WMU 9F, New York
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey
- Group
- Zone 9
- Area
- 275 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 2,482
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 also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedWMU 9F covers the eastern Suffolk County area including the North Fork, Peconic Bay shoreline, and Southold Town — one of the highest deer-density zones on Long Island with a chronic overpopulation problem and unlimited antlerless DMP availability in 2026. Hunters are restricted to archery and shotgun/muzzleloader (slugs only) due to safety zone rules, with a long archery season running October 1 through January 31 and a January shotgun season. Public land access is limited but includes Southold Town managed parcels and cooperative county lands, all requiring advance DEC reservations.
Eastern Long Island oak-pine barrens transitioning to maritime shrubland, North Fork farmland and vineyard corridors, Peconic Bay tidal marshes and freshwater wetlands, Peconic River bottomland. Flat to gently rolling, heavily fragmented by residential and agricultural land use.
high
2026: WMU 9F has NO DMP quota — unlimited antlerless DMPs available. All applicants receive DMPs, and DMPs are automatically replaced with Bonus DMPs upon harvest report. An early antlerless-only season runs in mid-September. Earn-a-2nd-Buck system: harvest and report an antlerless deer to unlock a second antlered tag.
DEER: Archery season Oct. 1 – Jan. 31; shotgun/muzzleloader (slugs/single projectile only, min .44 bore for muzzleloader) Jan. first Sunday – Jan. 31. Early antlerless season mid-September with DMP. NO rifles permitted anywhere on Long Island — safety zone restrictions apply. Unlimited DMPs in 2026 with Bonus DMP replacement. TURKEY (Spring): Youth season ~Apr. 25-26; regular season May 1 – May 31; hours 30 min before sunrise to noon; shotgun (shot #2 to #9) or bow; limit one bearded turkey. NO confirmed fall turkey season for Long Island Zone 9 WMUs. BEAR: No bear hunting — Long Island WMU, bear absent.
One of New York's most deer-saturated units; chronic overabundance makes antlerless opportunity outstanding. Long archery season (Oct 1 - Jan 31) rewards bowhunters willing to navigate fragmented suburban habitat. January shotgun season adds a late opportunity. Spring turkey is a genuine highlight with a full May season and a healthy North Fork flock. Peconic Bay surroundings offer stunning scenery. Access is the primary challenge — most productive hunting comes through private land relationships or Southold Town program enrollment.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about WMU 9F— 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 9F.
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.