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Hunting & Trapping
Hunting on City-owned lands begins each fall on September 1 (the first day of squirrel season) and ends at the close of spring turkey season on May 31. Interested hunters should refer to our Interactive Recreation Map or Recreation Areas and Use Designations by County for properties that are available for hunting during specific seasons.
Designated hunting areas are available for bow, shotgun, rifle, handgun, and muzzleloader hunting where permitted by New York State regulations. Hunters and trappers must possess a valid New York State hunting license and they must follow all applicable New York State hunting regulations, including weapons restrictions, species restrictions, and hunting during the proper seasons for the allowed game.
A DEP Access Permit is required on those properties posted with Watershed Recreation Signs that read “Entry by Permit.”
Trapping is only allowed in Public Access Areas and trappers must possess a valid New York State trapping license and follow all applicable New York State trapping regulations, including species restrictions and seasons. For answers to commonly asked questions, visit Hunting & Trapping FAQs and DEP Access Permit FAQs.
Quality Deer Management on City-Owned Lands
DEP has instituted Quality Deer Management (QDM) principles in the Richardsville, West Branch Headwaters, Knapp Road, and Boyds Corner North Units in the towns of Kent and Putnam Valley. In the QDM hunting areas, the following enforceable conditions apply to all hunters over 17 years of age:
- Only does may be harvested on the first two days of bow season, the first two days of regular gun season, and the first two days of muzzleloader season—no bucks may be taken on these days.
- On all other days of the legal hunting season, bucks may be harvested if they have an antler spread of at least 15 inches in width and/or a minimum of three points on a side greater than one inch long, excluding brow tines. Throughout the hunting season in general, all hunters are encouraged to harvest more does than bucks to help with maintaining balanced herd populations and healthier forests.
Deer Management Assistance Permit Program Lottery
The Deer Management Assistance Permit (DMAP) Program provides antlerless tags to hunters to assist DEP with managing the impact of deer on watershed lands. We receive DMAP tags from the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation for select areas around New York City reservoirs and make them available to the public, allowing hunters the chance to collect an additional antlerless tag for the permitted area. We use an online lottery to distribute the tags. View the 2024 DMAP Program Lottery Announcement.
Recreation Unit Closures
Please read and follow the Watershed Recreation Signs posted in these project areas.
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New Croton Fishing Access Areas: Town of Somers, Westchester County. DEP lands on both sides of NY Route 100 between Old Route 100 and Muscoot Farm County Park, including New Croton boat storage areas 17, 18, 19, and 20, will be subject to intermittent closures beginning in December 2024. Crews will be performing vegetation management and forest enhancement work throughout 2025. For up-to-date information on locations of active work, please contact the Mahopac boat office at (914) 232-1309 or the DEP Recreational Permit office at (800) 575-5263.
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Manorkill: Town of Conesville, Schoharie County. Most of central and southern portions of this unit (approximately 270 acres) are subject to closure for forest management—beginning in late fall/early winter 2021, until further notice.
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Mount Royal Recreational Unit: Town of Conesville, Sullivan County. A portion of The 279 Acre Mount Royal Recreational Unit will be temporarily closed due to the construction of a pump station. Access to the unit at the intersection of NYS Route 990V and Bull Hill Road, and the areas immediately surrounding the work site will be restricted. Following construction, a portion of the unit where the pump station may remain closed.
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Long Pond Recreational Unit: Town of Carmel, Putnam County. The 32 Acre Long Pond Recreational Unit is closed due to construction work on the Willow Pond spillway.