I have been trying to find a clear answer to this, but can't seem to... I want to go driving and hiking in Wharton with my son, but am concerned about safety... I thought I remembered hearing that there was no hunting on Sundays... but I see other state sites that say bow hunting is allowed in certain areas. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Is Sunday a safe, non-hunting day in Wharton to have kids out exploring without having to be worried about wandering into something?
Hunting on Sunday?
- Thread starter jtech1
- Start date
The text from page 27 of the 2016-17 NJ Hunting & Trapping Digest, with a link, where all the regs are available.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/dighnt.htm
Sunday hunting is for archery only and only on WMA's and private property. You would be safe, even on a Saturday, year round in the State Forests in my opinion. Hunting is statistically one of the safest outdoor sports there is. I am in my 48th hunting season this year and I have never had an incident with a hunter or non-hunter.
The only week I facetiously warn people about is Six Day firearm for deer. That is December 5-10 this year. You will see a lot of people and deer clubs in the woods that week, especially on Saturday the 10th. The clubs drive deer and cover huge expanses of woods with their drives and there is a slight chance you could end up in the middle of a drive.
After that, there are several more gun seasons for deer such as muzzleloader and permit shotgun but they don't see the level of club participation that Six Day sees. Archery is open throughout the fall and into the winter in most zones. Then, from January 1 through March 15 you have predator season.
If you are not comfortable, I would recommend an orange hat and vest.
According to the NJ State Police, there have been 516 deaths involving autos in the state this year to date. I'm continually amazed by people not thinking twice about driving on our roads to get to a wooded area and then worrying about being shot by a hunter. Even during the six day firearm season, which I agree are the 6 most dangerous days of the year on NJ's game lands, you are statistically safer by a huge margin than while driving on our roads.
With the myriad permit schedules when deer hunting is allowed, it's wise to wear the orange from Sept-Feb. Probably wiser when the leaves are still on the trees.
So your all suggesting it would be unwise to wear my Viking helmet and brown Carharts from now until Feb 1st?
I'm mostly a waterfowler these days, but when I did more deer and small game hunting years ago I did wear the mandatory hunter orange. But if I was doing something else in the woods I would likely not, then or now. There's nothing wrong with it if it makes you feel better or you want to play it safe, but the few firearm accidents that have occurred in recent history were more often cases of accidental discharges hitting a hunting partner nearby. Cases of hunters shooting non-hunters are so rare the stats I stated above and odds of getting shot are not really debatable. If anyone can list the incidents that justify these fears please do. I don't look like a deer or a rabbit or a pheasant. A hunter has little reason to shoot me. A hunter who shoots at sounds in the brush goes home empty handed. Fear of many things is usually based more on lack of understanding or unfamiliarity than on reality. It's the reason my grandmother crossed the street when a black person was coming the other way or my daughter needed a nightlight to keep the monsters under her bed in check. In this area, eighty-year olds in Buicks are what keep me awake at night.
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I trust that German will be turning in his license once he reaches that grand old age so he doesn't keep anyone awake, assuming of course he reaches it. 
It's not fear German, just a touch of common sense. If we hunters are required to wear it, just common sense that the non-hunter in the woods consider it as well.
JD, I have one of those helmets, it was my great, great, great, great, great Grandfathers
You should be OK with one, just don't wear one of these.
It's not fear German, just a touch of common sense. If we hunters are required to wear it, just common sense that the non-hunter in the woods consider it as well.
JD, I have one of those helmets, it was my great, great, great, great, great Grandfathers
You should be OK with one, just don't wear one of these.
Come to think of it, so does my 20 year old daughterHay, my 83 year old mother drives a Buick.
. Even more reason to feel safer in the woods!
My grandmother passed away many years ago at the age of 97. She was still driving her 37 year old Rambler right up until a few days before her death. We had all heard her story about the first time she saw a car when she was a little girl. She was so frightened that she jumped into the ditch and hid until it passed. The minister at her church joked that the circle was completed, as all the townsfolk jumped into the ditch and hid when they saw the white 1963 Rambler coming down the road. 
Love it!My grandmother passed away many years ago at the age of 97. She was still driving her 37 year old Rambler right up until a few days before her death. We had all heard her story about the first time she saw a car when she was a little girl. She was so frightened that she jumped into the ditch and hid until it passed. The minister at her church joked that the circle was completed, as all the townsfolk jumped into the ditch and hid when they saw the white 1963 Rambler coming down the road.
Remainder of small game season opens tomorrow 8am.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2016/smgame16.htm
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2016/smgame16.htm
I was a mentor at the youth pheasant hunt last week at Winslow. Very enjoyable and rewarding.
Fish and Wildlife is doing a great job raising birds and they are doing everything possible to keep the kids in hunting with the assorted youth hunts.
I am a member of the NJ Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs too and my club hosts the Camden County chapter. This site's Ybuc Bill is the President of the chapter. The Federation supports the youth hunts by helping with the purchasing of ammunition and the coffee, juice and donuts in the morning.
The youth programs have really grown over the years. Thumbs up to all that are involved with them.
2016-2017 Youth Hunts
Deer Bow Hunt: September 24
Pheasant/Upland Game Bird Hunt: November 5
Waterfowl Hunts:
Oct. 1 & Feb. 4, North Zone
Oct. 15 & Feb. 4, South Zone
Nov. 5 & Feb. 11 Coastal Zone
Deer Firearm Hunt: November 19
Youth Turkey Hunting Day 2017: April 22
2016-2017 Youth Hunts
Deer Bow Hunt: September 24
Pheasant/Upland Game Bird Hunt: November 5
Waterfowl Hunts:
Oct. 1 & Feb. 4, North Zone
Oct. 15 & Feb. 4, South Zone
Nov. 5 & Feb. 11 Coastal Zone
Deer Firearm Hunt: November 19
Youth Turkey Hunting Day 2017: April 22
I was glad to see they added a second youth day to all of the waterfowl seasons. Initially they were only one day and they were the week before the regular season openers. Most of the time the birds just weren't in town in early October.
My younger son killed his first eight pointer at the age of 14 with his .50 cal black powder cap lock on a youth day.
My younger son killed his first eight pointer at the age of 14 with his .50 cal black powder cap lock on a youth day.
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