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WMA · Region 4
Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area: a hunter's guide for 2026-27
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this wma in Albany County, 188 acres.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area
Where Louise E. Keir WMA is and who runs it
Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area sits in Albany County, filed as a DEC wildlife management area. Its town is Coeymans. Region 4 of DEC covers it, along with the rest of the Capital District and northern Catskills. 188 acres are on record from DEC Lands layer ACRES. Sorted by acreage, the 119 WMAs put it 89th. Unit plan on file: Louise E. Keir HMP.
The property page says: This WMA provides opportunities for hunting big game such as white-tailed deer, and more rarely black bear. Wild turkey and gray squirrel provide the most small game hunting opportunity.
From DEC louise e keir 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 Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area
Louise E. Keir WMA pinned with nearby tracts
Pins show Louise E. Keir WMA and 10 neighbors; Coeymans Creek WMA sits 4.7 mi off. Combined: 5,892 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | WMU | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coeymans Creek | WMA | 359 | 4B | 4.7 mi | east |
| Schodack Island | State park | 1,179 | 4K, 4S | 6.5 mi | southeast |
| Greenville | Detached parcel | 102 | 4S | 6.8 mi | southwest |
| Coxsackie | Detached parcel | 33 | 4S | 9.3 mi | south |
| New Baltimore | Detached parcel | 78 | 4S | 10 mi | southeast |
| Black Creek Marsh | WMA | 580 | 4B | 11 mi | northwest |
| Cole Hill | State forest | 858 | 4H | 12 mi | northwest |
| John Boyd Thacher | State park | 2,475 | 4H | 13 mi | northwest |
| Hudson River Islands | State park | 180 | 4T | 14 mi | southeast |
| Cairo Lockwood | State forest | 48 | 4S | 14 mi | southwest |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Louise E. Keir WMA regulations, plainly
Part 51 of 6 NYCRR lays out what is allowed on Louise E. Keir WMA:
- Target shooting on Louise E. Keir 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 Louise E. Keir 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 Louise E. Keir 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 louise e keir wildlife management area, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
WMU 4B facts for Louise E. Keir WMA
The WMU map puts Louise E. Keir WMA in 4B; 4B spans 162 square miles of Albany and Schenectady. DEC set a 2026 target of 3,300 Deer Management Permits for 4B; average DMP success there runs 9.7%, and a resident's first DMP chance is rated high. Southern Zone bear rules cover 4B. The fall turkey window for 4B is Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Deer zone | DMP goal | Success rate | Odds (resident) | APR | Implements | Bear | Turkey (fall) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4B | Southern | 3,300 | 9.7% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer take in WMU 4B
4B yielded 814 deer in 2022; the WMU tables stop at 2022.
| Year | Total | Adult bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 596 | 318 |
| 2017 | 758 | 405 |
| 2018 | 797 | 415 |
| 2019 | 663 | 387 |
| 2020 | 875 | 479 |
| 2021 | 733 | 360 |
| 2022 | 814 | 419 |
The 2025 bear harvest in 4B came to 1.
DEC's bear plan for 4B reads "Incompatible for bears".
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 Louise E. Keir WMA
32 species have open dates on Louise E. Keir 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 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 4B | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 4B | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4B | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4B | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 4B | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 4B | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 4B | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 4B | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4B | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4B | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 4B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 4B | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 4B | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 4B | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 4B | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4B | 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 | Hudson Valley goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Hudson Valley goose area | Nov 7, 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 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 4B | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 4B | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 4B | 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.
Louise E. Keir WMA game species
The source names white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and squirrel and more on Louise E. Keir WMA.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Black bear
Nov 21–Dec 13
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Squirrel
Sep 1–Feb 28
Small game
Oct 1–Feb 28
Species from DEC louise e keir wildlife management area; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Getting into Louise E. Keir WMA: parking and maps
Park at one of the 1 access point DEC gives for Louise E. Keir WMA.
| Access and location | Map |
|---|---|
| Route 103, parking area with kiosk: 42.5108, -73.8886 | Open map |
Map download: Louise E. Keir WMA Map
Parking points and maps from DEC louise e keir wildlife management area; checked October 27, 2026.
Louise E. Keir WMA: town and county harvest
DEC's last take-by-town table (2019) credits the town of Coeymans with 238 deer, 135 of them adult bucks.
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Bucks 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coeymans | Albany | 232 | 235 | 259 | 305 | 238 | 135 |
Bears reported by town: Coeymans 1 in 2020; Coeymans 2 in 2021.
Albany County deer, 2025: 2,962.
| Year | County deer | Adult bucks | Adult does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,616 | 1,538 | 845 |
| 2022 | 2,827 | 1,558 | 985 |
| 2023 | 2,367 | 1,412 | 711 |
| 2024 | 2,614 | 1,482 | 879 |
| 2025 | 2,962 | 1,698 | 960 |
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.
Louise E. Keir WMA hunting-hour table
Sun times below are calculated for Louise E. Keir 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 | 6:47 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:51 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:18 a.m. | 6:02 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:54 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:18 a.m. | 4:23 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:23 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:26 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:52 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 7:54 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.
Louise E. Keir WMA: nearby towns and services
Albany is the nearest town with its own page, 11 mi from Louise E. Keir WMA.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | Albany | 11 mi | 101,317 | 2,050 |
| Westmere | Albany | 12 mi | – | 2,050 |
| Preston-Potter Hollow | Albany | 18 mi | – | 24,490 |
| Chatham | Columbia | 18 mi | 1,547 | 5,146 |
Louise E. Keir WMA falls inside these county guides: Albany County.
Shops that serve Louise E. Keir WMA hunters
11 licensed guides are registered in Albany County, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
DEC offices closest to Louise E. Keir 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.
Nearest public range for Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area hunters
From Louise E. Keir Wildlife Management Area, Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range is the nearest DEC or government-run range (11 miles). Nearby rod and gun clubs fill the remaining cards.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Louise E. Keir WMA in pictures
Louise E. Keir WMA: short answers
Do I need a special permit for Louise E. Keir WMA?
No special permit is listed; a valid license and the open seasons are what count.
What does Louise E. Keir WMA measure?
About 188 acres by the source used here.
What Wildlife Management Unit covers Louise E. Keir WMA?
WMU 4B, in the Southern Zone.
When does the main deer season run on Louise E. Keir WMA?
WMU 4B: regular Season Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026.
When can I bowhunt deer on Louise E. Keir WMA?
Bowhunting opens Oct 1, 2026 (WMU 4B).
What are the DMP odds near Louise E. Keir WMA?
Resident first-permit odds in 4B are high; the target is 3,300.
What game is found on Louise E. Keir WMA?
White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel and small game top the list.
How long is spring turkey on Louise E. Keir WMA?
May 1 to May 31, 2027, with shooting until noon.
When does bear hunting open near Louise E. Keir WMA?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (regular Season).
Which town page is closest to Louise E. Keir WMA?
Albany, about 11 mi away.
What are the stand rules on Louise E. Keir WMA?
No permanent stands or screw-in steps; a labeled portable stand may stay during the season.
What colors are required at Louise E. Keir WMA in gun season?
Orange or pink, 250 square inches, when hunting deer or bear with a firearm.
Louise E. Keir WMA: what to double-check
After a deer, bear or turkey on Louise E. Keir WMA, report it: paper tags within 48 hours, e-tags right away in HuntFishNY.
Sources: DEC louise e keir 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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma (CC BY-SA 2.0); ke9tv (CC BY-SA 2.0); andyarthur (CC BY 2.0).