WMU 1C, New York
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- Zone 1
- Area
- 919 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 2,973
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Deer, Turkey, Bear also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedWMU 1C sits on the fringe of the Northern Adirondacks across Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, a rugged landscape of hardwood uplands, spruce-fir wetlands, and Tug Hill Plateau forest that holds solid whitetail numbers and a growing black bear population. Hunters enjoy access to tens of thousands of acres of DEC Wildlife Management Areas and Adirondack Forest Preserve lands — including the 5,100-acre Tug Hill WMA and the Aldrich Pond Wild Forest — with relatively low pressure compared to southern New York, especially once you move away from road-accessible entry points. Spring and fall turkey seasons are open here under Northern Zone rules, and antlerless deer permits (DMPs) are available without a quota cap, making this unit particularly attractive for hunters looking to fill the freezer.
Tug Hill Plateau and Northern Adirondacks fringe — mixed northern hardwood (maple, beech, yellow birch) uplands transitioning to spruce-fir wetlands and coniferous swamps. Elevation ranges from roughly 700 to 1,800 feet. Dense second-growth forest with pockets of abandoned farm fields provides strong edge habitat for deer and turkey. Drainages feeding the Black and Oswegatchie rivers create classic Adirondack swamp-and-ridge topography.
low to moderate
WMU 1C is a no-quota DMP unit for 2026 — hunters may apply for up to 2 DMPs in no-quota WMUs (part of the new statewide 4-DMP cap: 2 quota + 2 no-quota). Harvested DMPs in no-quota units are automatically replaced upon reporting, allowing multiple antlerless opportunities. A September archery-only antlerless season (9 days, mid-September) is available. Statewide Earn-a-2nd-Buck system requires antlerless harvest before taking a second antlered deer. All hunters receive one Antlered Deer Tag valid for any season.
DEER: Northern Zone seasons — Archery: Sept. 27 – Oct. 23; Regular Firearms: Oct. 24 – Dec. 6; Muzzleloader: Oct. 17 – Oct. 23. Youth Firearms Weekend: Oct. 10-12. No shotgun-only restriction (full-bore rifles legal in northern NY). Earn-a-2nd-Buck: second antlered tag requires prior antlerless harvest and reporting. DMPs (antlerless): no-quota unit, auto-replaced on reporting. BEAR: Northern Zone bear season runs concurrent with regular deer season Oct. 24 – Dec. 6; archery bear available Sept. 27 – Oct. 23 (Adirondack WMUs). WMU 6C (overlapping area) reported 106 bears in 2025, highest in state — strong regional bear population. One bear per license year. TURKEY — SPRING: Statewide season May 1 – May 31; Youth weekend April 25-26; shooting hours ½ hour before sunrise to noon; limit 2 bearded birds (1/day); no electronic calls. TURKEY — FALL: Northern Zone archery Oct. 4-24 statewide; shotgun/archery season available in applicable WMUs (verify exact dates for 1C); 1 bird either sex; dogs permitted in fall; no restriction to shotgun-only (not a Long Island unit). No firearm restrictions — WMU 1C is a mainland northern zone unit, not subject to Long Island shotgun/archery-only safety zone rules.
Large contiguous blocks of public land on the Tug Hill Plateau and Adirondack fringe. No-quota antlerless DMPs with automatic replacement mean determined hunters can fill multiple doe tags. Bear hunting is open throughout the Northern Zone regular season. Low pressure relative to downstate — interior Tug Hill parcels see minimal hunting competition. Strong ruffed grouse and wild turkey populations as bonus upland species. Access to 600,000+ acres of Adirondack Park land in St. Lawrence County.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU 1C— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about WMU 1C.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: NYSDEC official Wildlife Management Units. Community info last updated 23d ago.