WMU 8P, New York
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- Zone 8
- Area
- 351 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 17
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 3,000
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 Black Bear, 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 8P covers the flat lake plain agricultural landscape of Genesee and Orleans counties in western New York, offering solid whitetail hunting over cropfields, woodlot edges, and wetland fringes. Public access anchors on the Oak Orchard and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Areas and the adjacent Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge — a 19,000-acre complex of wetlands, upland forest, and grassland that holds good deer and turkey populations. Hunting pressure is moderate, concentrated on the public WMA/NWR complex, while private agricultural land offers opportunities for hunters who can gain access.
Flat Lake Ontario plain with fertile agricultural fields (corn, soy, winter wheat), woodlot edges, wetland complexes, and creek bottomlands. Elevation change is minimal. The Oak Orchard Swamp wetland complex dominates the western portion of the unit.
Moderate — public complex draws consistent pressure especially during firearms season; wetland terrain and required hiking reduce pressure on interior areas. Private farm ground sees lighter pressure.
WMU 8P issues Deer Management Permits (DMPs) for antlerless deer under a quota system. WMU 8P is NOT among the 23 WMUs designated no-quota for 2026, meaning hunters must apply for DMPs (up to 2 in quota WMUs). DMPs may be transferred between hunters under 2026 rule changes. Agricultural land edge habitat typically supports above-average deer densities for western NY.
DEER: Southern Zone seasons — Archery: Oct 1–Nov 14 and Dec 8–16 and Dec 26–Jan 1; Regular Firearms: Nov 15–Dec 7; Muzzleloader: Dec 8–16 and Dec 26–Jan 1 (Holiday Deer Hunt). All legal implements allowed (no Long Island shotgun-only restriction). TURKEY: Spring season opens May 1 (Southern Zone, ~4 weeks); Fall season approximately Oct 17–30 in Southern Zone, either sex. BEAR: Bear season is open in WMU 8P on paper (season runs concurrent with Southern Zone deer firearms), but black bear are essentially absent from Genesee and Orleans counties — virtually no harvest recorded here. No shotgun-only or firearm restriction — this is not a Long Island WMU.
Oak Orchard/Tonawanda/Iroquois NWR complex provides nearly 20,000 acres of public hunting. Agricultural edge habitat drives strong whitetail numbers. Turkey populations solid across wetland and woodlot mix. Bear season is technically open in WMU 8P but actual bear harvests in Orleans/Genesee counties are essentially zero — not a realistic target species here.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU 8P— 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 8P.
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.