WMU 4T, New York

Rolling hardwood hills, mixed oak-maple forest, shrub thickets, and suburban woodlots interspersed with residential development. Elevation modest (200-800 ft), with numerous small ridges, wetland edges, and creek drainages (Croton River watershed in Putnam; Byram and Bronx River headwaters in Westchester). Cover is dense but fragmented into small parcels by roads and development.

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WMU 4T participates in the DEC Deer Management Permit (DMP) system for antlerless deer. The unit is not listed among no-quota WMUs for 2026, meaning DMPs are available but may be limited — hunters should apply by October 1. Antler point restrictions apply: a legal buck must have at least one antler with 3 or more points each at least 1 inch long. Antlered deer tags may be used for either sex in Westchester County. The high deer density drives DEC to offer multiple DMPs to increase antlerless harvest.

DEER: Southern Zone seasons apply — Archery: Oct 1 through Nov 20; Regular Firearms: Nov 21 through Dec 13; Muzzleloader: Dec 14-22; Late Bow/Muzzleloader Holiday Hunt: Dec 26 through Jan 1. Crossbow legal during archery season statewide (no special restriction noted for WMU 4T as with some other southern units). APR applies (3-point minimum on one antler). BEAR: WMU 4T is listed as open for Southern Zone bear hunting (season runs concurrent with firearms deer season, approx. Nov 21 – Dec 13 in southern zone), but black bear are exceedingly rare in this heavily suburban unit — do not expect a realistic bear opportunity. TURKEY SPRING: Standard southern zone spring season, typically opening early May and running approximately 4 weeks; bearded birds only, shooting hours sunrise to noon; OTC turkey permit required. TURKEY FALL: Fall turkey season open in the southern zone, typically starting in October; either-sex birds allowed. No Long Island shotgun-only restriction applies — standard firearms legal for turkey where deer firearms are permitted, though archery-only parcels (Ward Pound Ridge) limit implement choice on those specific lands.

Extremely high deer density makes trophy bucks possible despite suburban setting — deer acclimate to low hunting pressure around residential areas and can reach old age. Spring turkey season offers solid opportunity in Putnam County woodlots where birds are less pressured. The DEC push to increase antlerless harvest in 2026 means additional DMP opportunities. Access through the Westchester County archery program, though permit-limited, puts hunters into well-managed land with documented high deer numbers.