Hunting Seasons
New York sets its deer seasons separately for the Northern Zone (the Adirondacks and North Country) and the Southern Zone, with Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) rules inside each zone. Our camps are in Corinth, N.Y., in NYSDEC Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 5J, in the Northern Zone; the dates below are the ones that apply in 5J. The club’s bylaws key on the Northern Zone regular firearms season: dues are due by its opening weekend, and new officers take office that weekend.
Each year NYSDEC sets the season framework:
- Early Bowhunting — opens in the fall ahead of firearms season (crossbows allowed in bowhunting seasons).
- Youth Firearms Hunt — a fall weekend for licensed youth hunters ages 12–15 with an experienced adult.
- Early Muzzleloading — the week before the regular season in the Northern Zone.
- Regular Firearms Season — opening day, the big one.
- Late Bow / Muzzleloading — in some WMUs, right after the regular season.
| Season | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| Early Bowhunting (crossbows allowed) | Sept. 27 – Oct. 23 |
| Youth Firearms Hunt (ages 12–15) | Oct. 10 – 12 |
| Early Muzzleloading (either sex) | Oct. 17 – 23 |
| Regular Firearms | Oct. 24 – Dec. 6 |
| Late Bowhunting | Dec. 7 – 13 |
| Late Muzzleloading | Dec. 7 – 13 |
| Season | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| Regular | Sept. 19 – Dec. 6 |
| Youth Firearms Hunt (ages 12–15) | Oct. 10 – 12 |
Sources: NYSDEC 2026–27 Hunting & Trapping Guide, Big Game section (deer pp. 26–27, bear p. 37) and DEC press release, Oct. 7, 2026. WMU 5J is not an open area for the Early Antlerless season (Sept. 12 – 20), and the separate bear bowhunting/muzzleloading seasons apply only in WMUs outside 5J. Update every year from dec.ny.gov.
Club Calendar — Fall 2026
Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2026, in date order, for WMU 5J. The club now meets once a year, at the annual meeting in the fall.
Annual Club Meeting & Elections
Club The club’s annual meeting, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. Nominations from the floor and election of officers by ballot; standing committees are appointed (Constitution Art. 2–3; By-Laws Art. 8). Time & place: 10:00 AM, the 2nd header past the gate.
Bear Regular Season Opens — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Black bear regular season in WMU 5J, Sept. 19 – Dec. 6.
Early Bowhunting for Deer Opens — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Sept. 27 – Oct. 23. Crossbows may be used during bowhunting seasons (bowhunting privilege required).
Youth Firearms Big Game Hunt
NYSDEC Oct. 10 – 12, deer and bear, for licensed youth hunters ages 12–15 accompanied by an experienced licensed adult. (12–13-year-olds only in counties that have opted in.)
Early Muzzleloading for Deer Opens — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Oct. 17 – 23, deer of either sex (muzzleloading privilege required).
Regular Firearms Deer Season Opens — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Regular deer season in WMU 5J, Oct. 24 – Dec. 6.
Opening Weekend — Dues Due & New Officers Take Office
Club Annual camp dues are due to the Treasurer on or before opening weekend (Constitution Art. 14 §2), and officers elected at the annual meeting take office (By-Laws Art. 8 §5).
Estimated Seeking & Chasing Period (Rut)
Estimate Bucks are on their feet searching for and chasing does ahead of peak breeding. Estimate, not an official date; peak timing varies with the year, weather and local conditions. See rut sources below.
Estimated Peak Rut
Estimate Peak breeding, centered about Nov. 13–16. Estimate, not an official date; peak timing varies with the year, weather and local conditions. See rut sources below.
Regular Deer & Bear Seasons Close — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Last day of the regular deer and regular bear seasons in WMU 5J.
Late Bowhunting & Late Muzzleloading — WMU 5J
NYSDEC Dec. 7 – 13, deer (WMU 5J is one of the Northern Zone units with these late seasons).
Club items: Constitution & By-Laws, with the club now holding only the annual meeting in the fall (2026: Saturday, Sept. 12, 10:00 AM at the 2nd header past the gate). Season dates: NYSDEC 2026–27 Hunting & Trapping Guide, Big Game section and DEC press release, Oct. 7, 2026. Always confirm on dec.ny.gov.
Rut sources: the rut is driven by day length, so its timing is about the same each year; the moon does not set it. NYSDEC: White-tailed deer fact sheet (New York rut runs October to January, peak in mid-November); DEC bulletin “It’s Rut Time!” (peak around the 2nd to 3rd week of November). Penn State Extension: How to Predict the Rut (Pennsylvania data, 1999–2006: median breeding date for adult does about Nov. 13, with no relationship to the moon). National Deer Association: No Link Between Moon Phase and Rut Peak.
Other club dates
- Quarterly Treasurer’s report (Constitution Art. 8): dates TBD
- Work weekend, road, gate and property maintenance: dates TBD