Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area is 4,689 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Pharsalia and Otselic; Chenango County, in WMU 7M (Southern Zone). DEC lists 11 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Pharsalia WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landPharsalia WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 4,689 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Pharsalia and Otselic; Chenango County |
| WMU | WMU 7M |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 7 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 11 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hiking, Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Smyrna (6 mi), Earlville (9 mi) and Sherburne (10 mi) |
Where do you park at Pharsalia WMA?
DEC lists 11 parking areas for Pharsalia WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Elmer Jackson Road | 42.62690, -75.71580 |
| John Smith Road | 42.61810, -75.73030 |
| John Smith Road | 42.62140, -75.73000 |
| John Smith Road | 42.62340, -75.72960 |
| Elmer Jackson Road | 42.63000, -75.71510 |
| Cole Hill Road | 42.63920, -75.67750 |
| Johnson Street | 42.63990, -75.69010 |
| Johnson Street | 42.63860, -75.69460 |
| Mud Lane Road to Bear Wallow | 42.64510, -75.69690 |
| Johnson Street | 42.63130, -75.72800 |
| Grover Brown Road | 42.61820, -75.69490 |
From DEC's page for Pharsalia WMA.
What can you hunt on Pharsalia 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: hiking, hunting, trapping, freshwater fishing and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 7M, 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 7M | 4,680 | 6,939 (2025) | 3,494 | 1 (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 2016.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Trapping. "White-tailed deer, waterfowl, and a variety of small game species offer ample trapping opportunities."
- Freshwater Fishing. "Both cold and warm water fish are present in streams and ponds."
From DEC's page for Pharsalia WMA.
How do you get to Pharsalia WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 23, NY 26 and NY 80. Nearest towns: Smyrna (6 miles), Earlville (9 miles), Sherburne (10 miles) and Norwich (10 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Perkins Pond State Forest, Pigeon Hill State Forest, Pharsalia Woods State Forest and Beaver Meadow State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Pharsalia?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tioughnioga WMA | 15 | 7M | 3,744 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Pharsalia WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Pharsalia WMA lies in WMU 7M, 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 Pharsalia WMA?
DEC lists 11 parking areas: Elmer Jackson Road (42.6269, -75.7158), John Smith Road (42.6181, -75.7303) and John Smith Road (42.6214, -75.7300), and more in the table on this page.
What WMU is Pharsalia WMA in?
All of Pharsalia WMA is in WMU 7M. DEC estimates 6,939 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Pharsalia WMA?
Smyrna, about 6 miles away, by the Census map of places. Earlville is 9 miles away.
How big is Pharsalia WMA?
DEC gives 4,689 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Pharsalia 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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