Watts Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Watts Wildlife Management Area is 1,401 acres (DEC) managed by DEC in the town of Harmony, Chautauqua County, in WMU 9J (Southern Zone). DEC lists 4 parking areas with coordinates.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: DEC's page for Watts WMA, read 2026-10-18. Boundary: DEC GIS.
DEC landWatts WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 1,401 acres (DEC) |
|---|---|
| Location (DEC) | Town of Harmony, Chautauqua County |
| WMU | WMU 9J |
| Zone | Southern Zone |
| DEC region | Region 9 |
| Open | Year-round |
| Fee | Free |
| Parking areas (DEC) | 4 |
| Activities DEC lists | Hiking, Hunting, Trapping, Freshwater Fishing and Watchable Wildlife |
| Nearest towns | Panama (3 mi), Lakewood (6 mi) and Busti (7 mi) |
Where do you park at Watts WMA?
DEC lists 4 parking areas for Watts WMA:
| DEC's description | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|
| Swede Road Parking Area #1 | 42.03110, -79.44070 |
| Swede Road Parking Area #2 | 42.02380, -79.44050 |
| County Route 12 Parking Area | 42.01260, -79.44970 |
| Green Flats Road Parking Area | 42.03490, -79.42650 |
From DEC's page for Watts WMA.
What can you hunt on Watts WMA, and when?
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 9J, 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 9J | 1,392 | 6,909 (2025) | 3,278 | 43 (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 2020.
What DEC says about each activity here
- Freshwater Fishing. "Game fish common to the East Branch of Little Brokenstraw Creek, which flows through the area, include northern pike, bullhead, and sunfish."
- Watchable Wildlife. "Users of the area are likely to encounter a variety of wildlife species owing to the area's diversified habitats."
From DEC's page for Watts WMA.
How do you get to Watts WMA?
Highways within five miles: NY 474. Nearest towns: Panama (3 miles), Lakewood (6 miles), Busti (7 miles) and Jamestown West (8 miles). State land nearby, as DEC names it: Hill Higher State Forest, Brokenstraw State Forest, Panama State Forest and Wellman State Forest.
Which other WMAs are near Watts?
| WMA | Miles away (straight line) | WMU | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua Lake WMA | 9 | 9J | 123 |
| Alder Bottom WMA | 10 | 9J | 818 |
| Clay Pond WMA | 15 | 9J | 140 |
| Conewango Swamp WMA | 24 | 9K | 996 |
| Allegheny Reservoir WMA | 24 | 9R | 1,106 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Watts WMA?
Yes. DEC lists hunting among the area's activities. Watts WMA lies in WMU 9J, 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 Watts WMA?
DEC lists 4 parking areas: Swede Road Parking Area #1 (42.0311, -79.4407), Swede Road Parking Area #2 (42.0238, -79.4405) and County Route 12 Parking Area (42.0126, -79.4497), and more in the table on this page.
What WMU is Watts WMA in?
All of Watts WMA is in WMU 9J. DEC estimates 6,909 deer were taken in the whole WMU in 2025.
What is the nearest town to Watts WMA?
Panama, about 3 miles away, by the Census map of places. Lakewood is 6 miles away.
How big is Watts WMA?
DEC gives 1,401 acres.
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Where these facts come from
- Area facts, habitat, parking and plans: DEC, Watts 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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