New York WMU 3K: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
New York's WMU 3K covers 381 square miles in Sullivan and Orange counties, in DEC's Southern Zone. DEC estimates hunters took 1,394 deer here in 2025 (869 adult bucks and 525 antlerless deer) and 60 bears. 6.7% of the WMU is public land, the largest share DEC land (14,888 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 parkOther state landWMU 3KNeighboring WMUsHighway
| Zone | Southern Zone |
|---|---|
| Size | 381 square miles (DEC) |
| Counties | Sullivan and Orange |
| Public land | 6.7% (16,330 acres) |
| DEC land | 14,889 acres: unique area 6,588, wildlife management area 6,441 and multiple use area 1,596 |
| Wildlife management areas | Mongaup Valley WMA, Bashakill WMA |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 1,394 (869 adult bucks, 525 antlerless) |
| Bucks per square mile, 2025 | 2.3 (DEC) |
| Bears harvested, 2025 | 60 |
| Regular firearms deer, 2026 | November 21 to December 13 |
| Deer Management Permits, 2026 | By application (see DEC) |
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3K?
DEC estimates 1,394 deer were taken in WMU 3K in 2025, down from 1,468 in 2024. 869 were adult bucks, 2.3 for every square mile.
| Year | Adult bucks | Buck fawns | Adult does | Doe fawns | Total | Bucks per sq mi | Antlerless per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 869 | 47 | 416 | 62 | 1,394 | 2.3 | 1.4 |
| 2024 | 936 | 48 | 435 | 49 | 1,468 | 2.5 | 1.4 |
| 2023 | 912 | 66 | 297 | 60 | 1,335 | 2.4 | 1.1 |
| 2022 | 1,029 | 53 | 443 | 48 | 1,573 | 2.7 | 1.4 |
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 3K?
DEC estimates 60 bears were taken in WMU 3K in 2025. WMU 3K is one of the 11 Southern Zone WMUs with an early bear season, September 12 to 27, 2026.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 |
| 2024 | 46 |
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 3K?
| 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 |
| Bear, early season | September 12 to 27 |
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 3K?
6.7% of WMU 3K is public land: 16,330 of its 243,874 acres. The largest share is DEC land, 14,888 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMU 3K |
|---|---|---|
| DEC land | 14,888 | 6.1% |
| State park | 1,404 | 0.6% |
| Other state land | 28 | under 0.1% |
| National Park Service | 10 | 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 3K, by kind
| Kind of DEC land | Acres in WMU 3K |
|---|---|
| Unique area | 6,588 |
| Wildlife management area | 6,441 |
| Multiple use area | 1,596 |
| Forest Preserve | 264 |
Measured by FilledTag from DEC Lands.
Wildlife management areas in WMU 3K
| WMA | Acres in WMU 3K |
|---|---|
| Mongaup Valley WMA | 11,841 |
| Bashakill WMA | 6 |
Which WMUs border WMU 3K?
| WMU | Zone | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3H | Southern | 0.9% | 3,144 | 1,795 | 52 |
| WMU 3M | Southern | 6.7% | 4,862 | 2,435 | 93 |
Highways crossing WMU 3K: NY 97 (33 miles), NY 17 (25 miles), NY 42 (24 miles), NY 55 (16 miles), US 209 (12 miles) and NY 17B (7 miles). Towns inside: Monticello and Port Jervis.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3K?
DEC estimates 1,394 deer were taken in WMU 3K in 2025: 869 adult bucks, 416 adult does and 109 fawns. In 2024 the total was 1,468. The 4-year average from 2022 is 1,443 a year, worked out from DEC's figures.
When is deer season in WMU 3K in 2026?
WMU 3K 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 3K?
DEC estimates 60 bears were taken in WMU 3K in 2025, against 46 in 2024. WMU 3K has DEC's early bear season, September 12 to 27, 2026.
How much public land is in WMU 3K?
16,330 acres, 6.7% of the WMU, by PAD-US 4.1. DEC's own land map shows 14,889 acres of DEC land here, the most of it unique area (6,588 acres). Wildlife management areas: Mongaup Valley (11,841 acres here) and Bashakill (6 acres here).
Are Deer Management Permits unlimited in WMU 3K?
No. WMU 3K 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.