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Ulster County, New York
Phoenicia, New York, as a hunting base
Hunting from Phoenicia, New York: land on the map by distance, WMU rules for Ulster County, legal light and where to buy a license.
Photo: Shot on Slide Mountain Wilderness, 0.3 mi from Phoenicia; a nearby stand-in, not the town. daveclausen (CC BY 2.0)
Phoenicia is part of Ulster County, out in the lower Hudson Valley. Phoenicia works as the gateway to Slide Mountain Wilderness, the line less than a mile out. Phoenicia – Mt. Tobias Wild Forest is the reason Phoenicia is listed: its closest boundary lies less than a mile out. Inside 10 miles of the town point, state forest, Forest Preserve, WMA, park and federal boundaries take in about 109,393 acres over 57 listed tracts. Top of the distance list sits Slide Mountain Wilderness, its nearest boundary less than a mile out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; 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 Phoenicia, New York
Public tracts mapped around Phoenicia
All miles are straight lines from the Census point for Phoenicia; road miles run longer.
For room to roam, Slide Mountain Wilderness offers 50,718 acres, the most near town. 11 Forest Preserve units reach the ring, nearest Slide Mountain Wilderness; wilderness units keep motor vehicles out, so plan to walk. The DEP recreation units near Phoenicia number 46; 11 are permit-only and need the free DEP Access Permit.
| Tract | Type | Agency | WMU | Edge | Center | Acres | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slide Mountain Wilderness 0.3 mi SW Anchor land | Wilderness | DEC | 3A | 0.3 mi | 6.0 mi | 50,718 | deer, bear |
| Phoenicia – Mt. Tobias Wild Forest 0.4 mi E Anchor land | Wild forest | DEC | 3A | 0.4 mi | 2.8 mi | 7,820 | turkey |
| Hunter-West Kill Wilderness 0.8 mi N Anchor land | Wilderness | DEC | 3A | 0.8 mi | 5.2 mi | 24,549 | deer, bear |
| Chichester (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 1.0 mi NE | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 1.0 mi | 1.0 mi | 104 | No DEP permit |
| Sheridan Mountain (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 1.2 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 1.2 mi | 1.2 mi | 108 | No DEP permit |
| Romer Mountain (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 1.3 mi S | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 1.3 mi | 1.3 mi | 15 | No DEP permit |
| Shandaken (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 1.9 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 1.9 mi | 4.8 mi | 43 | No DEP permit |
| Shandaken Wild Forest 1.9 mi NW | Wild forest | DEC | 3A, 4R | 1.9 mi | 4.5 mi | 6,114 | deer, bear |
| Herdman Road (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 2.0 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 2.0 mi | 2.0 mi | 18 | No DEP permit |
| Woodland Valley (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 2.0 mi SW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 2.0 mi | 2.0 mi | 19 | No DEP permit |
| Allaben (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 2.3 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 2.3 mi | 2.3 mi | 15 | No DEP permit |
| Lanes Brook (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 3.6 mi NE | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 3.6 mi | 3.7 mi | 134 | No DEP permit |
| Broadstreet Hollow (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 3.7 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 3.7 mi | 3.7 mi | 58 | No DEP permit |
| Beaverkill (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 3.8 mi SE | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 3.8 mi | 3.8 mi | 430 | DEP Access Permit |
| Peck Hollow (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 4.1 mi NW | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 4.1 mi | 4.1 mi | 72 | No DEP permit |
| Warner Creek South (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) 4.4 mi E | NYC watershed unit | NYC DEP | 3A | 4.4 mi | 4.4 mi | 156 | DEP Access Permit |
Before you park near Phoenicia
- Slide Mountain Wilderness (0.3 mi). The tract sits in the towns of Shandaken, Denning and Olive, Ulster County. 5 parking spots and 1 downloadable map are on file with DEC. DEC notes: “Hunting is prohibited in posted areas, including the Woodland Valley Campground .”
- Phoenicia – Mt. Tobias Wild Forest (0.4 mi). Location on the DEC page reads: Towns of Shandaken, Woodstock and Olive, Ulster County; town of Hunter, Greene County. DEC gives 3 parking locations and 4 property maps for planning.
- Hunter-West Kill Wilderness (0.8 mi). It lies in the town of Lexington and Hunter, Greene County and Town of Shandaken, Ulster County. DEC posts 1 map and 6 marked parking areas for it.
- Chichester (NYC DEP Recreation Unit) (1.0 mi). The unit is a public access area; a hunting license is enough.
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 Phoenicia. Checked October 27, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Which WMU rules apply near Phoenicia
DEC sets deer and bear dates in Ulster County by 5 Wildlife Management Units: 3J, 3A, 3C, 3M and 3H, all in the Southern Zone. Slide Mountain Wilderness, the nearest listed land in a county unit, lies in WMU 3A. Antler point restrictions apply in WMU 3J, 3A, 3C and 3H: a legal buck needs at least 3 points on one side (hunters 12 to 16 exempt). Antlerless permits are unlimited in 3M. Every license carries one Antlered Deer Tag; a second comes only after an antlerless deer is reported. The Southeastern and Northeastern duck zones apply around Phoenicia, with South, Hudson Valley and Northeast for geese.
| Unit | Share | Zone | Early archery | Regular | Muzzleloader | Bear season | Fall turkey | DMP target | Chance (res.) | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3J | 30% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | 6,400 | High | 3 pts |
| 3A Near town | 29% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | 175 | LO/DV | 3 pts |
| 3C | 27% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | 4,000 | High | 3 pts |
| 3M | 8% | 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% | – |
| 3H | 5% | Southern | Oct 1–Nov 20 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Dec 14–Dec 22 Dec 26–Jan 1 | Nov 21–Dec 13 | Oct. 17-30 | 4,000 | High | 3 pts |
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.
Phoenicia hunting businesses by distance
Processors come from DEC’s 2026 deer and bear processor list plus listings that name deer or game, sorted by miles from Phoenicia. For venison donations, Down the Road Butchery is 27 mi away. Jeffrey Sweet Taxidermy Studio sits on DEC’s 2026 cooperating bear business list.
| Service | Within 15 mi | Within 35 mi | Nearest | Miles | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processors | 0 | 11 | Quality Deer Processing | 17 mi E | Mount Marion |
| Mounts | 0 | 15 | Jeffrey Sweet Taxidermy Studio | 17 mi E | Saugerties |
| Gun and bow shops | 5 | 48 | ARMS TRADERS OF AMERICA | at town NE | Phoenicia |
| Shooting preserves | 0 | 1 | Tmt Hunting Preserve Inc | 29 mi SE | Staatsburg |
| Town clerks (licenses) | 5 | 63 | Town of Olive | 8.1 mi S | West Shokan |
Processors
Mounts
Gun and bow shops
Shooting preserves
Town clerks (licenses)
25 licensed guides with hunting on their license list a Ulster County address. Find a licensed guide
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.
Deer and bear take behind Phoenicia
In 2025, 3,423 deer came out of Ulster County, which ranks 32nd of the 56 counties with deer hunting. 2012 tops the chart with 4,503. By unit, WMU 3A shows 915 deer for 2022. Bear take in Ulster County ran 176 in 2020, 157 in 2021 and 111 in 2022. In 2025, a record bear year statewide, WMU 3A produced 95 bears (13.7 per 100 square miles). For gobblers, WMU 3A belongs to the Catskills group: 1,447 spring birds in 2026, 1,418 the year before.
| Year | Estimate | Adult bucks | Adult does | Fawns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3,062 | 2,049 | 825 | 188 |
| 2024 | 3,565 | 2,190 | 1,114 | 261 |
| 2025 | 3,423 | 2,083 | 1,062 | 278 |
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.
DEC offices near Phoenicia
Nobody needs to visit DEC for a license; these offices are for permits, land and wildlife staff near Phoenicia.
NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters (New Paltz) (27 mi southeast)
NYSDEC Region 4 Stamford Sub-Office, 28 mi off to the northwest
From the DEC statewide office list (services.json; Region 9 phones from the DEC permit administrators page), checked October 27, 2026.
Ulster County season rows for Phoenicia
33 species and 64 dated windows reach Phoenicia; the last column compares each with today.
| Quarry | Season | Units | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | September antlerless | WMU 3M | 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 Firearms Season | All WMUs here | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| 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 | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular (either sex) | All WMUs here | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| 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 | All WMUs here | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 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 | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Southeastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 27, 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 | Southeastern Zone | Dec 8, 2026 | Dec 27, 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 | September season | Hudson Valley goose area | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | September season | South 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 | South goose area | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 11, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Hudson Valley goose area | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 21, 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 | Southeastern Zone | Nov 24, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Snow goose | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Feb 26, 2027 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Northeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Brant | Regular season | Southeastern Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Southeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Northeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Veteran waterfowl | Veteran days | Southeastern Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 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 | |
| Bobcat | 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.
Phoenicia: three closest ranges
Phoenicia shooters have these three closest, each card with its access rule.
For a range open to everyone, Black Creek Marsh WMA Archery Range is about 44 miles away. Range page
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 27, 2026.
Phoenicia legal hours on key dates
The DEC guide prints sunrise and sunset for Albany only. The times here are worked out for the centre of Phoenicia and match the Albany table within four minutes.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Big game window | Bird window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | Northern bow opener | 6:48 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:18 a.m.–7:18 p.m. | 6:18 a.m.–6:48 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Southern bow opener | 6:52 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:22 a.m.–7:11 p.m. | 6:22 a.m.–6:41 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Northern regular opener | 7:19 a.m. | 6:04 p.m. | 6:49 a.m.–6:34 p.m. | 6:49 a.m.–6:04 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Southern regular opener | 6:54 a.m. | 4:33 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–5:03 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–4:33 p.m. |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Southern late season | 7:17 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 6:47 a.m.–4:57 p.m. | 6:47 a.m.–4:27 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late season close | 7:25 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:55 a.m.–5:05 p.m. | 6:55 a.m.–4:35 p.m. |
| May 1, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 5:54 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 5:24 a.m.–8:24 p.m. | 5:24 a.m.–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.
Questions from Phoenicia hunters
Do Phoenicia hunters face any Sunday limits?
It is legal statewide. Crow hunting is limited to certain days by season, not by a Sunday rule.
What are the orange rules for deer hunters in Ulster County?
Gun hunters for big game must show 250 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink; bowhunters in archery seasons are exempt.
What is the closest license agent to Phoenicia?
Online, by phone or at a clerk office. One clerk office that sells them is Town of Olive, 8.1 mi from Phoenicia.
Who processes deer close to Phoenicia?
Try Quality Deer Processing in Mount Marion first; it is the nearest venison cutter in the data. Phone first during the regular season.
What CWD rules apply to Phoenicia hunters?
CWD is not known in wild New York deer. DEC samples thousands each year (3,050 in 2025, none positive) and bans importing whole carcasses from other states.
What is the 500-foot rule near Phoenicia?
State law sets 500 feet for firearms near occupied buildings; crossbows need 250 feet and bows 150 feet.
Which tract is the closest public hunting ground to Phoenicia?
The list starts with Slide Mountain Wilderness, its nearest boundary less than a mile out. Behind it on the distance table comes Phoenicia – Mt. Tobias Wild Forest.
How big is the state land base around Phoenicia?
Some 109,393 acres, by a GIS overlay of DEC Lands, national forest and refuge boundaries.
What are the deer dates in WMU 3A?
In WMU 3A, the unit of the nearest public land, early bow runs Oct. 1 – Nov. 20 and the regular season Nov. 21 – Dec. 13. Ulster County also has 3J, 3C, 3M and 3H.
Are antlerless permits easy to draw near Phoenicia?
The 2026 target in 3A is 175; first-choice odds for residents were LO/DV.
Do Phoenicia hunters get a bear season?
Bears near Phoenicia follow the Southern Zone rules for WMU 3A.
How does turkey season work near Phoenicia?
Fall turkey in WMU 3A: Oct. 17-30. Spring gobbler hunting runs statewide from May 1, half an hour before sunrise to noon.
How fast must a Phoenicia hunter report a deer?
Tag it in the field and report it, immediately for e-tags or within two days for paper tags, by app, web or 1-866-426-3778.
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.
Before Phoenicia hunters head out
Every mile here is a straight line from Phoenicia; state forests, Forest Preserve units, parks and refuges each add rules, so read the land page and the 2026-27 guide first.
Other photos on this page: ke9tv (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); Bobolink (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0).