New York WMU 3G: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
New York's WMU 3G covers 464 square miles in Dutchess and Putnam counties, in DEC's Southern Zone. DEC estimates hunters took 1,133 deer here in 2025 (669 adult bucks and 464 antlerless deer) and 18 bears. 3.6% of the WMU is public land, the largest share DEC land (5,212 acres), by the USGS Protected Areas Database.
Data updated October 2026. Deer: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Bears: DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary. Seasons: DEC's September and October 2026 releases. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and DEC Lands.
DEC landState parkNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMU 3GNeighboring WMUsHighway
| Zone | Southern Zone |
|---|---|
| Size | 464 square miles (DEC) |
| Counties | Dutchess and Putnam |
| Public land | 3.6% (10,839 acres) |
| DEC land | 5,740 acres: multiple use area 2,523, wildlife management area 1,753 and state forest 1,332 |
| Wildlife management areas | Cranberry Mountain WMA, Great Swamp WMA, Bog Brook WMA |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 1,133 (669 adult bucks, 464 antlerless) |
| Bucks per square mile, 2025 | 1.5 (DEC) |
| Bears harvested, 2025 | 18 |
| Regular firearms deer, 2026 | November 21 to December 13 |
| Deer Management Permits, 2026 | By application (see DEC) |
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3G?
DEC estimates 1,133 deer were taken in WMU 3G in 2025, up from 1,029 in 2024. 669 were adult bucks, 1.5 for every square mile.
| Year | Adult bucks | Buck fawns | Adult does | Doe fawns | Total | Bucks per sq mi | Antlerless per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 669 | 41 | 369 | 54 | 1,133 | 1.5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 653 | 32 | 310 | 34 | 1,029 | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| 2023 | 629 | 37 | 330 | 35 | 1,031 | 1.4 | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 668 | 40 | 383 | 34 | 1,125 | 1.5 | 1 |
Sources: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2024 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2023 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2022 Deer Harvest Summary. DEC adds the harvest reports hunters file to its checks of deer at processors; these are its estimates.
How many bears are taken in WMU 3G?
DEC estimates 18 bears were taken in WMU 3G in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2024 | 17 |
Sources: DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary; DEC 2024 Bear Harvest Summary. DEC's 2023 summary is not online, and its earlier tables are laid out too differently to read reliably, so they are left out.
When are the 2026 seasons in WMU 3G?
| Season | Dates, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deer, early bowhunting (most of the zone) | October 1 to November 20 |
| Deer, regular firearms | November 21 to December 13 |
| Youth firearms big game hunt (ages 12 to 15) | October 10 to 12 |
| Bear, early bowhunting (most of the zone) | October 1 to November 20 |
Sources: DEC, 2026-27 early big game hunting seasons in September; DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October. The Southern Zone regular season dates follow DEC's rule: it opens the third Saturday of November and runs 23 days. DEC's 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide has every late bow and muzzleloader season; check DEC's seasons page before you go.
How much public land is in WMU 3G?
3.6% of WMU 3G is public land: 10,839 of its 297,226 acres. The largest share is DEC land, 5,212 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMU 3G |
|---|---|---|
| DEC land | 5,212 | 1.8% |
| National Park Service | 3,440 | 1.2% |
| State park | 1,195 | 0.4% |
| Other state land | 848 | 0.3% |
| National wildlife refuge | 144 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside DEC's WMU boundary from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). DEC land takes in the Forest Preserve, state forests and WMAs. Hunting is allowed on most of it; state parks, refuges and Park Service land allow it only in places.
DEC land in WMU 3G, by kind
| Kind of DEC land | Acres in WMU 3G |
|---|---|
| Multiple use area | 2,523 |
| Wildlife management area | 1,753 |
| State forest | 1,332 |
| Unique area | 132 |
Measured by FilledTag from DEC Lands.
Wildlife management areas in WMU 3G
| WMA | Acres in WMU 3G |
|---|---|
| Cranberry Mountain WMA | 1,194 |
| Great Swamp WMA | 560 |
| Bog Brook WMA | 132 |
Which WMUs border WMU 3G?
| WMU | Zone | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3F | Southern | 3.1% | 735 | 462 | 5 |
| WMU 3N | Southern | 19.4% | 501 | 327 | 1 |
| WMU 4Z | Southern | 7.8% | 1,080 | 572 | 21 |
Highways crossing WMU 3G: NY 22 (45 miles), NY 82 (32 miles), NY 55 (25 miles), US 44 (24 miles), I-84 (21 miles) and NY 343 (19 miles). Towns inside: Pawling and Millbrook.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3G?
DEC estimates 1,133 deer were taken in WMU 3G in 2025: 669 adult bucks, 369 adult does and 95 fawns. In 2024 the total was 1,029. The 4-year average from 2022 is 1,080 a year, worked out from DEC's figures.
When is deer season in WMU 3G in 2026?
WMU 3G is in the Southern Zone: early bowhunting October 1 to November 20 in most of the zone, then the regular firearms season from November 21 to December 13, 2026.
How many bears are taken in WMU 3G?
DEC estimates 18 bears were taken in WMU 3G in 2025, against 17 in 2024.
How much public land is in WMU 3G?
10,839 acres, 3.6% of the WMU, by PAD-US 4.1. DEC's own land map shows 5,740 acres of DEC land here, the most of it multiple use area (2,523 acres). Wildlife management areas: Cranberry Mountain (1,194 acres here), Great Swamp (560 acres here) and Bog Brook (132 acres here).
Are Deer Management Permits unlimited in WMU 3G?
No. WMU 3G is not among the 23 WMUs with unlimited DMPs in 2026; DMPs there are issued through DEC's application. A reported antlerless deer on any antlerless tag still earns a second antlered deer tag.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: DEC 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2024 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2023 Deer Harvest Summary; DEC 2022 Deer Harvest Summary. Bears: DEC 2025 Bear Harvest Summary; DEC 2024 Bear Harvest Summary.
- Seasons, DMPs and Earn-a-2nd-Buck: DEC, 2026-27 early big game hunting seasons in September; DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October.
- WMU boundary: DEC Wildlife Management Units. DEC land: DEC Lands. WMAs: DEC Wildlife Management Areas. Public land: 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.
FilledTag is not part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Numbers are copied from DEC and federal sources, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.