Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area
- Open for Recreation: Year-round
- Fee: Free
- Contact Information:
- DEC Region 6 Watertown Office (M-F, 8:00AM - 4:45PM), (315) 785-2263; information.R6@dec.ny.gov
- Search, rescue, wildfire, and enforcement matters: 911- or - 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264)
A local Forest Ranger is a valuable source of information for the state land you would like to visit.
- Location: Town of Lyme, Jefferson County
- Wildlife Management Unit: 6G
- Map: Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area Map (PDF) || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator
The primary purposes of Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This WMA is a 1,086-acre parcel. It is divided by Beach, South Shore, and Pine Woods roads. It is a natural wetland complex consisting of sand beach, dune, emergent marsh, grassland, and wooded shrub swamp. The WMA is predominantly wetlands, with a mix of grasslands and wetlands on the property's eastern edge.
Field in Point Peninsula WMA.
Featured Activities
Hunting and Trapping
General information on hunting and general information on trapping include how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules, and regulations.
The WMA is home to many species of small game and white-tailed deer. The area is popular for deer hunting. Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view hunting seasons and trapping seasons).
Fishing
General information on fishing includes how-to and safety tips and links to seasons, rules, and regulations.
Wildlife
General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.
Multiple species of grassland-nesting birds frequent the area. Point Peninsula may be one of the most critical wintering areas in the Northeastern U.S. for arctic-breeding raptors. The marsh and western shoreline of the WMA supports a breeding population of black terns, as well as substantial populations of breeding and migrating waterfowl.
Point Peninsula is located in a bird migration corridor and provides important stopover and feeding habitats for a wide diversity of migratory bird species. Migratory species include large flights of swallows, large numbers of blue jays, grassland species (e.g. Savannah sparrow, Meadowlark), as well as warblers and other songbirds.
Other species include: Short-eared owl and northern harrier (breeding and wintering), Northern shrike, rough-legged hawk, snowy owl, and long-eared owl, short-eared owl, northern harrier, American bittern, bobolink, and eastern meadowlark.
Use the Wildlife Management Area Vertebrate Checklist (PDF) and the Wildlife Management Area Bird Checklist (PDF) as wildlife viewing guides. Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area is designated as a Bird Conservation Area.
Directions
The WMA is located on Lake Ontario in Jefferson County on the western edge of Point Peninsula, 8.5 miles southwest of the village of Three Mile Bay.
All Google links leave DEC website.
- Pine Woods Road (44.0042°N, 76.2350998°W) - Get Google Map Driving Directions
- Pine Woods Road (43.9976006°N, 76.2449036°W) - Get Google Map Driving Directions
All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.
Rules, Regulations and Outdoor Safety
Practice Leave No Trace Principles (leaves DEC website) when recreating on state land to enjoy the outdoors responsibly; minimize impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts with other users.
All users of Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area must follow all Wildlife Management Area Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.
Activity Rules & Regulations
- Wildlife Management Area Regulations (PDF) - updated in 2022
- Hunting Regulations
- Trapping Regulations
- Fishing Regulations
Outdoor Safety Tips
NOTE: Ticks are active whenever temperatures are above freezing, but especially so in the late spring and early fall. Deer ticks can transmit Lyme and several other diseases. More information on deer ticks and Lyme disease can be obtained from the NYS Department of Health (leaves DEC website).
How We Manage Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area
Like most of the state's Wildlife Management Areas, Point Peninsula WMA is managed by DEC's Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife conservation and wildlife-associated recreation (hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, and photography). Funding to maintain and manage this site is provided by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration or "Pittman-Robertson" Act, which is acquired through excise taxes on sporting arms, ammunition, and archery equipment.
Late summer mowing is conducted every year or every other year to prevent grassland succession to brush land or young forest. Shallow soils afford the grass species relatively slow growth. Mowing is conducted by cooperative agreements with the DEC and private landowners. The upland area is predominantly old farm fields and hay fields. The DEC, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, is constructing two new wetland complexes on the WMA.
View the Habitat Management Plan for Point Peninsula Wildlife Management Area (PDF, 7.45 MB), approved in July 2022, which identifies the WMA-specific target species and habitat goals for the WMA.
Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities & Other Information
Web links below can provide information about other recreation, attractions, and amenities in this area.
- The Greater Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce (leaves DEC website)
State Lands and Facilities
- Long Point State Park (leaves DEC website)
Numerous guide books and maps are available with information on the lands, waters, trails, and other recreational facilities in this area. These can be purchased at most outdoor equipment retailers, bookstores, and on-line booksellers.
Additional information, outdoor equipment, trip suggestions, and guided or self-guided tours may be obtained from outdoor guide and outfitting businesses. Check area chambers of commerce, telephone directories, or search the internet for listings.
Consider hiring an outdoor guide if you have little experience or woodland skills. See the NYS Outdoor Guides Association (leaves DEC website) for information on outdoor guides.
