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WELCOME TO FORT DRUM.iSportsman     


NEW News Updated: 6/13/2013
UPCOMING EVENTS

REQUIREMENTS

  • Passes valid beginning October 1, 2012 are NOW available on-line. See the navigation bar to the left. Passes are still FREE. At this time, most computers on the Fort Drum network can NOT access the recreational access pass page. Please try a computer at home, a library (including Fort Drum), or other location. 
  • All weapons on Fort Drum must be registered. See the following link for registration forms and more information.
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  • First-time hunters must complete a NYSDEC Hunter, Bowhunters, and/or Trapper Education course before applying for a respective New York State license. Classes offered in Region 6 - updated June 13. See the NYSDEC web site for other classes offered in the state. 
SEASONS

  • Trout (and salmon) season begins April 1.
  • Northern Pike, Walleye, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge season begins May 4. 
  • Bass and Muskellunge season begins June 15.

Fort Drum is a U.S. Army installation in northern New York State. Fort Drum is over 107,000 acres in size and located in the northeastern corner of Jefferson County and the northwestern corner of Lewis County; St. Lawrence County borders Fort Drum to the north. Fort Drum is approximately 30 miles from Canada, 6 miles east of Interstate 81, and 10 miles northeast of the City of Watertown which is the largest U.S. city within a 50 mile radius.
Fort Drum is the largest Fish & Wildlife Management Act (FWMA) Cooperator Area in New York State. Fort Drum signed the original agreement in 1959 to provide additional outdoor recreational opportunities to the public. Approximately 70,000 acres are open to everyone (including the public) for recreation. Fort Drum has 3 lakes and 4 ponds totaling 506 acres that are commonly fished—Indian Lake (184 acres) is the largest lake on the installation. A newsletter is published twice a year and provides natural resources information as it relates to recreational opportunities and fish and wildlife management activities on the installation. In 2008, the Fish & Wildlife Management Program was featured in an article titled Military Posts: Where Guns, Wildlife Coexist.

Besides permanently prohibited areas, the only restricted access and activity on Fort Drum is hunting in the Cantonment Area and Training Areas 5E and 6C. Approximately one-third of the 8,000 acre Cantonment Area is open for archery hunting only by persons with Department of Defense identification. Training Areas 5E and 6C are open for disabled access hunting only. None of these areas are open for trapping, although fishing and other recreational activities are allowed in the Cantonment Area to anyone including the public.

The area surrounding Fort Drum is generally rural with small concentrations of residential, commercial, and industrial areas mainly within villages. Although there are few federal lands near Fort Drum, state lands are numerous including state forests, forest preserves, wildlife management areas, and state parks. The majority of protected land is large forested tracts (primarily state forests, wilderness areas, wild forests, and primitive areas) located in Adirondack Park which is only 5 miles from Training Area 19 in the northeastern part of Fort Drum. State forest lands border some areas of Fort Drum. The nearest state wildlife area is Perch River Wildlife Management Area (7800 ac) approximately 5 miles to the northwest of the Cantonment Area of Fort Drum.

The natural beauty of the region along with world renowned fishing, boating, and winter recreation opportunities has made tourism a substantial part of the regional economy. This includes the Thousand Islands region along the St. Lawrence River approximately 20 miles to the north of Fort Drum, Lake Ontario approximately 16 miles to the west, and Adirondack Park to the east. The Black River running past Fort Drum and through Watertown is nationally known for kayaking. Fort Drum attracts hunters throughout the eastern U.S. See the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) web site for a guide to outdoor activities in New York State.

Fort Drum is home of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). It is also the largest installation in the northeastern U.S. and serves as a training facility for Reserve and National Guard units in the region. The initial acquisition of land for Fort Drum occurred in 1909 and the most significant acreage—75,000 acres—was acquired in 1940. Fort Drum is an active military installation and recreational use is secondary to the military mission.

To ensure sound natural resources management, an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) was developed and first implemented in 2001. The INRMP was prepared in partnership and signatory cooperation with NYSDEC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), representing the state and federal Sikes Act agencies, respectively. The INRMP and its implementation helps ensure: (1) the sustainability of quality training lands to accomplish the military mission; (2) compliance with environmental laws and regulations; (3) good stewardship of public lands; and (4) enhancement of quality of life on and around Fort Drum. Fort Drum has a staff of natural resources professionals committed to supporting these goals. See the Fort Drum web site to learn more about natural resources management on the installation including fish and wildlife, forestry, and wetlands.

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