Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area is 5,100 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the town of Montague, Lewis County, in WMU 6N (Northern Zone). DEC lists 3 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Tug Hill WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landState parkTug Hill WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 5,100 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Town of Montague, Lewis County |
| WMU | WMU 6N |
| Zone | Northern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 6 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 3 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Lowville (8 mi), Copenhagen (11 mi) and Turin (12 mi) |
Where do you park at Tug Hill WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas for Tug Hill WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Parker Road, large grass pull off area | 43.73130, -75.67000 |
| Running George Truck Trail, grass pull off | 43.72060, -75.66440 |
| Running George Truck Trail, grass pull off | 43.70800, -75.65540 |
From DEC's page for Tug Hill WMA.
What can you hunt on Tug 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, freshwater fishing and watchable wildlife. Hunting on a WMA follows the seasons of the WMU the ground is in. In WMU 6N, the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs October 24 to December 6.
| WMU | WMA acres in it | Deer harvested (whole WMU) | Adult bucks | Bears (whole WMU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 6N | 5,085 | 780 (2025) | 627 | 15 (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 May 2016.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Freshwater Fishing. "Some of the small streams draining the area, such as Edick Creek, have been known to provide good trout fishing."
- Watchable Wildlife. "Beaver have colonized many of the streams of the area creating aquatic habitat for many wildlife species including waterfowl and the occasional river otter."
From DEC's page for Tug Hill WMA.
How do you get to Tug Hill WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 177. Nearest towns: Lowville (8 miles), Copenhagen (11 miles), Turin (12 miles) and Castorland (12 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: East Branch of Fish Creek State Forest, Grant Powell Memorial State Forest, Lesser Wilderness State Forest and Sears Pond State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Tug Hill?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little John WMA | 12 | 6N | 7,918 |
| Honeyville WMA | 20 | 6G | 110 |
| Happy Valley WMA | 25 | 6K | 8,956 |
| Lakeview WMA | 26 | 6G | 3,461 |
| Deer Creek Marsh WMA | 27 | 6G | 1,771 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Tug Hill WMA?
Yes. DEC's map of hunting on DEC-managed lands marks it open to hunting. Tug Hill WMA lies in WMU 6N, and seasons follow the WMU's: in 2026 the regular firearms deer season there runs October 24 to December 6.
Where do you park at Tug Hill WMA?
DEC lists 3 parking areas: Parker Road, large grass pull off area (43.7313, -75.6700), Running George Truck Trail, grass pull off (43.7206, -75.6644) and Running George Truck Trail, grass pull off (43.7080, -75.6554).
What WMU is Tug Hill WMA in?
All of Tug Hill WMA is in WMU 6N. DEC estimates 780 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Tug Hill WMA?
Lowville, about 8 miles away, by the Census map of places. Copenhagen is 11 miles away.
How big is Tug Hill WMA?
DEC gives 5,100 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Tug 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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