New York publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 89 hunt units. WMU 8R is highest at 17.3 deer harvested per square mile in 2025. WMU 8X has 14.5 in 2025 and WMU 8N has 13.3 in 2025. Harvest in a hunt unit includes private land, so the public share is shown next to each unit. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- WMU 8R has the highest harvest per square mile at 17.3. The agency reported 4,629 deer on 171,150 acres in 2025.
- 89 hunt units are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured in 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
New York public land rankings
Best public land in New York
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Hunt units
Top 15 of 89 ranked hunt units by deer harvest per square mile. Hunt units include private land, so the public share column shows how much of each unit is public land open to hunting.
15 of 89 hunt units shown
| 1 | WMU 8R | 171,150 | 2025 | 4,629 | 17.3 | 4.2 | 1.6% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | WMU 8X | 251,300 | 2025 | 5,696 | 14.5 | 9.0 | 2.3% |
| 3 | WMU 8N | 198,051 | 2025 | 4,121 | 13.3 | 30.3 | 9.8% |
| 4 | WMU 9Y | 79,605 | 2025 | 1,628 | 13.1 | 2.0 | 1.6% |
| 5 | WMU 8T | 239,272 | 2025 | 4,401 | 11.8 | 10.7 | 2.9% |
| 6 | WMU 8S | 159,606 | 2025 | 2,693 | 10.8 | 30.7 | 12.3% |
| 7 | WMU 8M | 192,915 | 2025 | 3,209 | 10.6 | 25.6 | 8.5% |
| 8 | WMU 8H | 362,842 | 2025 | 5,850 | 10.3 | 2.9 | 0.5% |
| 9 | WMU 8G | 443,091 | 2025 | 7,080 | 10.2 | 32.8 | 4.7% |
| 10 | WMU 9J | 442,865 | 2025 | 6,909 | 10.0 | 22.1 | 3.2% |
| 11 | WMU 8A | 264,306 | 2025 | 4,035 | 9.8 | 5.2 | 1.3% |
| 12 | WMU 9F | 175,308 | 2025 | 2,631 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 0.8% |
| 13 | WMU 8P | 223,790 | 2025 | 3,163 | 9.0 | 7.4 | 2.1% |
| 14 | WMU 8W | 277,293 | 2025 | 3,878 | 9.0 | 46.8 | 10.8% |
| 15 | WMU 9K | 283,725 | 2025 | 3,953 | 8.9 | 16.2 | 3.7% |
01Hunt units
89 hunt units ranked on harvest per square mile
WMU 8R has the most deer harvested per square mile at 17.3 in 2025. WMU 8X has 14.5 in 2025 and WMU 8N has 13.3 in 2025.
The public share is the part of each unit that is public land open to hunting.
02Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured in 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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