Doodletown Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Doodletown Wildlife Management Area is 690 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Ancram, Taghkanic and Gallatin, Columbia County, in WMU 4Z (Southern Zone). DEC lists 4 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Doodletown WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landState parkDoodletown WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 690 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Ancram, Taghkanic and Gallatin, Columbia County |
| WMU | WMU 4Z |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 4 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 4 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Copake Lake (4 mi), Copake (4 mi) and Taconic Shores (4 mi) |
Where do you park at Doodletown WMA?
DEC lists 4 parking areas for Doodletown WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Doodletown Road parking area, Ancram | 42.07686, -73.64670 |
| Allen Road parking area #1, Taghkanic | 42.09189, -73.64422 |
| Allen Road parking area #2, Taghkanic | 42.08967, -73.63886 |
| County Route 27 parking area, Taghkanic | 42.10717, -73.64265 |
From DEC's page for Doodletown WMA.
What can you hunt on Doodletown 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 4Z, 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 4Z | 1,078 | 1,080 (2025) | 572 | 21 (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 July 2018.
How do you get to Doodletown WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 82 and NY 22. Nearest towns: Copake Lake (4 miles), Copake (4 miles), Taconic Shores (4 miles) and Copake Falls (6 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Lake Taghkanic State Park, New Forge State Forest, Taconic State Park - Copake Falls Area and Harlem Valley Rail Trail.
Which other WMAs are near Doodletown?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Island WMA | 14 | 4T | 281 |
| Tivoli Bays WMA | 14 | 3F | 1,408 |
| Great Vly WMA | 16 | 3J | 184 |
| Stockport WMA | 16 | 4T | 357 |
| Vosburgh Swamp WMA | 17 | 4S | 290 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Doodletown WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Doodletown WMA lies in WMU 4Z, 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 Doodletown WMA?
DEC lists 4 parking areas: Doodletown Road parking area, Ancram (42.0769, -73.6467), Allen Road parking area #1, Taghkanic (42.0919, -73.6442) and Allen Road parking area #2, Taghkanic (42.0897, -73.6389), and more in the table on this page.
What WMU is Doodletown WMA in?
All of Doodletown WMA is in WMU 4Z. DEC estimates 1,080 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Doodletown WMA?
Copake Lake, about 4 miles away, by the Census map of places. Copake is 4 miles away.
How big is Doodletown WMA?
DEC gives 690 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Doodletown 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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