Chautauqua Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Chautauqua Lake Wildlife Management Area is 123 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Ellery and North Harmony, Chautauqua County, in WMU 9J (Southern Zone). DEC lists 3 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Chautauqua Lake WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landState parkChautauqua Lake WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 123 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Ellery and North Harmony, Chautauqua County |
| WMU | WMU 9J |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 3 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hiking, Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Bemus Point (next to it), Chautauqua (2 mi) and Lakewood (2 mi) |
Where do you park at Chautauqua Lake WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas for Chautauqua Lake WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Cheney Farm Parking Area with parking for 5 cars | 42.13495, -79.35595 |
| Tom's Point Parking Area with parking for 8 cars | 42.15521, -79.40570 |
| Stow Farm Parking Area with parking for 6 cars | 42.14613, -79.40306 |
From DEC's page for Chautauqua Lake WMA.
What can you hunt on Chautauqua Lake WMA, and when?
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 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 | 134 | 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
- Hunting. "An accessible hunting blind/observation deck provides access to the lake for waterfowl hunting."
- Watchable Wildlife. "An accessible hunting blind/observation deck provides access to the lake for wildlife viewing."
From DEC's page for Chautauqua Lake WMA.
How do you get to Chautauqua Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 17, I-86, NY 430, NY 474 and NY 954H. Nearest towns: Bemus Point (next to it), Chautauqua (2 miles), Lakewood (2 miles) and Celoron (4 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Chautauqua Fish Hatchery, Long Point State Park and Midway State Park.
Which other WMAs are near Chautauqua Lake?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watts WMA | 9 | 9J | 1,401 |
| Alder Bottom WMA | 11 | 9J | 818 |
| Clay Pond WMA | 13 | 9J | 140 |
| Canadaway Creek WMA | 17 | 9K | 2,180 |
| Conewango Swamp WMA | 20 | 9K | 996 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Chautauqua Lake WMA?
Yes. DEC lists hunting among the area's activities. Chautauqua Lake 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 Chautauqua Lake WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas: Cheney Farm Parking Area with parking for 5 cars (42.1350, -79.3560), Tom's Point Parking Area with parking for 8 cars (42.1552, -79.4057) and Stow Farm Parking Area with parking for 6 cars (42.1461, -79.4031).
What WMU is Chautauqua Lake WMA in?
All of Chautauqua Lake WMA is in WMU 9J. DEC estimates 6,909 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Chautauqua Lake WMA?
Bemus Point, next to the area, by the Census map of places. Chautauqua is 2 miles away.
How big is Chautauqua Lake WMA?
DEC gives 123 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Chautauqua Lake 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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