The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced new restrictions for pheasant hunting and dog training at Northern Montezuma and Lake Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
Starting this fall, both WMAs will be closed to pheasant hunting and dog training on Tuesdays and Fridays during pheasant season.
Northern Montezuma WMA spans parts of Savannah and Butler in Wayne County, Conquest, Mentz, and Montezuma in Cayuga County, and Seneca Falls in Seneca County. Lake Shore Marshes WMA includes areas in Sodus, Wolcott, Huron, and North Rose in Wayne County.
The 2025 pheasant season at these locations runs from Oct. 18 through Dec. 31, with youth hunt dates set for Oct. 11 and 12. The new schedule will remain in place for future pheasant hunting seasons.
According to DEC, the change aligns with regulations at other Region 8 WMAs — including Tonawanda, Oak Orchard, and John White — and is intended to make pheasant stocking safer and more effective while improving the quality of hunts.
Pheasant hunting remains a long-standing tradition in New York, valued by sportsmen and women across the state.
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