Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area is 526 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the town of North Collins, Erie County, in WMU 9H (Southern Zone).
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Clear Lake WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landClear Lake WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 526 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Town of North Collins, Erie County |
| WMU | WMU 9H |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | None |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing, Hiking and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | North Collins (4 mi), Eden (6 mi) and Gowanda (7 mi) |
What can you hunt on Clear Lake 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, freshwater fishing, hiking and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 9H, 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 9H | 526 | 8,177 (2025) | 4,136 | 4 (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 November 2021.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Trapping. "Trapping are allowed on Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area."
From DEC's page for Clear Lake WMA.
How do you get to Clear Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 75, NY 39, US 62 and NY 249. Nearest towns: North Collins (4 miles), Eden (6 miles), Gowanda (7 miles) and North Boston (8 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Buffalo Niagara.
Which other WMAs are near Clear Lake?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty Hill WMA | 19 | 9M | 950 |
| Cazenovia Creek WMA | 20 | 9C | 126.9 |
| Canadaway Creek WMA | 23 | 9K | 2,180 |
| Conewango Swamp WMA | 27 | 9K | 996 |
| Harwood Lake WMA | 27 | 9W | 301 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Clear Lake WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Clear Lake WMA lies in WMU 9H, and seasons follow the WMU's: in 2026 the regular firearms deer season there runs November 21 to December 13.
What WMU is Clear Lake WMA in?
All of Clear Lake WMA is in WMU 9H. DEC estimates 8,177 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Clear Lake WMA?
North Collins, about 4 miles away, by the Census map of places. Eden is 6 miles away.
How big is Clear Lake WMA?
DEC gives 526 acres.
Get a New York hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, New York included.
Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Clear 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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