Iced over lake with tree dangling over
Wildlife Management Area

Chautauqua Lake Fish and Wildlife Management Area

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Map of Chautauqua Lake Fish & Wildlife Management Area

The primary purposes of Chautauqua Lake Fish and Wildlife Management Area (FWMA) are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This is a 123-acre property located six miles northwest of the City of Jamestown on Chautauqua Lake. It consists of three different parcels: Tom's Point, Cheney Farm, and Stow Farm.

Featured Activities

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Please stay on the designated trails to protect the diversity and richness of the plant communities found within this area.

Wildlife Management Unit: 9J

General information on hunting include how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules, and regulations.

An accessible hunting blind/observation deck provides access to the lake for waterfowl hunting. Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view hunting seasons).

Wildlife Management Unit: 9J

General information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view trapping seasons).

General information on fishing includes how-to and safety tips and links to seasons, rules, and regulations.

Chautauqua Lake FWMA is open to fishing. The accessible hunting blind/observation deck can also be used for fishing. Chautauqua Lake supports a diverse sportfishery, with angling for walleye, muskellunge, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and several species of panfish.

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

An accessible hunting blind/observation deck provides access to the lake for wildlife viewing. Deer, turkeys, black bears, squirrels, and a host of songbirds frequent the area. Use the Wildlife Management Area Vertebrate Checklist (PDF) and the Wildlife Management Area Bird Checklist (PDF) as wildlife viewing guides.

Accessible Features

From the Stow Farm Parking Area, wheelchair accessible features include the:

  • Hiking trail to viewing blind

The trail to Chautauqua Lake and viewing blind is 0.5 mile one way and has a gentle grade (max. slope 10%), wide tread (min. width 3 feet), and firm crushed stone surface.

See Maps, Directions, and Featured Activities sections on this page for more details on these features. Visit the DEC Accessible Recreation Destinations web page for additional accessible recreation opportunities.

Directions

The Cheney Farm site is located on the east side of Chautauqua Lake in the town of Ellery, two miles south of the Village of Bemus Point on the west side of Route 430. The Stow Farm and Tom's Point sites are both located on the west side of Chautauqua Lake in the town of North Harmony, on the east side of Route 394. Stow Farm is about 1.5 miles south of the intersection of Interstate 86 and Route 394. Tom's Point is just north of this intersection.

All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.

Rules, Regulations and Outdoor Safety

Practice Leave No Trace Principles 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 Chautauqua Lake Fish and 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

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.

How We Manage Chautauqua Lake Fish and Wildlife Management Area

Like most of the state's Wildlife Management Areas, the Chautauqua Lake Fish & Wildlife Management Area 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.

Early Holland Land Company records indicate that the areas around Chautauqua Lake were primarily forested in the early 1800s. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, the areas were cleared and dairy farming was the primary land use until the late 1960s. Also, during that time many areas were cleared for development.

Some of the principal management objectives and techniques for this FWMA are to:

  • promote natural propagation and maintenance of desirable species in ecological balance,
  • provide optimum public access to natural resources compatible with wildlife, and
  • manage resources at optimum quantity and quality for recreational use and maximum public benefit.

Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities and Other Information

Web links below can provide information about other recreation, attractions and amenities in this area.

State Lands and Facilities

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 for information on outdoor guides.

Important Links

Watchable Wildlife
Chautauqua County Tourism
Contact for this Page

NYS DEC Region 9 Wildlife Manager
182 E Union St Suite 3
Allegany, NY 14706

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