 Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area |
 Frank's Shooting Supply |
Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area |
Frank's Shooting Supply |
There are many acres of public land in Madison County that are available for hunting and fishing, including state forest land and wildlife management areas. While many landowners post their property, a polite approach can often gain permission to hunt on privately-owned land. Read our hints for asking landowner permission.
Madison County is an interesting mix of rugged Appalachian highland hills, rich valley dairy county and lake plain muck farms. Primary interest by hunters is centered on the white-tailed deer and the wild turkey. Populations of both are highest in the southern portion of the county, mainly south of U.S. Route 20. Turkeys were released in the 1960's and have done exceptionally well from DeRuyter Lake east to Brookfield.
State owned land in Madison County is also primarily located south of U.S. Route 20. The Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area near New Woodstock offers deer, turkey, squirrel and ruffed grouse. Habitat management work in this area has had a profound effect on grouse populations there. Snowshoe hare populations are locally abundant in their scattered suitable habitats.
Madison County has numerous welands, with "Nine Mile Swamp" being the best known. Additional waterfowl hunting opportunities exist on Oneida Lake, a major stop-over spot for migrating ducks, geese, and shorebirds.
The annual deer kill in Madison county is second only to Chenango County in Region 7. With large acreages of state land occuring throughout the best deer habitat in Madison County, hunting opportunities for white-tail are abundant.
Madison County has an abundant and diverse freshwater fishing resource consisting of 240 miles of trout streams, 42 miles of warm-water rivers and streams, and 214 ponds and lakes greater than 1 acre in size. If you like float trips, try the Chenango or Sangerfield Rivers for northern pike, walleye, bass and panfish. Chittenango Creek, downstream of the Village of Chittenango, has excellent early season bullhead and walleye fishing.
If you prefer stream fishing, Oriskany and Chittenango Creeks are two of the most popular. There are sections along these streams with guaranteed permanent public access for fishing. Look for yellow Public Fishing signs. The Old Chenango Canal has excellent brown trout fishing year round in the trophy trout fishing section. Other popular brown trout streams include Cowaselon, Limestone and Oneida Creek, the Sangerfield River, the East and Middle Branches of Tioughnioga Creek, and the Otselic River.
Madison County has a number of canal feeder reservoirs that provide high quality fishing. DeRuyter Reservoir (600 acres) is excellent for walleye, bass and panfish and Madison Reservoir (250 acres) is outstanding for largemouths, pickerel and crappies. In 360 acre Eaton Brook REservoir, Lebanon Reservoir (113 acres) and Leland's Pond (96 acres) you can find good fishing for both trout and warmwater gamefish. 37 acre Stony Pond has fine largemouth bass fishing in a remote setting.
51,000 acre Oneida Lake has possibly the best walleye fishing in New York State. Limit catches of large and smallmouth bass are not uncommon, but possibly the most popular fish is the yellow perch. Ice fishing is a tradition around the lake.
| Oneida Lake | at Shackleton Point, 1/2 mile off Route 31. Hard surface ramp. |
| Eaton Brook Reservoir | off Eaton Brook Road. Hard surface ramp. |
| Madison Reservoir | off East Lake Road. Hand launch only. |
| Lebanon Reservoir | off Reservoir Road. Beach launch. |
