Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area is 5,639 acres (measured from DEC's map) managed by DEC in the towns of Barre and Shelby, Orleans County; Towns of Oakfield and Alabama, Genesee County; Town of Newstead, Erie County; Town of Royalton, Niagara County, in WMU 8G (Southern Zone). DEC lists 9 parking areas with coordinates. DEC describes it on one page with Oak Orchard WMA.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Tonawanda WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landNational wildlife refugeTonawanda WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 5,639 acres (measured from DEC's map) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Towns of Barre and Shelby, Orleans County; Towns of Oakfield and Alabama, Genesee County; Town of Newstead, Erie County; Town of Royalton, Niagara County |
| WMU | WMU 8G |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 8 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 9 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hiking, Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Akron (4 mi), Middleport (5 mi) and Gasport (6 mi) |
Where do you park at Tonawanda WMA?
DEC lists 9 parking areas for Tonawanda WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Meadville Road, parking area | 43.10550, -78.45470 |
| Griswold Road | 43.11590, -78.49720 |
| Route 77 | 43.12290, -78.45280 |
| Route 77, large parking area | 43.12540, -78.47170 |
| Route 77 | 43.13340, -78.49370 |
| Route 77, small | 43.11269, -78.42927 |
| Ditch Road | 43.10240, -78.49750 |
| Koepsel Parcel | 43.08810, -78.50690 |
| Foote Road | 43.09020, -78.49749 |
From DEC's page for Tonawanda WMA.
What can you hunt on Tonawanda 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 8G, the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs November 21 to December 13. WMU 8G also has the early antlerless season, September 12 to 20.
| WMU | WMA acres in it | Deer harvested (whole WMU) | Adult bucks | Bears (whole WMU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 8G | 5,636 | 7,080 (2025) | 3,199 | 0 (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 December 2018.
How do you get to Tonawanda WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 77, NY 63, NY 93 and NY 31. Nearest towns: Akron (4 miles), Middleport (5 miles), Gasport (6 miles) and Medina (6 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and Onondaga Escarpment Unique Area.
Which other WMAs are near Tonawanda?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| John White WMA | 5 | 8G | 329 |
| Oak Orchard WMA | 8 | 8G | 19,000 |
| Tillman Road WMA | 13 | 9C | 239 |
| Hartland Swamp WMA | 13 | 9A | 401 |
| Great Baehre Swamp WMA | 15 | 9C | 270 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Tonawanda WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Tonawanda WMA lies in WMU 8G, 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 Tonawanda WMA?
DEC lists 9 parking areas: Meadville Road, parking area (43.1055, -78.4547), Griswold Road (43.1159, -78.4972) and Route 77 (43.1229, -78.4528), and more in the table on this page.
What WMU is Tonawanda WMA in?
All of Tonawanda WMA is in WMU 8G. DEC estimates 7,080 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Tonawanda WMA?
Akron, about 4 miles away, by the Census map of places. Middleport is 5 miles away.
How big is Tonawanda WMA?
5,639 acres, measured from DEC's boundary.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Tonawanda 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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