Clay Pond Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Clay Pond Wildlife Management Area is 140 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the town of Poland, Chautauqua County, in WMU 9J (Southern Zone). DEC lists 2 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Clay Pond WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landClay Pond WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 140 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Town of Poland, Chautauqua County |
| WMU | WMU 9J |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 2 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Falconer (next to it), Jamestown (3 mi) and Frewsburg (4 mi) |
Where do you park at Clay Pond WMA?
DEC lists 2 parking areas for Clay Pond WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Clay Pond Road Parking Area | 42.11738, -79.17821 |
| Clay Pond Road Parking Area | 42.11784, -79.17328 |
From DEC's page for Clay Pond WMA.
What can you hunt on Clay Pond 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 | 217 | 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. "Deer, gamebirds, and a variety of other games species are available for hunting."
- Trapping. "A variety of games species are available for trapping opportunities."
From DEC's page for Clay Pond WMA.
How do you get to Clay Pond WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 17, I-86, US 62, NY 394, NY 60 and NY 430. Nearest towns: Falconer (next to it), Jamestown (3 miles), Frewsburg (4 miles) and Kennedy (4 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Hartson Swamp Wildlife Management Area.
Which other WMAs are near Clay Pond?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conewango Swamp WMA | 9 | 9K | 996 |
| Allegheny Reservoir WMA | 12 | 9R | 1,106 |
| Chautauqua Lake WMA | 13 | 9J | 123 |
| Watts WMA | 15 | 9J | 1,401 |
| Canadaway Creek WMA | 18 | 9K | 2,180 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Clay Pond WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Clay Pond 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 Clay Pond WMA?
DEC lists 2 parking areas: Clay Pond Road Parking Area (42.1174, -79.1782) and Clay Pond Road Parking Area (42.1178, -79.1733).
What WMU is Clay Pond WMA in?
All of Clay Pond WMA is in WMU 9J. DEC estimates 6,909 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Clay Pond WMA?
Falconer, next to the area, by the Census map of places. Jamestown is 3 miles away.
How big is Clay Pond WMA?
DEC gives 140 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Clay Pond 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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