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Erie County · DEC Region 9
Where to hunt from Buffalo, NY
A base-camp sheet for Buffalo: public land ranked by miles, WMU season windows, Deer Management Permit odds and DEC offices close by.
Photo: Buffalo skyline and Lake Erie waterfront on a windy day. sabreguy29 (CC BY 2.0)
As the Erie County seat, Buffalo makes a handy base for hunts across western New York. With 276,617 residents counted for 2024, Buffalo is where this page starts. Draw a 10-mile ring around Buffalo and it holds some 510 acres of public land (3 listed). The first public tract on the map from Buffalo is Motor Island Wildlife Management Area, its nearest boundary 6 miles out. A closed big game area touches Buffalo; its boundary text is in the WMU section.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary miles within 10 miles are a GIS measure over DEC Lands, Finger Lakes National Forest and USFWS boundaries (places.json). Closed areas from the guide closed big game areas. Checked October 27, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Buffalo, New York
State land and refuges near Buffalo
Land whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Buffalo leads the table, nearest line first; tracts farther out follow by distance to their center.
Acre for acre, Beaver Island State Park (759 acres) is the giant inside the ring. WMA ground near Buffalo starts at Motor Island Wildlife Management Area. State park hunting nearby (Beaver Island State Park) takes a park permit on top of your license.
| Area | Category | Agency | WMU | Boundary miles | Center miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Island Wildlife Management Area 6.2 mi NW | WMA | DEC | 9A | 6.2 mi | 6.3 mi | 19 | Waterfowl area |
| Beaver Island State Park 6.9 mi NW | State park | State Parks | – | 6.9 mi | 6.9 mi | 759 | Park hunting permit |
| Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area 9.3 mi N | WMA | DEC | 9A | 9.3 mi | 9.5 mi | 34 | Waterfowl area |
| Hampton Brook Woods Wildlife Management Area 13 mi S | WMA | DEC | 9H | farther | 13 mi | 78 | – |
| Knox Farm State Park 13 mi SE | State park | State Parks | 9F | farther | 13 mi | 667 | Park hunting permit |
| Buckhorn Island State Park 13 mi NW | State park | State Parks | – | farther | 13 mi | 576 | Park hunting permit |
| Darien Lakes State Park 23 mi E | State park | State Parks | 8G | farther | 23 mi | 1,844 | Park hunting permit |
| Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area 23 mi S | WMA | DEC | 9H | farther | 23 mi | 527 | Pheasants stocked |
| Evangola State Park 24 mi SW | State park | State Parks | 9G | farther | 24 mi | 743 | Park hunting permit |
| Joseph Davis State Park 24 mi N | State park | State Parks | 9A | farther | 24 mi | 383 | Park hunting permit |
Tract access from Buffalo
- Motor Island Wildlife Management Area (6.2 mi). DEC places it in the town of Grand Island, Niagara County. Plan on 1 listed lot, with 1 DEC map to download.
- Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area (9.3 mi). Location on the DEC page reads: Town of Grand Island, Erie County. DEC gives 1 parking location and 1 property map for planning. DEC shows it open year-round with a free fee. DEC notes: “There are two accessible hunting blinds on the Niagara River.” DEC notes: “The hunting blinds are included in the waterfowl lottery and permit program coordinated by Beaver Island State Park .”
- Hampton Brook Woods Wildlife Management Area (13 mi). Its DEC page puts it in the town of Hamburg, Erie County. DEC posts 1 map and 1 marked parking area for it. It is open year-round, and the fee is listed as free. DEC notes: “Archery hunting is popular at this WMA.” DEC notes: “Please be sure to abide by all game laws, including the 500-foot firearm, bow, and crossbow discharge rule near dwellings (view hunting seasons ).”
Lands, acreage, WMUs and access from DEC property pages, the DEC WMU layer, NYS Parks, NYC DEP and federal pages (lands.json); boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json; center distances are straight lines from the Census point for Buffalo. Checked October 27, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Deer, bear and turkey take around Buffalo
DEC’s 2025 estimate for Erie County stands at 6,401 deer. Looking back to 2007, 2012 produced the most deer (7,998). 2,918 deer came from WMU 9A in 2022. Erie County hunters took 2 bears in 2021, the most recent year listed for the county. 2025 bear take in WMU 9A: 0. Turkey hunters in WMU 9A share the Great Lakes Plain group, which produced 1,820 spring birds in 2026.
| Season | Take | Adult males | Adult females | Fawns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5,742 | 2,809 | 2,134 | 799 |
| 2024 | 6,327 | 3,171 | 2,376 | 780 |
| 2025 | 6,401 | 3,256 | 2,546 | 599 |
Deer take from DEC deer reports (latest county table); bear from the DEC bear take by town and county and the 2025 bear harvest summary; spring turkey from the DEC turkey WMU aggregate layer. Figures are DEC calculated take, printed as DEC labels them. Checked October 27, 2026.
Deer and bear units that reach Buffalo
In Erie County the deer calendar comes from 5 units: 9H, 9C, 9F, 9G and 9A. WMU 9A holds Motor Island Wildlife Management Area, the first tract on the distance list with a county unit. DMPs are unlimited in 9F, 9G and 9A: filling and reporting one issues a bonus DMP. Closed to big game nearby: Around Buffalo: Tonawanda Creek from East Branch Niagara River to Rt. 78 to Greiner Rd. to Rt. 268 to Rt. 5 to Ransom Rd. to Rt. 33 to Rt. 78 to Rt. 20 to Rt. 20A to Lake Erie. Check the legal implements map; rifles are barred in Erie County (part; Buffalo area closed). A second buck tag now has to be earned by reporting an antlerless deer first (Earn-a-2nd-Buck). Duck dates come from the Western zone; goose dates from South and West Central.
| WMU | Share | Zone | Early bow | Regular | Muzzleloader | Bear | Fall turkey | DMP target | 1st-choice odds | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9H | 36% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | 21,800 | High | – |
| 9C | 16% | No deer season | – | – | No muzzleloading season | No bear hunting | Oct. 17-30 | – | – | – |
| 9F | 16% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | Unlimited | 100% | – |
| 9G | 12% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | Unlimited | 100% | – |
| 9A Nearest land | 2% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | Unlimited | 100% | – |
WMU shares and 2026-27 dates from the DEC WMU season layer (counties.json); DMP targets and odds from the DEC 2026 DMP table; antler, bowhunting-only and rifle rules from the 2026-27 guide; bear areas and fall turkey from the guide bear pages. Checked October 27, 2026.
2026-27 dates for Buffalo hunters
State land and private land share these dates in Buffalo; refuges, Fort Drum and some parks add their own permits.
| Animal | Hunt | Unit | Starts | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | WMUs 9A, 9F, 9G | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer weekend | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular Season | All WMUs here | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Bowhunting (holidays) | All WMUs here | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late Muzzleloading (holidays) | All WMUs here | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Early Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Youth Firearms Bear Hunt | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Regular Season | All WMUs here | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Bowhunting | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Late Muzzleloading | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 22, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Season | All WMUs here | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Hunt | All WMUs here | Apr 24, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring Season | All WMUs here | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth Pheasant Hunt | All WMUs here | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | WMUs 9G, 9H | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (cocks only) | WMUs 9A, 9C, 9F | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Hunting | WMUs 9G, 9H | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | All WMUs here | 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 | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Rails | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Hunting | All WMUs here | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | All WMUs here | Oct 25, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | All WMUs here | 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 | |
| Frogs | Hunting | Statewide | Jun 15, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
From the 2026-27 New York Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation), WMU lists as printed, checked October 27, 2026.
Buffalo hunter services, nearest first
Shops are gun, archery, outdoor and chain sporting stores; town and village clerks that sell licenses get their own group. Nearest drop for donated venison is Black Angus Meats/Buffalo Meat Service Inc (9.2 mi). Bear hunters can leave a premolar tooth with Trophy Room Taxidermy, a DEC bear cooperator 18 mi away.
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 2 | 9 | Black Angus Meats/Buffalo Meat Service Inc | 9.2 mi N | Amherst |
| Mount makers | 3 | 10 | Nelsons Wildlife Arts | 7.1 mi E | Depew |
| Outdoor stores | 26 | 54 | Russ's Tackle Shop, INC | 2.7 mi NW | Buffalo |
| Preserves | 0 | 2 | Ringneck Hunting Preserve | 27 mi E | Darien Center |
| Municipal license agents | 14 | 62 | City of Lackawanna | 4.9 mi S | Lackawanna |
Processing shops
Mount makers
Outdoor stores
Preserves
Municipal license agents
DEC licenses 9 hunting guides with a Erie County address; the state dataset lists them (names are not repeated here). DEC guide list
Processors from the DEC 2026 deer and bear processor list and Yellow Pages; bear cooperators from the DEC cooperating bear taxidermists and processors list; clerks from the DEC license issuing agents dataset; shops from Yellow Pages and store locators. Checked October 27, 2026; hours were not checked.
Clock times for hunts out of Buffalo
East and west matter: sunrise in Buffalo comes about 20 minutes after sunrise in Albany, so use local times for Buffalo.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for big game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 7:06 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:36 a.m.–7:36 p.m. | 6:36 a.m.–7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 7:11 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–7:29 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–6:59 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:38 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 7:08 a.m.–6:51 p.m. | 7:08 a.m.–6:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 7:14 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:44 a.m.–5:19 p.m. | 6:44 a.m.–4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:38 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:08 a.m.–5:12 p.m. | 7:08 a.m.–4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:45 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 7:15 a.m.–5:21 p.m. | 7:15 a.m.–4:51 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:11 a.m. | 8:14 p.m. | 5:41 a.m.–8:44 p.m. | 5:41 a.m.–8:14 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.
State wildlife offices for Buffalo hunters
Questions about DMPs, state land or nuisance wildlife near Buffalo go to DEC Region 9.
NYSDEC Region 9 Headquarters (Buffalo), 1.0 mi northwest
NYSDEC Region 9 Allegany Sub-Office, 59 mi to the south
From the DEC statewide office list (services.json; Region 9 phones from the DEC permit administrators page), checked October 27, 2026.
Dinners, courses and hunts near Buffalo
Drawing a circle of about 30 miles around Buffalo catches 5 upcoming events. Kinds: DU dinner, DU gun raffle and NWTF chapter banquet.
On the way
| On | Listing | Away | Venue | Tickets or seats | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 3, 2026 | Niagara River Annual Dinner · DU dinner | 11 | Buffalo Launch Club Grand Island | Get tickets | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Niagara Co Gun Bash · DU gun raffle | 21 | Rapids Fire Company Station 1 Lockport | Get tickets | Source |
| Mar 4, 2027 | The Forest Kings NWTF Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 11 | Amherst | Get tickets | Source |
| Apr 4, 2027 | Niagara County Gobblers Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 26 | Youngstown | Get tickets | Source |
| May 8, 2027 | Springville Strutters Banquet · NWTF chapter banquet | 28 | Springville | Get tickets | Source |
Ranges nearest Buffalo
Amherst Rifle Club is the closest, about 0 miles from Buffalo.
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 27, 2026.
Buffalo hunters’ common questions
Is there a fall turkey season in WMU 9A?
Oct. 17-30 for fall birds in 9A, then the May spring season with noon closing.
Is WMU 9A open for bear?
9A sits in the Southern Zone bear hunting area.
Is there a Sunday ban in Erie County?
Sunday hunting is allowed in all areas of New York State; the old county limits no longer apply.
How do Buffalo hunters report a deer, bear or turkey?
Fill out the carcass tag, then report through HuntFishNY, online or at 1-866-426-3778: within 48 hours on paper tags, immediately on e-tags.
Where do Buffalo hunters pick up a license?
HuntFishNY sells licenses online and by phone; clerks and agents sell them in person. The nearest clerk on the DEC agent list is City of Lackawanna (4.9 mi).
What does the orange rule require around Buffalo?
Big game gunners need 250 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink above the waist, or a hat at least half orange or pink; pink is a legal match for orange.
What should Buffalo hunters know about CWD?
The wild herd has no known case; DEC keeps testing and limits what parts of out-of-state deer can come in.
Can a deer from near Buffalo be processed locally?
Black Angus Meats/Buffalo Meat Service Inc in Amherst is the closest listing, 9.2 mi away. Ring the shop before a November drop-off; hours on this page were not checked.
How far is Buffalo from state land?
Start with Motor Island Wildlife Management Area, its nearest boundary 6 miles out. The second-nearest tract to the Buffalo town point is Beaver Island State Park.
How close to a house can I hunt in New York?
Keep 500 feet from occupied homes, farm buildings, schools and churches with a gun, 250 with a crossbow and 150 with a bow, unless you have permission.
How much state land surrounds Buffalo?
DEC, park and federal parcels within 10 miles of Buffalo cover close to 510 acres.
How many DMPs does WMU 9A get?
DMP odds in 9A for 2026: 100% for a resident first choice, against a target of Unlimited. Success on DMPs: 10.0%.
What deer dates do Buffalo hunters use?
The Southern Zone dates apply in WMU 9A: regular season Nov. 21 – Dec. 13, with bowhunting from Oct. 1 – Nov. 20. The WMU table lists each unit.
Answers drawn from the sources in each section above; reporting from the guide reporting page; orange and Sunday rules from the guide big game page; setbacks from ECL 11-0931; CWD from DEC CWD page. Checked October 27, 2026.
Buffalo hunters, one last look
Wear orange or pink with a gun for deer or bear, carry your tags and report within the deadline.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public domain); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); eflon (CC BY 2.0).