WMU 8W, New York
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Bear, Turkey
- Group
- Zone 8
- Area
- 436 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 8
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
- 3,932
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, Bear, Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedWMU 8W covers the rolling hills and mixed hardwood ridges of southwestern New York, spanning portions of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties along the Lake Erie plain and the Allegheny Plateau escarpment. The unit holds healthy whitetail deer populations, a growing black bear presence, and outstanding Eastern wild turkey numbers that consistently rank Chautauqua County among the top producers in the state. With significant blocks of DEC-managed public land and light-to-moderate hunting pressure outside of road-accessible areas, 8W offers serious opportunity for hunters willing to push into the backcountry.
Southwestern NY Allegheny Plateau foothills — dissected glacial hills ranging from 1,200 to 1,900 ft elevation, with steep wooded ravines, creek drainages (Canadaway Creek, Chautauqua Creek, Cassadaga Creek), and agricultural valleys transitioning to Lake Erie lowlands. Mixed hardwood forest dominated by oak, maple, beech, and cherry interspersed with old-field regeneration, making excellent deer and turkey habitat. Conifer plantations in state forest blocks add thermal cover.
Moderate. Road-accessible areas near Jamestown and Dunkirk corridors receive fair pressure during the November firearms opener, but the forested ravines and interior WMA parcels see comparatively light use. Turkey hunting pressure is higher in spring given Chautauqua County's reputation as a top-producing county statewide.
WMU 8W falls in the Southern Zone. Antlerless deer are managed via Deer Management Permits (DMPs). Several neighboring Zone 8 WMUs (8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S) were placed on unlimited/no-quota DMP status for 2026 to increase antlerless harvest; verify 8W quota status annually on the DEC DMP targets table. Hunters may apply for up to 4 DMPs total (2 in quota WMUs, 2 in unlimited WMUs). The 2026 statewide Earn-a-2nd-Buck system gives all hunters one Antlered Deer Tag valid across all seasons.
DEER: Southern Zone seasons — Archery: Oct 1 through mid-Nov, with late archery reopening in December; Regular Firearms: approximately Nov 15 – Dec 7 (rifles and shotguns legal in Southern Zone WMUs); Muzzleloader: approximately Dec 8–16 and Holiday Hunt Dec 26–Jan 1 (bow and muzzleloader). All season dates subject to annual DEC confirmation. BEAR: Black bear season open in 8W — archery bear season aligns with early deer archery (late Sep/Oct); regular firearms bear coincides with deer firearms season in November. Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties hold an expanding bear population and the unit is included in DEC's Southern Zone bear expansion areas. One bear per license year. TURKEY: Spring season May 1–May 31 statewide (Southern Zone), shooting hours half-hour before sunrise to noon, 2 bearded birds per season (1 per day). Fall turkey season open in Southern Zone, typically mid-Oct through late Nov coinciding with deer seasons — any turkey legal in fall. No firearm restrictions apply in 8W (not a Long Island safety-zone WMU).
Chautauqua County consistently ranks in the top three NY counties for spring turkey harvest — 8W hunters benefit from high bird densities and large public land blocks. Black bear presence is confirmed in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties with expanding population. Canadaway Creek WMA is actively managed with timber cuts that create prime edge habitat for deer and grouse. Proximity to the PA border means big-woods feel with reasonable drive times from Buffalo/Erie metro areas.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU 8W— 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 8W.
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.