Duck and Cover Baby !

[GermanG]

Something is in season at any given time pretty much through the whole fall and winter, but the only time and place I would have even the slightest concern is during the week-long firearm deer season and the few pheasant and quail fields in WMAs that are heavily stocked. But if there was a real danger, hunters would be as worried about entering the woods as some non-hunters are. A casual comparison between the number of reported accidental shootings by hunters and deaths and injuries from automobile accidents should tell you where your real worries should be, unless, of course, you enter the woods dressed like a deer or a big rabbit!

 

[RednekF350]

Scott,

What should I expect in the next few weeks in regards to hunting? Basically, I will be out on weekdays and Saturdays quite a bit and want to know what is in season.

First, Guy, check this map and see where you will be.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2012/dighnt48-49.pdf

Then go here and a look at what deer seasons are open.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2014/regsets14-15.pdf

What I consider as the heart of the pines (Zones 21, 23 and 24) have pretty limited deer seasons for firearms but have winter bow through January.

If it would make you feel more comfortable, I would wear some orange (not necessary on Sundays) until March 15. The permit coyote runs Jan 1 to March 15 . That season allows for some very interesting and capable weaponry during daylight hours.

 

[Teegate]

Thanks to both of you for your input. I have an orange hat and now have a full orange sweat shirt. Jessica has bright yellow. So we are good there.

 

[Teegate]

It looks like I will mainly be in # 21.

 

[SpinyPiney]

I'd still wear the blaze orange on Sundays. Sunday bow hunting for deer is now legal on state WMA's and private property in NJ. Bow hunters tend to be safer than some of the one week a year militia style hunters but it seems to me like the allowance of crossbows has drawn some of the trigger happy to spend more time in the woods. Plus some hunters don't know the difference between state forests and WMA's or try to plead ignorance. I've seen a few people out in Wharton in the last couple years when they shouldn't be.

 

[RednekF350]

...... Plus some hunters don't know the difference between state forests and WMA's or try to plead ignorance. I've seen a few people out in Wharton in the last couple years when they shouldn't be.

Good point. Haven't seen it happen myself but I have heard a few stories about people bow hunting State Forests on Sunday thinking they were legal.

 

[SpinyPiney]

I'm pretty sure at least one of the guys I ran into in Wharton on a Sunday last year knew he wasn't supposed to be there. I saw him before he saw me and when he saw me coming down the trail he tried to nonchalantly stash his bow behind the tree he was about to go up or had just gotten out of with his climbing stand.

 

[Hewey]

Good point. Haven't seen it happen myself but I have heard a few stories about people bow hunting State Forests on Sunday thinking they were legal.

I was out last Sunday checking cameras on state park land. I had the other hunter that hunts the same piece I do stop at my truck and talk while he was on his way out to hunt? I didn't say anything for fear of making an enemy and for fear of my cameras ending up missing out of spite. I think this guy had no clue that he was not supposed to be hunting there on a Sunday.

 

[Teegate]

He has to know you can't hunt on state land on Sunday.

 

[46er]

It is legal to bow hunt for deer Sunday's in season on state WMA's.

 

[dogg57]

He has to know you can't hunt on state land on Sunday.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/huntland.htm

 

[SpinyPiney]

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/huntland.htm

While following your link I found this bit of good news from November.
Eight More Charged in DEP Crackdown to Combat Illegal Dumping on State Lands - DEP News Release, 11/28/14
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2014/14_0127.htm

 

[SpinyPiney]

I see now that was posted already. Oh well. I missed it, maybe some others did too.

 

[46er]

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/huntland.htm

You need to follow the hyperlink for the Sunday regs.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2009/sundayhunt.htm

 

[Hewey]

He has to know you can't hunt on state land on Sunday.

It was state park which is off limits on Sundays. He most likely knows but does not care.

Sorry, I missed typed in my previous post. Should have been state park land, not just state land.

 

[Teegate]

I see now that was posted already. Oh well. I missed it, maybe some others did too.

Nobody would be on this site if we were not able to post again if we double post. It is a given that will happen.

 

[RednekF350]

It Iooks like I have been slacking a bit here. I started this thread 9 years ago.

So, without further ado, I hereby proclaim the start of Six-Day on December 5, 2022! Good luck to everyone and enjoy one of New Jersey's oldest hunting traditions.

https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/digest-hunting-2022-2023-page-37-deer-firearm-seasons.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The season wasn't always known as Six-Day, in fact, in 1915 when my grandfather was 15, it was just four days. Those days were the the last three Wednesdays in October and the first Wednesday in November. Bag limit was one deer. If one desires to hunt multiple zones in NJ today, the season limit is almost incalculable.

I have the good fortune of having his NJ hunting licenses from 1915 to 1918, 1925-1935 and his PA licenses from 1919-1923, the period during which he attended Penn State for forestry. The bag limits and the animal species for which bounties were paid in PA are very interesting. Feral cats brought the most cash.