Clarendon Gorge Wildlife Management Area: hunting, map and deer in WMU L
Clarendon Gorge Wildlife Management Area is 54 acres of Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department land in Rutland County, inside WMU L. VFWD's sheet says it is open to regulated hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. A legal buck here needs at least one antler 3 inches or longer, and hunters took 332 deer in WMU L in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary: ANR. Description: VFWD's Clarendon Gorge WMA sheet, last edited 9/30/22. Seasons: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons.
Fish and Wildlife landNational forestState forestNational Park ServiceClarendon Gorge WMAWMU lineHighway
| Size | 54 acres (ANR) |
|---|---|
| County | Rutland |
| Wildlife Management Unit | WMU L |
| VFWD region | Southwest |
| Open to (VFWD) | regulated hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing |
| Game named on VFWD's sheet | white-tailed deer, black bear, ruffed grouse and woodcock |
| Legal buck, 2026 | At least one antler 3 inches or longer |
| Deer taken in WMU L, 2025 | 332 (254 bucks) |
| Nearest villages | Wallingford (4 mi), North Clarendon (4 mi) and Rutland (7 mi) |
What is Clarendon Gorge WMA like?
VFWD describes where it is: "It is located in the southcentral Vermont town of Shrewsbury in Rutland County." Of the land: "The Clarendon Gorge parcel lies in the Otter Creek watershed and has significant frontage along the Mill River." On its past: "The area was formerly owned by Central Vermont Public Service, and purchased in 1970 using federal Bureau of Recreations funds." On its animals: "White-tailed deer are common on the area, and black bear may be found on this riverfront land." The sheet names white-tailed deer, black bear, ruffed grouse and woodcock among its wildlife. On parking: "The property is accessed from a National Park Service parking lot on Route 103, which serves as a trailhead to a very popular section of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail which bisects the area."
Quoted from VFWD's Clarendon Gorge WMA sheet. VFWD notes its WMA maps are a general guide, not survey boundaries.
When can you hunt Clarendon Gorge WMA in 2026?
Seasons follow WMU L: archery October 1 to December 15, youth and novice weekend November 7 to 8, regular season November 14 to 29 and December muzzleloader November 30 to December 13. A legal buck needs at least one antler 3 inches or longer. Fall turkey: bow and arrow October 1 to November 13; shotgun or bow October 24 to November 1.
| WMU | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, 2025 | Bears, 2025 | Legal buck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMU L | 54 | 332 | 254 | 55 | one antler of 3 inches |
Seasons: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons; VFWD 2026 Vermont Hunting and Trapping Seasons. Harvest: VFWD 2025 White-tailed Deer Harvest Report; VFWD 2025 Black Bear Harvest Report.
How do you get to Clarendon Gorge WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 7, VT 103, VT 140 and US 4. Nearest villages: Wallingford (4 miles), North Clarendon (4 miles), Rutland (7 miles) and West Rutland (8 miles). Other WMAs nearby: Town Farm (2 miles), Tinmouth Channel (6 miles), Otter Creek (6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Clarendon Gorge WMA?
Yes. VFWD's sheet says Clarendon Gorge WMA is open to regulated hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Seasons and the legal buck rule follow WMU L: a buck needs at least one antler 3 inches or longer, and the 2026 regular deer season runs November 14 to 29.
What WMU is Clarendon Gorge WMA in?
WMU L. Hunters took 332 deer in WMU L in 2025, 254 of them bucks, and 55 bears (VFWD).
Where is Clarendon Gorge WMA?
VFWD: "It is located in the southcentral Vermont town of Shrewsbury in Rutland County." The nearest villages are Wallingford (4 miles), North Clarendon (4 miles) and Rutland (7 miles).
What game lives on Clarendon Gorge WMA?
VFWD's sheet for the area names white-tailed deer, black bear, ruffed grouse and woodcock. It does not count them; the WMU figures on this page are the nearest harvest numbers.
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Where these facts come from
- Boundary and acres: Vermont ANR land units (Wildlife Management Areas). Description: VFWD's WMA sheets, linked from its regional WMA pages.
- Seasons: VFWD 2026 Vermont White-tailed Deer Seasons; VFWD 2026 Vermont Hunting and Trapping Seasons. WMU harvest: VFWD 2025 White-tailed Deer Harvest Report; VFWD 2025 Black Bear Harvest Report.
- Public land around it: Vermont ANR land units (state forests, parks and Fish and Wildlife land) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Highways and villages: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.