Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area is 818 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Clymer and Sherman, Chautauqua County, in WMU 9J (Southern Zone). DEC lists 1 parking area with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Alder Bottom WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landAlder Bottom WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 818 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Clymer and Sherman, Chautauqua County |
| WMU | WMU 9J |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 1 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Sherman (3 mi), Panama (4 mi) and Chautauqua (10 mi) |
Where do you park at Alder Bottom WMA?
DEC lists 1 parking area for Alder Bottom WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Alder Bottom Road parking area | 42.10321, -79.59359 |
From DEC's page for Alder Bottom WMA.
What can you hunt on Alder Bottom WMA, and when?
DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks the area open to hunting. DEC lists these activities for the area: hunting, trapping and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 9J, the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs November 21 to December 13.
| WMU | WMA acres in it | Deer harvested (whole WMU) | Adult bucks | Bears (whole WMU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 9J | 818 | 6,909 (2025) | 3,278 | 43 (2025) |
Harvest: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary. Seasons: DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Watchable Wildlife. "Users of the area are likely to encounter a variety of wildlife species."
From DEC's page for Alder Bottom WMA.
How do you get to Alder Bottom WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 17, I-86, NY 474, NY 430 and NY 76. Nearest towns: Sherman (3 miles), Panama (4 miles), Chautauqua (10 miles) and Mayville (11 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: North Harmony State Forest, Whalen Memorial State Forest, Panama State Forest and Brokenstraw State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Alder Bottom?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watts WMA | 10 | 9J | 1,401 |
| Chautauqua Lake WMA | 11 | 9J | 123 |
| Clay Pond WMA | 23 | 9J | 140 |
| Canadaway Creek WMA | 27 | 9K | 2,180 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Alder Bottom WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Alder Bottom WMA lies in WMU 9J, and seasons follow the WMU's: in 2026 the regular firearms deer season there runs November 21 to December 13.
Where do you park at Alder Bottom WMA?
DEC lists 1 parking area: Alder Bottom Road parking area (42.1032, -79.5936).
What WMU is Alder Bottom WMA in?
All of Alder Bottom WMA is in WMU 9J. DEC estimates 6,909 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Alder Bottom WMA?
Sherman, about 3 miles away, by the Census map of places. Panama is 4 miles away.
How big is Alder Bottom WMA?
DEC gives 818 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Alder Bottom WMA.
- Boundary: DEC Wildlife Management Areas. Public land around it: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
- WMU harvest: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary. Seasons: DEC, 2026-27 early big game hunting seasons in September; DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October.
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