Harwood Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Harwood Lake Wildlife Management Area is 301 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the town of Farmersville, Cattaraugus County, in WMU 9W (Southern Zone). DEC lists 3 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Harwood Lake WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landHarwood Lake WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 301 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Town of Farmersville, Cattaraugus County |
| WMU | WMU 9W |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 3 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Franklinville (4 mi), Machias (5 mi) and Rushford (6 mi) |
Where do you park at Harwood Lake WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas for Harwood Lake WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Paved Parking Lot | 42.38139, -78.38671 |
| Unpaved Parking Lot | 42.37948, -78.38996 |
| Parking area and hand launch | 42.38499, -78.37967 |
From DEC's page for Harwood Lake WMA.
What can you hunt on Harwood Lake WMA, and when?
DEC lists these activities for the area: hunting, trapping, freshwater fishing and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 9W, 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 9W | 301 | 1,663 (2025) | 996 | 10 (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 January 2018.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Freshwater Fishing. "Shoreline fishing is allowed around the whole of Harwood Lake."
- Watchable Wildlife. "Users of the area are likely to encounter a variety of wildlife species."
From DEC's page for Harwood Lake WMA.
How do you get to Harwood Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 98, NY 16 and NY 243. Nearest towns: Franklinville (4 miles), Machias (5 miles), Rushford (6 miles) and Lime Lake (6 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Bush Hill State Forest, Farmersville State Forest, Crab Hollow State Forest and Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area.
Which other WMAs are near Harwood Lake?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanging Bog WMA | 9 | 9W | 4,560 |
| Poverty Hill WMA | 17 | 9M | 950 |
| Genesee Valley WMA | 20 | 9P | 717 |
| Keeney Swamp WMA | 25 | 9P | 708 |
| Clear Lake WMA | 27 | 9H | 526 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Harwood Lake WMA?
Yes. DEC lists hunting among the area's activities. Harwood Lake WMA lies in WMU 9W, 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 Harwood Lake WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas: Paved Parking Lot (42.3814, -78.3867), Unpaved Parking Lot (42.3795, -78.3900) and Parking area and hand launch (42.3850, -78.3797).
What WMU is Harwood Lake WMA in?
All of Harwood Lake WMA is in WMU 9W. DEC estimates 1,663 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Harwood Lake WMA?
Franklinville, about 4 miles away, by the Census map of places. Machias is 5 miles away.
How big is Harwood Lake WMA?
DEC gives 301 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Harwood 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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