As fall approaches, hunters across New York are preparing for another hunting season.
In the Hudson Valley, hunters can pursue big game such as deer and black bears, as well as small game including turkeys, rabbits, and waterfowl, during seasons established by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
For first-time hunters, the first step is to complete a hunter education course and obtain a certificate, a prerequisite for purchasing a hunting license from the DEC for the first time. The course covers topics including firearms safety, proper gun handling and storage, hunting laws and regulations, outdoor safety, and ethical hunting practices. Information on courses and registration is available on the DEC website.
New York’s deer hunting season runs from Oct. 1 through Jan. 1 and includes separate periods for bowhunting, muzzleloader, and regular firearms. This year, the DEC also added nine extra days from Sept. 13 to 21, for an early hunting season specifically designated for antlerless deer.
This year, the DEC expanded a nine-day early season for antlerless deer, running Sept. 13 through 21, to additional wildlife management units. The early season does not apply in every unit, so hunters should check the regulations for the area they plan to hunt.
Here are six public places in the Hudson Valley where hunting is permitted with a valid DEC hunting license and, in some cases, an additional hunting permit.
Doodletown Wildlife Management Area
The area covers 1,078 acres across the Columbia County towns of Ancram, Gallatin, and Taghkanic. Wildlife management areas provide opportunities for hiking, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities. They are free for the public to visit and offer ponds, forests, and scenic landscapes to explore.
Doodletown Wildlife Management Area is also habitat for the New England cottontail, the only rabbit native to the northeastern U.S. It is difficult to distinguish between New England cottontails and eastern cottontails, which are more common. Reliable identification requires examining the skull or fecal samples or conducting genetic testing of the animal’s tissue. Rabbit hunters can submit the heads of their harvest to the DEC, where experts can use the skulls to identify the rabbits and help determine the species’ distribution in the region.
Access: Parking is available off Doodletown Road in Ancram, at two lots on Allen Road in Taghkanic, and off County Route 27 in Taghkanic.
Map: https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/doodletownmap.pdf
Stissing Mountain Multiple Use Area
The 590-acre area spans the Dutchess County towns of Milan, Pine Plains, and Stanford.
Hunters may find a variety of game species, including white-tailed deer, pheasants, turkeys, waterfowl, rabbits, and squirrels.
The area is also used for outdoor recreation in winter, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Access: Parking is available on Hicks Hill Road and at two parking areas off Hunts Road.
Lafayetteville Multiple Use Area
The 715-acre area in Milan features large undeveloped areas for hunting and hiking, although it does not have any marked trails.
The area is regularly stocked with pheasants during hunting season. Hunters may also find white-tailed deer, turkeys, waterfowl, rabbits, and squirrels.
Wilbur Pond, a 5-acre pond within the area, also allows fishing, paddling, and nonmotorized boating.
Access: Parking areas are available along Wilbur Flats Road, near Wilbur Pond, and off Route 199 in Milan.
Map: https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/maplafayetteville.pdf
Hunters may come across privately owned properties within Doodletown Wildlife Management Area and the Stissing Mountain and Lafayetteville multiple use areas where hunting is prohibited. Hunters should watch for private property signs and may use the onX Hunt app to verify public and private land boundaries. Hunters may also encounter trees marked with a yellow stripe across the trunk, indicating a state boundary line beyond which private land begins.
Big-game hunting is allowed from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Shooting hours for spring turkeys and other bird species can be found here.
Lake Taghkanic State Park
Hunters at Lake Taghkanic State Park need a park hunting permit in addition to their DEC license. The permit is free, and hunters must apply for it in person at the park office, located at 1528 Route 82 in Ancram. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Oct. 26. After that date, hunters should call the park office to confirm hours.
The park previously allowed only bow-and-arrow hunting but began allowing shotguns for deer hunting in 2025. Bear, turkey, and waterfowl hunting is also permitted in designated areas within the park.
Access: Park is located at 1528 Route 82, Ancram, NY 12502 and contains miles of trails and various access points.
Map: https://parks.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Lake%20Taghkanic%20Hunting%20Map%202025.pdf
Taconic State Park
The state park stretches through parts of Columbia and Dutchess counties. Hunters are required to have a park permit along with a DEC hunting license. The permit is free and can be obtained in person at the Copake Falls park office, located at 253 Route 344. Hunters should call ahead because office hours vary.
The park allows deer and bear hunters to enter the woods 30 minutes before sunrise to set up. Hunters must leave by sunset.
Small-game hunting is also permitted, including for squirrels, foxes, and ruffed grouse, using shotguns only. The park says its small-game hunting season begins Nov. 1. Turkey hunting is permitted with bows or shotguns.
Access: Park is located at 253 Route 344, Copake Falls, NY 12517 and contains miles of trails and various access points.
Map: https://parks.ny.gov/sites/default/files/TaconicCopakeFallsAreaHuntingMap.pdf
Overmountain Conservation Area
Open to the public daily from dawn to dusk, the area is a Columbia Land Conservancy property in Ancram that allows deer hunting. Hunters are required to obtain an additional permit to hunt on the 1,700-acre property. Permits are managed through the free HuntStand app.
The area allows deer hunting only, with the goal of reducing the deer population in the region and supporting forest regeneration.
Access: The Round Ball Trailhead is at 503 Carson Road in Ancram. The Kite Hill Trailhead is at 138 Catalano Road in Ancram.
Hunting regulations vary by location, species, season, and weapon. Hunters should check the DEC website for current season dates and regulations before heading out. Hunters may also use the HuntFishNY app, the DEC’s official free app, to display their licenses and permits.