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Jessup River Wild Forest for hunters
Public hunting ground in Hamilton County: access rules, WMU 5H seasons, permits, harvest and nearby land.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Jessup River Wild Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Jessup River Wild Forest
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Sound Lake TrailTrailhead · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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.
Jessup River Wild Forest at a glance
The records class Jessup River Wild Forest as a Forest Preserve wild forest in Hamilton County. Regional staff for the eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain (Region 5) look after it. Its 48,456 acres come from DEC Lands layer ACRES. That ranks 9th of the 35 wild forests on our New York list. Its unit management plan: Jessup River.
What DEC writes about hunting here: Hunting is allowed in the Jessup River Wild Forest during appropriate seasons. The main game species and furbearers found on the property include deer, bear, turkey, beaver, bobcat, coyote, and fisher. Hunting on Township 33 Tract is prohibited.
From DEC jessup river wild forest; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Jessup River Wild Forest
Open seasons on Jessup River Wild Forest this year
43 dated seasons for 31 species reach Jessup River Wild Forest, matched to WMU 5H, the Northeastern duck zone and the Northeast goose area.
| Species | Season | WMU or zone | Open | Close | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 5H | Sep 27, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 5H | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Muzzleloading | WMU 5H | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 5H | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season (Adirondacks) | WMU 5H | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 5H | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 5H | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 5H | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 5H | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 20, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 5H | 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 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 5H | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 5H | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 5H | 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.
Jessup River Wild Forest: access and site rules
The Forest Preserve land use rules apply in full on Jessup River Wild Forest:
- Seasons on Jessup River Wild Forest follow the WMU rules; posted areas are the exception.
- Tree cutting and tree hardware are both banned on Jessup River Wild Forest.
- Pitch camp 150 feet back from water, roads and trails, or at a marked site.
Rules from the state guide, on Jessup River Wild Forest
- 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 DEC jessup river wild forest, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Where to park at Jessup River Wild Forest
Access to Jessup River Wild Forest starts at 35 DEC parking points.
| Access point, GPS | Link |
|---|---|
| with parking for 75 cars: 43.4700, -74.2519 | Route |
| is located on Big Brook Road south of State Route 28: 43.7051, -74.2481 | Route |
| is located on Cedar River Road at the boundary of the Moose River Plains Wild Forest and the Township 33 Conservation Easement. A parking pull-off is available for access to the Cedar River: 43.7463, -74.4594 | Route |
| is located on the south side of Cedar River Road at the backside of a large snowplow turnaround. Parking is available to access the Cedar River in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Winter parking is restricted: 43.7734, -74.4374 | Route |
| is located on Fawn Lake Road, off State Route 8 in Lake Pleasant: 43.4811, -74.4444 | Route |
| is located on Gilmantown Road, off State Route 30 in Wells: 43.4676, -74.3128 | Route |
| is located on Haskell Road, off County Road 24, in Piseco: 43.4584, -74.5220 | Route |
| is located just off State Route 30/8 on the Sacandaga River: 43.4886, -74.2730 | Route |
| is located on Military Road, off State Route 30, in Lake Pleasant. Follow the Pillsbury Mountain Trail to the fire tower on Pillsbury Mountain: 43.5869, -74.4854 | Route |
| None: 43.5109, -74.3143 | Route |
| is located on State Route 30 south of Lake Algonquin. It has 2 picnic tables and parking for 15 cars: 43.3771, -74.2925 | Route |
| is located off State Route 30, with parking for 9 cars. Follow the Snowy Mountain Trail to the fire tower on Snowy Mountain: 43.7012, -74.3347 | Route |
| is located on Cedar River Road: 43.7910, -74.3817 | Route |
| is located on State Route 30/Sabael Road, south of the town of Indian Lake, with parking for 10 cars, a scenic overlook and 2 picnic tables: 43.7696, -74.2678 | Route |
Paper map to print: Map of Jessup River Wild Forest – Overview · Map of Jessup River Wild Forest – North · Map of Jessup River Wild Forest – South (GeoPDF) · Map of Cedar River Public Fishing Rights · Google Earth · Trail map
Parking points and maps from DEC jessup river wild forest; checked October 27, 2026.
Jessup River Wild Forest: species list
Game listed for Jessup River Wild Forest: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, coyote and furbearers.
White-tailed deer
Oct 24–Dec 6
Black bear
Sep 19–Dec 6
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Coyote
Oct 1–Mar 28
Furbearers
Oct 25–Feb 15
Species from DEC jessup river wild forest; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer permits and harvest in the WMU over Jessup River Wild Forest
5H is the Wildlife Management Unit over Jessup River Wild Forest; it covers 3,046 square miles in Hamilton, Herkimer and Warren. 5H gets no DMPs; antlerless deer come only with the Bow/Muzz tag where valid. For bears, 5H falls in the Adirondacks area. Fall turkey dates for 5H: Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | Avg. success | Chance, resident | APR | Weapons | Bear zone | Fall season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5H | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
5H deer numbers
Deer take in 5H: 2,312 in 2016, 2,794 in 2022.
| Season | Deer | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,312 | 1,921 |
| 2017 | 2,346 | 1,944 |
| 2018 | 2,512 | 2,060 |
| 2019 | 2,603 | 2,222 |
| 2020 | 2,630 | 2,070 |
| 2021 | 2,381 | 2,053 |
| 2022 | 2,794 | 2,244 |
Bears taken in 5H: 127 in 2020, 64 in 2021, 118 in 2022, 89 in 2023, 143 in 2024, 93 in 2025.
DEC's bear objective for 5H: maintain moderate 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.
Jessup River Wild Forest and the public land around it
Jessup River Wild Forest gets the large pin; the closest neighbor is Perkins Clearing And Speculator Tree Farm Conservation Easement Tracts, 5.9 mi northeast. The listed neighbors hold 934,613 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Unit | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perkins Clearing And Speculator | Easement tract | 40,476 | 5H | 5.9 mi | northeast |
| West Canada Lake | Wilderness | 177,527 | 5H | 9.0 mi | northwest |
| Silver Lake | Wilderness | 109,774 | 5H | 11 mi | south |
| Siamese Ponds | Wilderness | 115,124 | 5H | 17 mi | northeast |
| Ferris Lake | Wild forest | 147,936 | 5H, 5J | 18 mi | southwest |
| Wilcox Lake | Wild forest | 127,860 | 5H, 5J | 18 mi | east |
| Moose River Plains Complex | Forest Preserve unit | 79,479 | 5H, 6J | 20 mi | northwest |
| Shaker Mountain | Wild forest | 45,312 | 5H, 5J | 20 mi | south |
| Blue Ridge | Wilderness | 48,490 | 5H | 20 mi | north |
| Blue Mountain | Wild forest | 42,635 | 5F, 5H | 25 mi | north |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Jessup River Wild Forest trip planning
From Jessup River Wild Forest, Speculator is 8.1 mi by straight line.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speculator | Hamilton | 8.1 mi | 400 | 136,031 |
| Wells | Hamilton | 11 mi | – | 151,936 |
| Northville | Fulton | 25 mi | 994 | 49,241 |
| Caroga Lake | Fulton | 25 mi | – | 91,506 |
The county guide covering Jessup River Wild Forest: Hamilton County.
Jessup River Wild Forest: businesses close by
Licensed guides based in Hamilton County: 9, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
Nearest DEC desks for Jessup River Wild Forest
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 Jessup River Wild Forest
Hamilton County as a whole recorded 959 deer in 2025.
| Year | Total | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 872 | 786 | 79 |
| 2022 | 968 | 831 | 111 |
| 2023 | 1,037 | 933 | 76 |
| 2024 | 1,012 | 909 | 91 |
| 2025 | 959 | 864 | 75 |
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.
Nearest public range for Jessup River Wild Forest hunters
Saratoga Sand Plains WMA Archery Range is the nearest public range to Jessup River Wild Forest, about 46 miles away. Closer club ranges are shown as well.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Jessup River Wild Forest shooting hours by key date
Big game legal light at Jessup River Wild Forest 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 | 6:49 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:54 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:22 a.m. | 6:02 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:59 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:24 a.m. | 4:22 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:22 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:31 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:52 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 7:58 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.
Jessup River Wild Forest in pictures
Jessup River Wild Forest FAQ for 2026-27
Which WMU rules apply on Jessup River Wild Forest?
WMU 5H; that puts it in the Northern Zone.
What deer season covers Jessup River Wild Forest?
Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026, per the 2026-27 guide.
Is there an early bow season at Jessup River Wild Forest?
The first bow window is Sep 27 to Oct 23, 2026.
Can I get antlerless permits for Jessup River Wild Forest?
Not in 5H; DMPs are banned there by law.
Which animals are named for Jessup River Wild Forest?
The list names white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, coyote and furbearers.
What are the spring turkey dates for Jessup River Wild Forest?
Spring season runs May 1 to May 31, 2027; hours end at noon.
When is bear season at Jessup River Wild Forest?
Regular Season (Adirondacks): Sep 19 to Dec 6, 2026.
How far is Jessup River Wild Forest from a town?
Speculator (8.1 mi).
May I hang a stand for the season on Jessup River Wild Forest?
Portable and labeled, never nailed or screwed in; remove it after the season.
What are the blaze orange rules at Jessup River Wild Forest?
Firearm deer and bear hunters must wear orange or pink above the waist.
Can I hunt Jessup River Wild Forest with just a hunting license?
Yes. It is open to licensed hunters in season.
What size do the sources give Jessup River Wild Forest?
Its size is 48,456 acres.
Jessup River Wild Forest: confirm these before you go
Print the Jessup River Wild Forest map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC jessup river wild 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: Bobolink (CC BY 2.0); Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0).