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New York forest preserve unit
Planning a hunt on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Public hunting ground in St. Lawrence County and 2 more: access rules, WMU 5F seasons, permits, harvest and nearby land.
Photo: andyarthur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
- Cranberry Lake Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Peavine Swamp TrailheadParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Trailhead ParkingParking · 2.6 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.
Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) at a glance
The records class Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) as a Forest Preserve complex or unit in St. Lawrence, Essex and Hamilton counties. Regional staff for the western Adirondacks, Tug Hill and the St. Lawrence Valley (Region 6) look after it. Its 1,742 acres come from DEC Lands layer ACRES. That ranks 9th of the 11 Forest Preserve units on our New York list.
Note on this record: GIS-only: DEC Lands layer facility (FOREST PRESERVE) with no DEC property page; hunting status presumed from DEC's general Places to Hunt statement, not confirmed for this parcel.
From DEC GIS; acreage DEC Lands layer ACRES; checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Open seasons on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) this year
43 dated seasons for 31 species reach Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County), matched to WMU 5F, 5H, 6F, the Northeastern duck zone and the Northeast goose area.
| Species | Season | WMU or zone | Open | Close | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 27, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Muzzleloading | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season (Adirondacks) | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 20, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | 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 | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | WMUs 5F, 5H, 6F | 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.
Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County): access and site rules
The Forest Preserve land use rules apply in full on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County):
- Seasons on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) follow the WMU rules; posted areas are the exception.
- Tree cutting and tree hardware are both banned on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County).
- Pitch camp 150 feet back from water, roads and trails, or at a marked site.
Rules from the state guide, on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
- 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 GIS, DEC state land use rules, DEC Places to Hunt, 2026-27 DEC guide; checked October 27, 2026.
Deer permits and harvest in the WMU over Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
5F is the Wildlife Management Unit over Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County); it covers 1,328 square miles in Essex, Franklin and Hamilton. 5F gets no DMPs; antlerless deer come only with the Bow/Muzz tag where valid. For bears, 5F falls in the Adirondacks area. Fall turkey dates for 5F: Oct. 1-14.
| WMU | Zone | DMP target | Avg. success | Chance, resident | APR | Weapons | Bear zone | Fall season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5F | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
| 5H | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
| 6F | Northern | Not authorized by law | NA | – | No | All | Adirondacks | Oct. 1-14 |
5F deer numbers
Deer take in 5F: 689 in 2016, 846 in 2022.
| Season | Deer | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 689 | 575 |
| 2017 | 718 | 600 |
| 2018 | 890 | 730 |
| 2019 | 767 | 651 |
| 2020 | 770 | 607 |
| 2021 | 757 | 647 |
| 2022 | 846 | 703 |
Bears taken in 5F: 25 in 2020, 18 in 2021, 15 in 2022, 20 in 2023, 27 in 2024, 15 in 2025.
DEC's bear objective for 5F: 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.
Nearby public land, measured from Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) gets the large pin; the closest neighbor is Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, 1.1 mi east. The listed neighbors hold 253,857 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Unit | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Lake | Wild forest | 2 | 6J | 1.1 mi | east |
| Cranberry Lake Complex | Forest Preserve unit | 25,911 | 6F, 6J | 5.7 mi | east |
| Grass River Complex | Forest Preserve unit | 14,179 | 6C, 6F | 11 mi | north |
| Orebed Creek | State forest | 791 | 6F | 12 mi | northwest |
| Dead Creek | Primitive area | 1,154 | 6J | 12 mi | east |
| Five Ponds and Pepperbox | Wilderness | 157,632 | 6J | 13 mi | south |
| Raquette Boreal Complex | Forest Preserve unit | 25,638 | 6F, 6J | 13 mi | northeast |
| Aldrich Pond | Wild forest | 26,586 | 6J | 14 mi | southwest |
| Silver Hill | State forest | 783 | 6C | 15 mi | northwest |
| Degrasse | State forest | 1,181 | 6C | 15 mi | northwest |
Points: DEC Lands layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Where to stay and shop for Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
From Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County), Cranberry Lake is 2.4 mi by straight line.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Lake | St. Lawrence | 2.4 mi | – | 94,643 |
| Star Lake | St. Lawrence | 8.8 mi | – | 90,185 |
| Edwards | St. Lawrence | 20 mi | – | 15,624 |
| Tupper Lake | Franklin | 20 mi | 3,308 | 63,369 |
The county guide covering Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County): St. Lawrence County, Essex County, Hamilton County.
Gear and processing near Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Licensed guides based in St. Lawrence County: 20, per DEC. DEC licensed guides
Nearest DEC desks for Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
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 Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
St. Lawrence County as a whole recorded 6,306 deer in 2025.
| Year | Total | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,781 | 4,246 | 1,330 |
| 2022 | 6,128 | 4,401 | 1,335 |
| 2023 | 6,113 | 4,261 | 1,459 |
| 2024 | 6,589 | 4,757 | 1,551 |
| 2025 | 6,306 | 4,353 | 1,516 |
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.
Sighting in before a hunt on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
It is about 21 miles from Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) to Tupper Lake Rod, Gun, and Sports Club, the closest range on the list.
From DEC, the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 27, 2026.
Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) shooting hours by key date
Big game legal light at Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) 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 | 6:52 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:56 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:26 a.m. | 6:03 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:29 a.m. | 4:21 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:21 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:37 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:52 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:33 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. to 8:03 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.
Country like Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) FAQ for 2026-27
Which WMU rules apply on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
WMU 5F; that puts it in the Northern Zone.
What deer season covers Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Oct 24 to Dec 6, 2026, per the 2026-27 guide.
Is there an early bow season at Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
The first bow window is Sep 27 to Oct 23, 2026.
Can I get antlerless permits for Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Not in 5F; DMPs are banned there by law.
Can I hunt gobblers on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) in May?
Spring season runs May 1 to May 31, 2027; hours end at noon.
When is bear season at Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Regular Season (Adirondacks): Sep 19 to Dec 6, 2026.
Which town is nearest Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Cranberry Lake (2.4 mi).
May I hang a stand for the season on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Portable and labeled, never nailed or screwed in; remove it after the season.
What are the blaze orange rules at Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Firearm deer and bear hunters must wear orange or pink above the waist.
What hours apply on Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Big game 30 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset; migratory birds end at sunset.
Can I hunt Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) with just a hunting license?
Yes. It is open to licensed hunters in season.
What size do the sources give Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)?
Its size is 1,742 acres.
Last checks before a trip to Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County)
Use this page to plan, then check the official map and notices for Unclassified Forest Preserve parcels (Essex, St. Lawrence, Warren County) the week you go.
Sources: DEC GIS · DEC; regulations from the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. Checked October 27, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Adventure George (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); MSVG (CC BY 2.0).