New York WMU 5G: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
New York's WMU 5G covers 1,242 square miles in Essex, Warren, Washington and Clinton counties, in DEC's Northern Zone. DEC estimates hunters took 1,604 deer here in 2025 (1,194 adult bucks and 410 antlerless deer) and 43 bears. 23.2% of the WMU is public land, the largest share DEC land (184,869 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 5GNeighboring WMUsHighway
| Zone | Northern Zone |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,242 square miles (DEC) |
| Counties | Essex, Warren, Washington and Clinton |
| Public land | 23.2% (184,885 acres) |
| DEC land | 179,927 acres: Forest Preserve 174,716, state forest 3,201 and wildlife management area 2,010 |
| Wildlife management areas | Ausable Marsh WMA, Wickham Marsh WMA, Maple Bend Island WMA, Putts Creek WMA |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 1,604 (1,194 adult bucks, 410 antlerless) |
| Bucks per square mile, 2025 | 1.1 (DEC) |
| Bears harvested, 2025 | 43 |
| Regular firearms deer, 2026 | October 24 to December 6 |
| Deer Management Permits, 2026 | By application (see DEC) |
How many deer are harvested in WMU 5G?
DEC estimates 1,604 deer were taken in WMU 5G in 2025, up from 1,379 in 2024. 1,194 were adult bucks, 1.1 for every square mile.
| Year | Adult bucks | Buck fawns | Adult does | Doe fawns | Total | Bucks per sq mi | Antlerless per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,194 | 53 | 308 | 49 | 1,604 | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| 2024 | 1,082 | 15 | 268 | 14 | 1,379 | 1 | 0.3 |
| 2023 | 1,176 | 42 | 241 | 33 | 1,492 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| 2022 | 1,236 | 58 | 396 | 52 | 1,742 | 1.1 | 0.5 |
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 5G?
DEC estimates 43 bears were taken in WMU 5G in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 |
| 2024 | 36 |
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 5G?
| Season | Dates, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deer, early bowhunting | September 27 to October 23 |
| Deer, early muzzleloading | October 17 to 23 |
| Deer, regular firearms | October 24 to December 6 |
| Youth firearms big game hunt (ages 12 to 15) | October 10 to 12 |
| Bear, regular firearms | September 19 to December 6 |
Sources: DEC, 2026-27 early big game hunting seasons in September; DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October. 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 5G?
23.2% of WMU 5G is public land: 184,885 of its 795,613 acres. The largest share is DEC land, 184,869 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of WMU 5G |
|---|---|---|
| DEC land | 184,869 | 23.2% |
| State park | 16 | 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 5G, by kind
| Kind of DEC land | Acres in WMU 5G |
|---|---|
| Forest Preserve | 174,716 |
| State forest | 3,201 |
| Wildlife management area | 2,010 |
Measured by FilledTag from DEC Lands.
Wildlife management areas in WMU 5G
| WMA | Acres in WMU 5G |
|---|---|
| Ausable Marsh WMA | 855 |
| Wickham Marsh WMA | 726 |
| Maple Bend Island WMA | 452 |
| Putts Creek WMA | 112 |
Which WMUs border WMU 5G?
| WMU | Zone | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Adult bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU 5A | Northern | 2.3% | 1,415 | 1,010 | 14 |
| WMU 5C | Northern | 26.1% | 1,252 | 1,016 | 46 |
| WMU 5F | Northern | 58.1% | 972 | 838 | 15 |
| WMU 5H | Northern | 60.5% | 2,517 | 2,154 | 93 |
| WMU 5J | Northern | 10.7% | 1,468 | 1,097 | 20 |
| WMU 5T | Southern | 1.6% | 508 | 330 | 2 |
Highways crossing WMU 5G: I-87 (86 miles), NY 22 (84 miles), US 9 (55 miles), NY 8 (25 miles), NY 149 (9 miles) and NY 28 (8 miles). Towns inside: Whitehall, Lake George and Fort Ann.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are harvested in WMU 5G?
DEC estimates 1,604 deer were taken in WMU 5G in 2025: 1,194 adult bucks, 308 adult does and 102 fawns. In 2024 the total was 1,379. The 4-year average from 2022 is 1,554 a year, worked out from DEC's figures.
When is deer season in WMU 5G in 2026?
WMU 5G is in the Northern Zone: early bowhunting September 27 to October 23, early muzzleloading October 17 to 23, and the regular firearms season October 24 to December 6, 2026 (DEC, 2026 big game hunting seasons in October).
How many bears are taken in WMU 5G?
DEC estimates 43 bears were taken in WMU 5G in 2025, against 36 in 2024.
How much public land is in WMU 5G?
184,885 acres, 23.2% of the WMU, by PAD-US 4.1. DEC's own land map shows 179,927 acres of DEC land here, the most of it Forest Preserve (174,716 acres). Wildlife management areas: Ausable Marsh (855 acres here), Wickham Marsh (726 acres here), Maple Bend Island (452 acres here) and Putts Creek (112 acres here).
Are Deer Management Permits unlimited in WMU 5G?
No. WMU 5G 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.