New York WMU 3R: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
New York's WMU 3R covers 232 square miles in Rockland and Orange counties, in DEC's Southern Zone. DEC estimates hunters took 364 deer here in 2025 (255 adult bucks and 109 antlerless deer) and 2 bears. 36.6% of the WMU is public land, the largest share state park (53,587 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 Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)WMU 3RNeighboring WMUsHighway
| Zone | Southern Zone |
|---|---|
| Size | 232 square miles (DEC) |
| Counties | Rockland and Orange |
| Public land | 36.6% (54,248 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 364 (255 adult bucks, 109 antlerless) |
| Bucks per square mile, 2025 | 1.2 (DEC) |
| Bears harvested, 2025 | 2 |
| Regular firearms deer, 2026 | November 21 to December 13 |
| Deer Management Permits, 2026 | Unlimited, with a bonus permit for each reported antlerless deer |
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3R?
DEC estimates 364 deer were taken in WMU 3R in 2025, up from 269 in 2024. 255 were adult bucks, 1.2 for every square mile.
| Year | Adult bucks | Buck fawns | Adult does | Doe fawns | Total | Bucks per sq mi | Antlerless per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 255 | 8 | 90 | 11 | 364 | 1.2 | 0.5 |
| 2024 | 205 | 5 | 54 | 5 | 269 | 1 | 0.3 |
| 2023 | 210 | 11 | 75 | 7 | 303 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 2022 | 223 | 13 | 106 | 10 | 352 | 1.1 | 0.6 |
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 3R?
DEC estimates 2 bears were taken in WMU 3R in 2025. WMU 3R is one of the 11 Southern Zone WMUs with an early bear season, September 12 to 27, 2026.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 |
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 3R?
| 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 |
| Deer, early antlerless season (DMP or DMAP tags only) | September 12 to 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 3R?
36.6% of WMU 3R is public land: 54,248 of its 148,330 acres. The largest share is state park, 53,587 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMU 3R |
|---|---|---|
| State park | 53,587 | 36.1% |
| Other state land | 571 | 0.4% |
| DEC land | 90 | 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.
Which WMUs border WMU 3R?
| WMU | Zone | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 3P | Southern | 33.4% | 427 | 254 | 9 |
| WMU 3S | Southern | 1.5% | 859 | 507 | 1 |
Highways crossing WMU 3R: I-87 (59 miles), I-287 (32 miles), NY 59 (19 miles), NY 304 (16 miles), NY 17 (16 miles) and NY 303 (13 miles). Towns inside: Tuxedo, Chestnut Ridge, Airmont and Montebello.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are harvested in WMU 3R?
DEC estimates 364 deer were taken in WMU 3R in 2025: 255 adult bucks, 90 adult does and 19 fawns. In 2024 the total was 269. The 4-year average from 2022 is 322 a year, worked out from DEC's figures.
When is deer season in WMU 3R in 2026?
WMU 3R 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. It also has the early antlerless season, September 12 to 20.
How many bears are taken in WMU 3R?
DEC estimates 2 bears were taken in WMU 3R in 2025, against 6 in 2024. WMU 3R has DEC's early bear season, September 12 to 27, 2026.
How much public land is in WMU 3R?
54,248 acres, 36.6% of the WMU, by PAD-US 4.1.
Are Deer Management Permits unlimited in WMU 3R?
Yes. WMU 3R is one of 23 WMUs with unlimited DMPs in 2026: anyone who applies gets one, and each reported antlerless deer brings a bonus DMP (DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October).
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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.