Poverty Hill Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Poverty Hill Wildlife Management Area is 950 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the towns of Ellicottville and Mansfield, Cattaraugus County, in WMU 9M (Southern Zone).
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Poverty Hill WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landPoverty Hill WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 950 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Ellicottville and Mansfield, Cattaraugus County |
| WMU | WMU 9M |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping, Hiking, Watchable Wildlife and Cross-Country Skiing |
| Nearest towns | Ellicottville (2 mi), Little Valley (6 mi) and West Valley (7 mi) |
What can you hunt on Poverty Hill 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, hiking, watchable wildlife and cross-country skiing. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 9M, 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 9M | 969 | 2,840 (2025) | 1,464 | 15 (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. "Hunting is allowed on Poverty Hill Wildlife Management Area."
- Trapping. "Trapping is allowed on Poverty Hill Wildlife Management Area."
From DEC's page for Poverty Hill WMA.
How do you get to Poverty Hill WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 219, NY 242 and NY 240. Nearest towns: Ellicottville (2 miles), Little Valley (6 miles), West Valley (7 miles) and Cattaraugus (8 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Poverty Hill?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harwood Lake WMA | 17 | 9W | 301 |
| Clear Lake WMA | 19 | 9H | 526 |
| Conewango Swamp WMA | 19 | 9K | 996 |
| Allegheny Reservoir WMA | 23 | 9R | 1,106 |
| Hanging Bog WMA | 24 | 9W | 4,560 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Poverty Hill WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Poverty Hill WMA lies in WMU 9M, and seasons follow the WMU's: in 2026 the regular firearms deer season there runs November 21 to December 13.
What WMU is Poverty Hill WMA in?
All of Poverty Hill WMA is in WMU 9M. DEC estimates 2,840 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Poverty Hill WMA?
Ellicottville, about 2 miles away, by the Census map of places. Little Valley is 6 miles away.
How big is Poverty Hill WMA?
DEC gives 950 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Poverty Hill 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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