NJ Deer Hunting Seasons, Management Zones 1–68 & Regulation Sets
New Jersey deer hunting seasons span Fall Bow, Permit Bow, Youth Day, Six-Day Firearm, Permit Muzzleloader, and Permit Shotgun across 68 distinct Deer Management Zones. Bag limits and Earn-A-Buck mandates are strictly governed by Zone Regulation Sets 0 through 8 under N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.
Interactive NJ Deer Management Zone Decoder & Regulation Set Lookup
New Jersey Deer Management Zone (DMZ) Decoder
Search by township or select a zone to inspect season dates, weapon legality, and Earn-A-Buck mandates.
How Do New Jersey Deer Management Zones and Regulation Sets Function?
Administered by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife within the NJDEP, the state's wildlife geography is categorized into 68 distinct units, each known as a Deer Management Zone (DMZ). To streamline harvest management, the state groups zones into 9 standardized Regulation Set 0 through 8 frameworks. Regulation Set 0 represents the most restrictive regime (military reservations), while Regulation Set 8 represents maximum population suppression with unlimited antlerless tags.
Before entering public tracts or leasing private acreage, review our central New Jersey Woods and Water outdoors guide for county boundaries, legal weapons, and access requirements.
Complete Season Dates: Fall Bow, Permit Muzzleloader, Six-Day & Permit Shotgun
Statutory dates established under N.J.A.C. 7:25-5 (Game Code) organize the hunting year into consecutive seasons: Fall Bow Season, Permit Bow Season, Six-Day Firearm Season, Permit Muzzleloader Season, Permit Shotgun Season, Winter Bow Season, and the annual Youth Hunting Day. During early archery weeks, reference our whitetail vital organ shot placement guide for optimal broadside and quartering angle target anatomy.
Fall Bow Season
Opens second Saturday in September for Regulation Sets 6–8 (Earn-A-Buck active). Expands statewide in early October.
Permit Bow Season
Covers the peak breeding rut from late October through Thanksgiving Saturday. Rut chasing peaks Nov 5–15.
Six-Day Firearm & Permit Shotgun
Six-Day Firearm opens second Monday of December (bucks only). Permit Shotgun follows for antlerless quotas.
Permit Muzzleloader Season
Split dates in November/December and resumes throughout January with .44 caliber minimum projectiles.
Earn-A-Buck Mandates, Antlered Buck Permits & Public Wildlife Management Areas
Under N.J.A.C. 7:25-5, Earn-A-Buck (EAB) rules require the harvest and digital registration of an antlerless deer prior to harvesting an antlered buck on an Antlered Buck Permit. Public hunters frequenting tracts such as Colliers Mills WMA, Pequest WMA, Assunpink WMA, Wharton State Forest, and High Point State Park must verify parcel boundaries.
When transporting hunting shotguns or muzzleloaders across state highways to these public parcels, ensure strict compliance with NJ firearm permit requirements under N.J.S. 2C:58.
Legal Shotgun Slug Trajectory & Ballistics Verification
External Ballistics & Slug Drop Simulator
Simulate muzzle velocity decay, kinetic energy delivery, and ballistic bullet drop for New Jersey legal slugs.
Frequently Asked Questions About NJ Hunting Seasons & Zones
01How do I find out what Deer Management Zone my hunting property is in?
New Jersey Deer Management Zones are bounded by designated state highways, county roads, rivers, and municipal boundaries. Use the interactive decoder above or consult the official NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife Zone Map in the annual Hunting & Trapping Digest. If a boundary road splits your property, you must obtain permits matching the specific side of the road you hunt.
02What is an Antlered Buck Permit in New Jersey?
A New Jersey Antlered Buck Permit allows a hunter to take one antlered deer during a specific permit season (Permit Bow, Permit Muzzleloader, or Permit Shotgun). You must possess a valid zone permit for that season before purchasing an Antlered Buck Permit. Only one buck permit may be purchased per hunter per permit season.
03Can I hunt on Sundays in New Jersey?
Bowhunting for deer on Sundays is legal on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and private property statewide. Firearm deer hunting on Sundays remains strictly prohibited under New Jersey statute N.J.S. 23:4-24 across all public and private lands.
04What are the fluorescent hunter orange requirements during firearm deer seasons?
Under N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.23, all hunters afield during any firearm deer season (including bowhunters during overlapping seasons) must wear a cap consisting of at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material visible from all sides, or a minimum of 200 square inches on a chest/back garment.