Rhode Island

Ocean State hunting, high-density coastal deer herds, Arcadia Management Area, and timberdoodle covers.

Public Access & WMAs

Public Lands to Hunt in Rhode Island

Official Regulatory Authority

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Fish and Wildlife (RIDEM)

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Division of Fish and Wildlife manages more than 60,000 acres across 25 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and state management areas. Despite being the smallest state in the union, Rhode Island features extensive, unbroken tracts of coastal oak-pine forests, freshwater cedar bogs, and coastal estuaries providing premier public hunting for whitetail deer, wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, and Atlantic Flyway waterfowl.

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed | 14,000 Acres

Arcadia Management Area

Spanning Exeter, West Greenwich, Richmond, and Hopkinton in southwestern Rhode Island. As the state's largest recreational public land block, its sprawling oak-pine forests, rocky gravel ridges, and trout stream hemlock hollows offer expansive public hunting for whitetail deer (archery, muzzleloader, shotgun), wild turkey, and stocked pheasant.

South Kingstown Coastal Plain | 3,348 Acres

Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area

Located in South Kingstown, preserving the largest freshwater wetland complex in Rhode Island. Dense cedar bogs, red maple swamps, and upland forest islands support high-density whitetail deer, wild turkey, woodcock, and migrating waterfowl, with designated check stations during firearms season.

Northwestern Upland Hardwoods | 7,500+ Acres Combined

George Washington Management Area & Durfee Hill

Located in Glocester in the rugged northwest corner of the state. Encompassing rocky glacial ridges, Bowdish Reservoir shorelines, and northern hardwood timber providing quiet backcountry hunting for whitetail deer, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey.

Pine Plains & Pawcatuck Uplands | 10,000+ Acres Combined

Carolina & Big River Management Areas

Carolina Management Area (2,300 acres) in Richmond provides managed agricultural fields, pine plantations, and Carolina Trout Pond. Big River Management Area (8,300 acres) in West Greenwich protects extensive sand-plain pine-oak woodlands holding whitetail deer and small game.

Narragansett Bay & Coastal Plain | 1,500+ Acres Combined

Sapowet Marsh & Eight Rod Farm WMAs

Sapowet Marsh (260 acres) in Tiverton offers tidal marsh shoreline along the Sakonnet River for sea ducks and puddle ducks. Eight Rod Farm WMA in Tiverton provides managed agricultural uplands and woodlots for stocked pheasant, woodcock, and archery deer hunting.