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State park · 2026-27
Letchworth State Park: a hunter's guide for 2026-27
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this state park in Livingston County and 1 more, 14,408 acres.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Letchworth State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Letchworth State Park
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Smokey Hollow TrailheadTrailhead · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Wolf Creek LotParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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.
Where Letchworth State Park is and who runs it
Letchworth State Park sits in Livingston and Wyoming counties, filed as a state park with a hunting program. Region 8 of DEC covers it, along with the rest of the western Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley. It is managed by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. 14,408 acres are on record from NY State Parks Property layer. Sorted by acreage, the 83 state parks put it 6th.
From NYS Parks letchworth state park; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Letchworth State Park
Letchworth State Park pinned with nearby tracts
The nearest public land to Letchworth State Park is Silver Lake State Park, 4.7 mi away to the northwest. Combined: 13,184 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake | State park | 783 | 9H | 4.7 mi | northwest |
| Silver Lake Outlet | WMA | 10 | 9H | 5.7 mi | north |
| Sonyea | State forest | 926 | 8M | 7.7 mi | east |
| Genesee Valley | WMA | 717 | 9N, 9P | 8.9 mi | south |
| Rattlesnake Hill | WMA | 5,138 | 9P | 11 mi | southeast |
| English Hill | State forest | 1,394 | 9P | 12 mi | south |
| Ossian | State forest | 1,292 | 9P | 13 mi | southeast |
| Canaseraga | State forest | 1,286 | 9P | 14 mi | southeast |
| Conesus Inlet | WMA | 1,142 | 8M | 15 mi | east |
| Cold Creek | State forest | 496 | 9N | 15 mi | southwest |
Points: NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer (hunting-area polygons) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Letchworth State Park regulations, plainly
Hunters on Letchworth State Park follow the NYS Parks statewide hunting regulations:
- Permit first, then the designated areas: that is how hunting on Letchworth State Park works.
- Implements, dates, species and areas are printed on the permit.
- Only portable stands the permit allows, set without tree damage; no permanent blinds.
- No hunting in posted Restricted Areas; harvest reports go to the park on request.
State law reminders for Letchworth State Park
- 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 NYS Parks letchworth state park, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Letchworth State Park hunting areas, species and implements
The park layer pairs each species on Letchworth State Park with legal implements.
| Game | Allowed implements |
|---|---|
| Deer | Archery, Crossbow, Handgun, Muzzleloader, Shotgun |
| Bear | Archery, Crossbow, Handgun, Muzzleloader, Shotgun |
| Turkey (spring) | Archery, Crossbow, Handgun, Muzzleloader, Shotgun |
DEC's park table shows a permit requirement. Park phone: (585) 493-3600.
Letchworth State Park hunting area notes
- Archery hunting only. Contact park office for additional information.
- Bow, Crossbow, Shotgun, Pistol, and Muzzleloader hunting permitted. No Rifles allow. Contact park office for additional information.
NYS Parks writes: Big Game Hunting (deer and bear) applications are scheduled to be available by September 1 of each year. Please note: Construction of five new campground shower buildings is scheduled to begin this year. Please avoid any area in the campground with construction activity throughout the hunting season. See map for details.
Park hunting files: 2026 Big Game Hunting Application · 2026 Archery Hunting Self-Issue Permit · 2026-27 Letchworth State Park Hunter Survey · 2026-2027 Hunter Survey
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
WMU 8M facts for Letchworth State Park
The WMU map puts Letchworth State Park in 8M, with 9P also overlapping; 8M spans 307 square miles of Livingston, Wyoming and Steuben. DEC set a 2026 target of 9,800 Deer Management Permits for 8M; average DMP success there runs 17.4%, and a resident's first DMP chance is rated high. Southern Zone bear rules cover 8M. The fall turkey window for 8M is Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Deer zone | DMP goal | Success rate | Odds (resident) | APR | Implements | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8M | Southern | 9,800 | 17.4% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
| 9P | Southern | 6,400 | 26.3% | med | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer take in WMU 8M
8M yielded 3,523 deer in 2022; the WMU tables stop at 2022.
| Year | Total | Adult bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3,500 | 1,583 |
| 2017 | 3,635 | 1,566 |
| 2018 | 3,773 | 1,548 |
| 2019 | 3,654 | 1,565 |
| 2020 | 3,981 | 1,364 |
| 2021 | 3,452 | 1,364 |
| 2022 | 3,523 | 1,373 |
The 2025 bear harvest in 8M came to 2.
DEC's bear plan for 8M 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 Letchworth State Park
32 species have open dates on Letchworth State Park this license year; the table holds 48 rows and a live open-or-closed column.
| Quarry | Season | Covers | Starts | Ends | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMUs 8M, 9P | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMUs 8M, 9P | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMUs 8M, 9P | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMUs 8M, 9P | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMUs 8M, 9P | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 9P | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (cocks only) | WMU 8M | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Western Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Western Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Scaup | 2-scaup window | Western Zone | Dec 22, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September season | South goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | South goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 11, 2027 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Western Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Western Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Western Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Western Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMUs 8M, 9P | 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.
Letchworth State Park game species
The source names white-tailed deer, black bear and wild turkey on Letchworth State Park.
Species from NYS Parks letchworth state park; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Getting into Letchworth State Park: parking and maps
Map download: Hunting Map North · Hunting Map South
Parking points and maps from NYS Parks letchworth state park; checked October 27, 2026.
Letchworth State Park: town and county harvest
Livingston County deer, 2025: 6,740.
| Year | County deer | Adult bucks | Adult does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,249 | 2,952 | 3,349 |
| 2022 | 7,378 | 3,015 | 3,187 |
| 2023 | 6,670 | 2,764 | 2,699 |
| 2024 | 6,426 | 2,964 | 2,609 |
| 2025 | 6,740 | 2,949 | 3,077 |
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.
Letchworth State Park hunting-hour table
Sun times below are calculated for Letchworth State Park; 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 | 7:02 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:07 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:34 a.m. | 6:17 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 6:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:10 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:33 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:41 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:07 a.m. | 8:10 p.m. | 5:37 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. | 5:37 a.m. to 8:10 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.
Letchworth State Park: nearby towns and services
Dalton is the nearest town with its own page, 6.9 mi from Letchworth State Park.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | Livingston | 6.9 mi | – | 13,021 |
| Warsaw | Wyoming | 11 mi | 3,614 | 2,501 |
| Scottsburg | Livingston | 14 mi | – | 8,928 |
| Wyoming | Wyoming | 14 mi | 376 | 2,501 |
Letchworth State Park falls inside these county guides: Livingston County, Wyoming County.
Letchworth State Park: businesses close by
12 licensed guides are registered in Livingston County, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
DEC offices closest to Letchworth State Park
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.
Letchworth State Park: nearest firing lines
Nearest range to Letchworth State Park: Dansville Fish & Game Club, roughly 16 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.
Letchworth State Park in pictures
Letchworth State Park: short answers
How does access work on Letchworth State Park?
Get the regional hunting permit for this park; it lists areas, species and dates.
What does Letchworth State Park measure?
About 14,408 acres by the source used here.
Which WMU rules apply on Letchworth State Park?
WMU 8M (also 9P), in the Southern Zone.
When does the main deer season run on Letchworth State Park?
WMUs 8M, 9P: regular Season Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026.
When can I bowhunt deer on Letchworth State Park?
Bowhunting opens Oct 1, 2026 (WMUs 8M, 9P).
What are the DMP odds near Letchworth State Park?
Resident first-permit odds in 8M are high; the target is 9,800.
What game is found on Letchworth State Park?
White-tailed deer, black bear and wild turkey top the list.
How long is spring turkey on Letchworth State Park?
May 1 to May 31, 2027, with shooting until noon.
When does bear hunting open near Letchworth State Park?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (regular Season).
Which town page is closest to Letchworth State Park?
Dalton, about 6.9 mi away.
Can I hunt anywhere in Letchworth State Park?
No, only the designated hunting areas.
What colors are required at Letchworth State Park in gun season?
Orange or pink, 250 square inches, when hunting deer or bear with a firearm.
Letchworth State Park: what to double-check
After a deer, bear or turkey on Letchworth State Park, report it: paper tags within 48 hours, e-tags right away in HuntFishNY.
Sources: NYS Parks letchworth state park · NYS Parks state parks · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · DEP GIS · NYS Parks StatewideHuntingRegulationsinNYStatePa · DEC state parks that allow hunting; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0).