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Roseboom State Forest for hunters
Public hunting ground in Otsego County: access rules, WMU 4F seasons, permits, harvest and nearby land.
Photo: ldifranza (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Roseboom State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Roseboom State Forest
- Parking areaParking · 4.7 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 4.9 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 5.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 5.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 6.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Fish Road Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 6.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.5 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.
Roseboom State Forest at a glance
The records class Roseboom State Forest as a DEC state forest in Otsego County. Town lines: Middlefield. Regional staff for the Capital District and northern Catskills (Region 4) look after it. Its 632 acres come from DEC Lands layer ACRES. That ranks 329th of the 409 state forests on our New York list. Its unit management plan: Cherry Valley.
What DEC writes about hunting here: Roseboom State Forest is open to hunting during appropriate seasons. Wildlife to expect in this area include whitetail deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse and turkey along with mink, raccoon, fox, coyote and bobcat.
From DEC roseboom state forest; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES (sum of the matched facility polygons); checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Roseboom State Forest
Open seasons on Roseboom State Forest this year
48 dated seasons for 32 species reach Roseboom State Forest, matched to WMU 4F, the Southeastern duck zone and the East Central goose area.
| Species | Season | WMU or zone | Open | Close | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMU 4F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMU 4F | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | WMU 4F | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | WMU 4F | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMU 4F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | WMU 4F | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMU 4F | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMU 4F | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMU 4F | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMU 4F | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMU 4F | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMU 4F | 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 | East Central goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | East Central goose area | Dec 5, 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 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMU 4F | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMU 4F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMU 4F | 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.
Roseboom State Forest: access and site rules
Hunters on Roseboom State Forest work under the DEC state land use regulations:
- DEC bars permanent stands on Roseboom State Forest, along with cut shooting lanes and blinds made from living cover.
- DEC lets a marked, tree-safe portable stand sit on Roseboom State Forest during the open season; take it home afterwards.
- Do not leave a trail camera or other belongings stashed on Roseboom State Forest.
- Drive only on maintained roads on Roseboom State Forest; ATVs are limited to routes DEC designates.
- Check whether your stay needs a camping permit before you pitch a tent.
Rules from the state guide, on Roseboom State 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 roseboom state forest, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Where to park at Roseboom State Forest
Access to Roseboom State Forest starts at 1 DEC parking point.
| Access point, GPS | Link |
|---|---|
| Roseboom State Forest Entrance is located on Roscoe Jones Road approximately 1-mile north of its intersection with NYS Route 166: 42.7230, -74.8076 | Route |
Paper map to print: Roseboom State Forest Map
Parking points and maps from DEC roseboom state forest; checked October 27, 2026.
Roseboom State Forest: species list
Game listed for Roseboom State Forest: white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, rabbit and hare and squirrel.
White-tailed deer
Nov 21–Dec 13
Wild turkey
May 1–May 31
Ruffed grouse
Oct 1–Feb 28
Rabbit and hare
Oct 1–Feb 28
Squirrel
Sep 1–Feb 28
Coyote
Oct 1–Mar 28
Furbearers
Oct 25–Feb 15
Species from DEC roseboom state forest; dates from the 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer permits and harvest in the WMU over Roseboom State Forest
4F is the Wildlife Management Unit over Roseboom State Forest; it covers 1,161 square miles in Otsego, Schoharie and Delaware. 4F gets 10,000 DMPs in 2026. Hunters fill about 16.9% of them, and first-choice resident odds are high. For bears, 4F falls in the Southern Zone area. Fall turkey dates for 4F: Oct. 17-30.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | Avg. success | Chance, resident | APR | Weapons | Bear zone | Fall season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4F | Southern | 10,000 | 16.9% | high | No | All | Southern Zone | Oct. 17-30 |
4F deer numbers
Deer take in 4F: 7,790 in 2016, 7,002 in 2022.
| Season | Deer | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,790 | 4,112 |
| 2017 | 7,764 | 4,313 |
| 2018 | 8,042 | 4,136 |
| 2019 | 7,068 | 3,988 |
| 2020 | 7,683 | 3,822 |
| 2021 | 6,469 | 3,754 |
| 2022 | 7,002 | 3,680 |
Bears taken in 4F: 10 in 2020, 11 in 2021, 0 in 2022, 9 in 2023, 17 in 2024, 16 in 2025.
DEC's bear objective for 4F: 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.
Roseboom State Forest and the public land around it
Roseboom State Forest gets the large pin; the closest neighbor is R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest, 2.6 mi southeast. The listed neighbors hold 10,225 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Unit | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. Milton Hick Memorial | State forest | 1,396 | 4F | 2.6 mi | southeast |
| Cherry Valley | State forest | 1,565 | 4F | 4.9 mi | northeast |
| Maple Valley | State forest | 806 | 4F | 5.7 mi | southeast |
| Honey Hill | State forest | 1,015 | 4F | 6.4 mi | east |
| Bear Swamp | State forest | 1,748 | 4F | 6.7 mi | east |
| Decatur | State forest | 594 | 4F | 7.8 mi | southeast |
| Hooker Mountain | WMA | 83 | 4F | 8.5 mi | south |
| Hooker Mountain | State forest | 804 | 4F | 9.5 mi | south |
| Otsquago | State forest | 411 | 6S | 12 mi | north |
| Lutheranville | State forest | 1,803 | 4F | 12 mi | southeast |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Roseboom State Forest trip planning
From Roseboom State Forest, Cooperstown is 7.0 mi by straight line.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooperstown | Otsego | 7.0 mi | 1,844 | 6,983 |
| East Worcester | Otsego | 9.4 mi | – | 14,513 |
| Richmondville | Schoharie | 14 mi | 873 | 21,638 |
| St. Johnsville | Montgomery | 20 mi | 1,711 | 9,703 |
The county guide covering Roseboom State Forest: Otsego County.
Roseboom State Forest: businesses close by
Licensed guides based in Otsego County: 15, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
Nearest DEC desks for Roseboom State 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 Roseboom State Forest
In 2019, the final year DEC printed town totals, Middlefield came in at 217 deer.
| Town | County | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 adult bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlefield | Otsego | 275 | 300 | 287 | 278 | 217 | 113 |
Town bear take: Middlefield 2021: 2, Middlefield 2022: 1.
Otsego County as a whole recorded 4,668 deer in 2025.
| Year | Total | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,519 | 3,178 | 1,941 |
| 2022 | 6,123 | 3,135 | 2,430 |
| 2023 | 4,989 | 2,909 | 1,681 |
| 2024 | 5,021 | 2,942 | 1,654 |
| 2025 | 4,668 | 2,648 | 1,583 |
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.
Close to Roseboom State Forest on the calendar
On the ground itself or nearby: 1 upcoming event, covering hunter education course.
On the way
| Held on | Event | Distance | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | Hunter Education Course – East Worcester Fire House · hunter education course | 9 | East Worcester Fire House | Register with DEC | Source |
Nearest public range for Roseboom State Forest hunters
Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range is the nearest public range to Roseboom State Forest, about 42 miles away. Closer club ranges are shown as well.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Roseboom State Forest shooting hours by key date
Big game legal light at Roseboom State 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 | 6:51 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:56 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:23 a.m. | 6:06 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 6:06 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:58 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:22 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:27 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:30 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:56 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 5:26 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 5:26 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.
Roseboom State Forest in pictures
Roseboom State Forest FAQ for 2026-27
When is bear season at Roseboom State Forest?
Bear season runs Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026 in WMU 4F.
How far is Roseboom State Forest from a town?
Cooperstown (7.0 mi).
May I hang a stand for the season on Roseboom State Forest?
Portable and labeled, never nailed or screwed in; remove it after the season.
What are the blaze orange rules at Roseboom State Forest?
Firearm deer and bear hunters must wear orange or pink above the waist.
Can I hunt Roseboom State Forest with just a hunting license?
Yes. It is open to licensed hunters in season, and the fee is free.
What size do the sources give Roseboom State Forest?
Its size is 632 acres.
Which WMU rules apply on Roseboom State Forest?
WMU 4F; that puts it in the Southern Zone.
What deer season covers Roseboom State Forest?
Nov 21 to Dec 13, 2026, per the 2026-27 guide.
Is there an early bow season at Roseboom State Forest?
The first bow window is Oct 1 to Nov 20, 2026.
What is the 2026 DMP target for Roseboom State Forest?
4F target: 10,000 DMPs.
Which animals are named for Roseboom State Forest?
The list names white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, rabbit and hare, squirrel and coyote.
What are the spring turkey dates for Roseboom State Forest?
Spring season runs May 1 to May 31, 2027; hours end at noon.
Roseboom State Forest: confirm these before you go
Print the Roseboom State Forest map, carry your license and tags, and read the posted signs at the parking area.
Sources: DEC roseboom state 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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).