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State park · WMU 8W
Mark Twain State Park for hunters
Everything we could verify about this state park in Chemung County (468 acres).
Photo: Dougtone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Mark Twain State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mark Twain State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Catharine ValleyParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 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.
Acres and location of Mark Twain State Park
Mark Twain State Park counts as a state park with a hunting program; its ground is in Chemung County. DEC handles it from Region 8, the office for the western Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation runs it. Recorded size: 468 acres, from NY State Parks Property layer. By acres it places 60th among 83 state parks.
Data note: Acreage conflict: NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre) 468 vs computed polygon area 139 acres.
From NYS Parks mark twain state park soaring eagles g; acreage NY State Parks Property layer (Total_acre); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Mark Twain State Park
Mark Twain State Park and the public land around it
10 public places within 40 miles are pinned around Mark Twain State Park, starting with Catlin State Forest. Together they add 21,236 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | WMU | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catlin | State forest | 607 | 8W | 3.6 mi | west |
| Beaver Dams State Forest, | State forest | 532 | 8W | 8.7 mi | northwest |
| Big Flats | WMA | 460 | 8Y | 9.1 mi | southwest |
| Cliffside | State forest | 963 | 7R | 9.3 mi | northeast |
| Coon Hollow | State forest | 2,496 | 8W | 10 mi | northwest |
| Catharine Creek | WMA | 784 | 8S | 10 mi | north |
| Watkins Glen | State park | 794 | 8W | 11 mi | north |
| Cinnamon Lake | State forest | 1,772 | 8W | 11 mi | northwest |
| Newfield | State forest | 1,453 | 7R | 12 mi | northeast |
| Connecticut Hill | WMA | 11,375 | 7R | 12 mi | northeast |
Points: NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer (hunting-area polygons) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules and access on Mark Twain State Park
The OPRHP hunting regulations, in force since May 11, 2016, cover Mark Twain State Park:
- You need the park hunting permit, and you may hunt only inside the mapped hunting areas of Mark Twain State Park.
- Read the permit: it lists the species, implements, areas and dates allowed.
- A portable stand is allowed only where the permit says so, and never a permanent one.
- The park can request a harvest report, and Restricted Areas stay closed.
Beyond the site rules: state law on Mark Twain State Park
- The orange-or-pink rule covers firearm deer and bear hunters and their companions.
- Boundary houses matter: no gun discharge within 500 feet of a dwelling without consent.
- Bait piles and mineral blocks are not allowed for deer or bear.
- State law no longer limits Sunday hunting anywhere.
From NYS Parks mark twain state park soaring eagles g, NYS Parks hunting list, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Hunting areas inside Mark Twain State Park
Here is what the park hunting layer allows on Mark Twain State Park, by species.
| Species group | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Deer | Archery |
| Small game | All legal |
Phone the park office at (607) 739-0034.
Mark Twain State Park: park hunting notes
- Deer hunting is archery only. Small game hunting is not allowed during any deer season. Contact park office for additional information.
From the park page: The park is open for archery hunting in season. Deer hunting, bow only, and small game hunting is permitted in season. Please reference the Small game hunting is not allowed during any deer season at Mark Twain State Park. *A special park hunting permit (limited quantities) is required for hunting at Mark Twain State Park. Please contact the park directly at: (607) 739-0034
Download: NYS DEC Hunting and Trapping Guide · 2024-25 Hunting Season
NY State Parks Hunting Areas layer, the park page and DEC’s parks that allow hunting table; checked October 27, 2026.
The WMU behind Mark Twain State Park
Mark Twain State Park lies in WMU 8W, a Southern Zone unit of 440 square miles reaching Steuben, Schuyler and Chemung. Antlerless permits: 8,000 DMPs targeted for 8W in 2026, 19.2% average success, resident first-permit chance high. 8W bear hunting: Southern Zone. 8W fall turkey: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | 2026 target | DMP success | Resident chance | Antler rule | Deer | Bear | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8W | Southern | 8,000 | 19.2% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
Deer reported from 8W
DEC calculated 3,174 deer taken in 8W in 2022, against 1,968 in 2016.
| Year | All deer | Adult males |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,968 | 1,200 |
| 2017 | 2,048 | 1,360 |
| 2018 | 2,395 | 1,372 |
| 2019 | 2,378 | 1,573 |
| 2020 | 3,193 | 1,724 |
| 2021 | 2,918 | 1,644 |
| 2022 | 3,174 | 1,780 |
DEC's bear dashboard credits 8W with 4 (2023), 8 (2024), 16 (2025).
Bear management goal in 8W: 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.
Mark Twain State Park season dates for 2026-27
Only rows that cover WMU 8W and the waterfowl zones over Mark Twain State Park are listed: 47 windows in all.
| Species | Season | Applies to | Opens | Closes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 8W | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 8W | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8W | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8W | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 8W | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 8W | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 8W | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 8W | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 8W | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 8W | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 8W | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 8W | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 8W | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 8W | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 8W | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 8W | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 8W | 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 | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 8W | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 8W | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 8W | 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.
Mark Twain State Park: species list
2 species groups lead the list for Mark Twain State Park, each linked to its species page.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Small game
Oct 1–Feb 28
Species from NYS Parks mark twain state park soaring eagles g; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Mark Twain State Park: lots, pull-offs and map files
Map on file: Hunting Map
Parking points and maps from NYS Parks mark twain state park soaring eagles g; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear take around Mark Twain State Park
County-wide, Chemung produced 2,978 deer in 2025.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,493 | 1,351 | 908 |
| 2022 | 2,676 | 1,456 | 901 |
| 2023 | 2,578 | 1,390 | 851 |
| 2024 | 2,991 | 1,575 | 1,069 |
| 2025 | 2,978 | 1,529 | 1,178 |
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.
Mark Twain State Park: first and last legal light
Deer and bear may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks and geese close at sunset, and small game runs sunrise to sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Ducks and geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:58 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:02 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:29 a.m. | 6:13 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:27 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:35 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:04 a.m. | 8:04 p.m. | 5:34 a.m. to 8:34 p.m. | 5:34 a.m. to 8:04 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.
Mark Twain State Park trip planning
The quickest town stop is Elmira (8.7 mi).
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmira | Chemung | 8.7 mi | 26,255 | 755 |
| Montour Falls | Schuyler | 9.1 mi | 1,527 | 29,604 |
| Watkins Glen | Schuyler | 11 mi | 1,746 | 29,050 |
| Burdett | Schuyler | 14 mi | 323 | 28,919 |
Read Mark Twain State Park alongside its county page: Chemung County.
Mark Twain State Park: businesses close by
DEC lists 5 licensed guides with an address in Chemung County; the names are in the DEC dataset. DEC licensed guides
Mark Twain 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.
What is planned around Mark Twain State Park
Checked October 27, 2026: 1 upcoming event at or close to the property (NWTF chapter banquet).
Booked dates
| Held on | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2027 | Chemung Valley Ridgerunners NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 9 | Elmira | Get tickets | Source |
Mark Twain State Park: nearest firing lines
The three listed ranges closest to Mark Twain State Park follow; Pine City Sports Mens Club leads at 11 miles.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Mark Twain State Park in pictures
Mark Twain State Park questions, answered from the record
When does archery open near Mark Twain State Park?
WMU 8W: Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
When does the regular deer season open on Mark Twain State Park?
Regular Season: Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 (WMU 8W).
Which animals are named for Mark Twain State Park?
Listed: white-tailed deer and small game.
How likely is a DMP for Mark Twain State Park?
Resident first DMP odds in 8W: high; average success 19.2%.
What bear season covers Mark Twain State Park?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 8W.
What are the spring turkey dates for Mark Twain State Park?
Yes: May 1 to May 31, 2027, mornings only.
Is Sunday hunting allowed at Mark Twain State Park?
Yes. Each park issues a regional hunting permit.
How far is Mark Twain State Park from a town?
Elmira, 8.7 mi straight-line.
Who may hunt Mark Twain State Park?
Only in the designated hunting areas, with the park's NYS Parks regional hunting permit.
Is fluorescent pink legal at Mark Twain State Park?
Yes, pink counts the same as orange for the firearm deer and bear rule.
What zone and WMU is Mark Twain State Park?
It is 8W ground, Southern Zone.
What does Mark Twain State Park measure?
468 acres (NY State Parks Property layer).
Mark Twain State Park: confirm these before you go
Print the Mark Twain State Park map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: NYS Parks mark twain state park soaring eagles g · 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: fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).