Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area is 1,000 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Dix and Montour, Schuyler County, in WMU 8S (Southern Zone). DEC lists 5 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Catharine Creek WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landState parkOther state landCatharine Creek WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 1,000 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Dix and Montour, Schuyler County |
| WMU | WMU 8S |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 8 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 5 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hiking, Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Montour Falls (next to it), Watkins Glen (next to it) and Burdett (3 mi) |
Where do you park at Catharine Creek WMA?
DEC lists 5 parking areas for Catharine Creek WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Route 14, large parking area | 42.35240, -76.85540 |
| Route 14, large parking area | 42.36420, -76.86420 |
| N Seneca St, large parking area, grass | 42.35750, -76.84000 |
| Rock Cabin Road | 42.35900, -76.84110 |
| Rock Cabin Road | 42.36840, -76.84650 |
From DEC's page for Catharine Creek WMA.
What can you hunt on Catharine Creek 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: hiking, hunting, trapping, freshwater fishing and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 8S, the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs November 21 to December 13. WMU 8S also has the early antlerless season, September 12 to 20.
| WMU | WMA acres in it | Deer harvested (whole WMU) | Adult bucks | Bears (whole WMU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 8S | 784 | 2,693 (2025) | 1,236 | 1 (2025) |
Harvest: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary. Seasons: DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October.
DEC's plans for the area: a Habitat Management Plan approved June 2022.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Hiking. "A spur of the Finger Lakes Hiking Trail traverses the marsh as it takes the hiker past many of the scenic natural attractions found in the area."
- Hunting. "Hunting opportunities exist for such popular species as ducks, raccoon, rabbits, pheasant, and deer."
- Trapping. "Trappers may pursue the numerous muskrats as well as other furbearers."
- Freshwater Fishing. "The Barge Canal is used extensively by fishermen and boaters and many people dock their boats at the various marinas along the canal."
- Watchable Wildlife. "The abundance of plant life in the marsh provides ideal habitat for a diversity of wildlife."
From DEC's page for Catharine Creek WMA.
How do you get to Catharine Creek WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 14, NY 414, NY 224, NY 79, NY 228 and NY 329. Nearest towns: Montour Falls (next to it), Watkins Glen (next to it), Burdett (3 miles) and Odessa (3 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Coon Hollow State Forest, Sugar Hill State Forest and Texas Hollow State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Catharine Creek?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Hill WMA | 8 | 7R | 11,237 |
| Waneta-Lamoka WMA | 13 | 8W | 165 |
| Big Flats WMA | 19 | 8Y | 136 |
| Cold Brook WMA | 20 | 8P | 116 |
| Willard WMA | 20 | 8S | 154 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Catharine Creek WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Catharine Creek WMA lies in WMU 8S, 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 Catharine Creek WMA?
DEC lists 5 parking areas: Route 14, large parking area (42.3524, -76.8554), Route 14, large parking area (42.3642, -76.8642) and N Seneca St, large parking area, grass (42.3575, -76.8400), and more in the table on this page.
What WMU is Catharine Creek WMA in?
All of Catharine Creek WMA is in WMU 8S. DEC estimates 2,693 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Catharine Creek WMA?
Montour Falls, next to the area, by the Census map of places. Watkins Glen is also next to it.
How big is Catharine Creek WMA?
DEC gives 1,000 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Catharine Creek 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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