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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 2025 DMAP Program Lottery Announcement.
Recreation Unit Closures
Please read and follow the Watershed Recreation Signs posted in these project areas.
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Ashokan North Recreational Unit: Town of Olive, Ulster County. The Ashokan North Rec Unit will be affected by a temporary closure starting November 1st due to a forest management project. This temporary closure will impact access for Hunting & Trapping, Fishing, Boating, and Hiking. The restricted portion is located on City reservoir lands located between Dubois Road and Boulevard Road. This project will be active from November 1st to April 1st. Please check back for updates, follow all signage posted on site, and stay back from any workers or equipment on site.
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East Fishkill Recreational Unit: The “Chia Lin” parcel within the East Fishkill Recreational Unit in the Town of East Fishkill, Dutchess County will be temporarily closed between Tuesday, October 14 through Friday, November 28 due to a forest restoration project on site. There will be no access to this property during the project period. The property will reopen on Saturday, November 29.
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Glenford Recreational Unit: Town of Hurley, Ulster County. The Glenford Rec Unit will be affected by a temporary closure starting November 1 due to a forest management project. This temporary closure will impact access for Hunting & Trapping, Fishing, Boating, and Hiking. The restricted portion is located on City reservoir lands located between Dubois Road and Boulevard Road. This project will be active from November 1st to April 1st. Please check back for updates, follow all signage posted on site, and stay back from any workers or equipment on site.
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Hubbard Hill Recreational Unit: Town of Conesville, Schoharie County. An 88 acre area is temporarily closed due to an active forest management project. Hiking, Hunting and Trapping are all prohibited until the completion of this project (anticipated Summer 2026). City lands located north of Hubbard Road are not affected by this closure and remain open for recreation.
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Mile Shore Recreational Unit: Town of Hurley, Ulster County. The Mile Shore Rec Unit is temporarily closed due to an active forest management project. Access for Hunting & Trapping, Fishing, Boating, and Hiking are all restricted until project completion (anticipated Summer 2026). This closure affects all City reservoir lands from Baker Road south to access gate E23C. Please check for updates, follow signage posted on site, and stay back from any workers or equipment on site.
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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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Speedwell Mountain Recreational Unit: Town of Tompkins, Delaware County. 160 acres of the 3,708-acre Speedwell Rec Unit will be temporarily closed due to a DEP-administered forest management project. Access to the unit off Dryden Road and the forestland northwest of the road and natural gas pipeline will be restricted until further notice. The western side of the ridge facing Chamberlain Brook and other areas within the rec unit will remain open.