Cloudy sky above creek surrounded by low brush
Wildlife Management Area

French Creek Wildlife Management Area

On this page
Map of French Creek Wildlife Management Area

The primary purposes of French Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This WMA is a 2,300-acre parcel. Small game and songbirds are found here in the open meadows and hardwood uplands. Oak and hickory trees provide nut mast for wildlife to eat. Waterfowl and furbearers also find suitable homes in the cattail marsh which borders the open water of French Creek.

Both small rowboats and canoes can be used in the broad channel of the creek. Unpaved roads within the WMA provide good access, but foot travel is the primary means of movement through the area. There are no designated trails, but hiking is allowed throughout the property.

Featured Activities

Wildlife Management Unit: 6G

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

Ring-necked pheasants are stocked in the fall to enhance upland bird hunting. Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view hunting seasons).

Wildlife Management Unit: 6G

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.

During the spring, the WMA is a good bet for angling, especially for bullheads and panfish.

French Creek provides northern pike and muskellunge spawning habitat through water level manipulation and a fish ladder, which is generally open and functional from October to July of the following year. Setting lower water levels during the summer will allow emergent aquatic vegetation the best chance to grow and diversify the wetland complex along French Creek.  Holding water levels higher during migration and spawning allows these fish to reach spawning grounds more efficiently.  Researchers at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry have a long-term research project studying pike and muskellunge usage of the fish ladder.

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

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.

Directions

Access is best gained four miles from the village of Clayton by taking Crystal Springs Road (County Route 4) to French Creek Road. The Deferno, House, and Grant roads provide access to the east. French Creek and Bevins roads cross the southern section, with a small parking lot at the bridge on Bevins Road.

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 French Creek 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 French Creek Wildlife Management Area

Like most of the state's Wildlife Management Areas, French Creek 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.

French Creek WMA is open to use under the general state wildlife management area regulations. Habitat management is directed at the upland portions of the WMA which consist of woodlands, early succession growth, and old field/grassland. Management objectives of the WMA include the maintenance of habitat diversity to benefit a wide variety of both game and non-game wildlife species.

View the Habitat Management Plan for French Creek Wildlife Management Area (PDF, 6.2 MB) approved in January 2023, which identifies the WMA-specific target species and habitat goals for the WMA.

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

Jefferson County Tourism
NYS Department of Health
Leave No Trace
Contact for this Page

NYSDEC Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources
317 Washington St
Watertown, NY 13601

This Page Covers
Region 6 - Western Adirondacks/Eastern Lake Ontario
Icon