
| Cedar Island | State park | 8 | 6A | 9.0 mi | southwest |
| Hickory Lake | State forest | 580 | 6A | 10.0 mi | southeast |
| Beaver Creek State Forest, | State forest | 3,728 | 6A | 12 mi | southeast |
| South Hammond | State forest | 2,086 | 6A | 12 mi | south |
| Pleasant Lake | State forest | 963 | 6A | 13 mi | south |
| Kring Point | State park | 54 | 6A | 15 mi | southwest |
| Dekalb | Detached parcel | – | 6A | 17 mi | east |
Points: NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer (hunting-area polygons) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Harvest numbers for the towns under Jacques Cartier State Park
The 2025 deer take for St. Lawrence County was 6,306.
| Year | Deer | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Jacques Cartier State Park: nearby towns and services
Morristown sits 2.7 mi from Jacques Cartier State Park, the shortest hop to a town.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown | St. Lawrence | 2.7 mi | – | 5,157 |
| Hammond | St. Lawrence | 7.3 mi | 282 | 9,569 |
| Rensselaer Falls | St. Lawrence | 18 mi | 319 | 9,951 |
| Canton | St. Lawrence | 25 mi | 6,957 | 10,494 |
Open the county guide for Jacques Cartier State Park: St. Lawrence County.
Jacques Cartier State Park: businesses close by
St. Lawrence County is home to 20 DEC-licensed guides (see DEC's guide list). DEC licensed guides
Jacques Cartier 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.
Jacques Cartier State Park: nearest firing lines
Black Lake Fish & Game Association, 3 miles away, is the nearest range to Jacques Cartier State Park; check its access rule before going.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Jacques Cartier State Park: first and last legal light
The DEC guide prints sunrise and sunset for Albany only. The times here are worked out for the centre of Jacques Cartier State Park and match the Albany table within four minutes.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Jacques Cartier State Park in pictures
Jacques Cartier State Park questions, answered from the record
What is the bowhunting window on Jacques Cartier State Park?
Archery runs Sep 27 to Oct 23, 2026 to start.
Can I get a Deer Management Permit for Jacques Cartier State Park?
Yes: WMU 6A has a 2026 target of 2,300 DMPs, and resident first-permit odds are PP Req.
What species go with Jacques Cartier State Park?
You will find white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ducks and geese, migratory game birds and furbearers on the list.
When does turkey season open on Jacques Cartier State Park?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
What are the bear dates for Jacques Cartier State Park?
WMU 6A is open for bears Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026.
Can I hunt ducks on Jacques Cartier State Park?
Duck split one runs Oct 10 to Nov 29, 2026 (Northeastern Zone).
How far is Jacques Cartier State Park from a town?
Morristown is 2.7 mi away.
Is Sunday hunting allowed at Jacques Cartier State Park?
Check the permit and DEC's park list; some parks close Sundays.
Is Jacques Cartier State Park open to public hunting?
Yes, with a park hunting permit, inside the mapped hunting areas only.
What does Jacques Cartier State Park measure?
The record lists 459 acres.
What zone and WMU is Jacques Cartier State Park?
The DEC WMU layer gives 6A (Northern Zone).
When does the regular deer season open on Jacques Cartier State Park?
Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026 for the regular Season in WMU 6A.
Jacques Cartier State Park: what to double-check
Boundaries on the ground beat any web page; watch for posted areas on Jacques Cartier State Park.
Sources: NYS Parks jacques cartier state park · NYS Parks state parks · DEP GIS · 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: Russ (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0).