New Jersey Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for New Jersey, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 8 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
New Jersey Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for New Jersey including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in New Jersey
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Dec 7-12, 2026
Opens in 54 days
Recorded Season Windows
All New Jersey hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 6 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 6 - Oct 31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Fall bow | |
| Archery | Nov 15 - Dec 27, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Fall bow continues | |
| Shotgun | Dec 7-12, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Zone2 — private-land legal antlered Six-Day Firearm shotgun subset | Upcoming | Actual2026 publisher-linked LR2 guide printed36–37/PDF38–39 Medium set lists Zone2 and Dec7–12 Six-Day Firearm antlered dates. Only private-land legal-antlered shotgun subset reviewed; not individual permission. Printed26/PDF28 permits rifled/smoothbore single/double-barrel shotguns 20–10 gauge, maximum three shells; lawful slugs require adjustable open iron/peep sight or scope affixed. Check legal ammunition, current licenses/exemptions, boundaries, antler/sex/bag/point rules, hunter orange, hours/reporting, CWD, local/access/closures. No Permit Shotgun, muzzleloader, bow, youth, public/special-area or other-zone coverage/bridge. Government digest index403, body unverified. Seven history rows/license metadata unverified; no quota/full eligibility claim. | |
| Shotgun | Dec 1-6, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Six-day firearm | |
| Shotgun | Dec 8-13, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Permit season | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 1-14, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Muzzleloader only | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 27 - May 31, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring season | |
Bear 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Oct 11-18, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Limited bear hunt | |
Got your license ready to show?
Store credentials offline in Hunter Passport
New Jersey Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jul 1, 2025 - Jun 30, 2026
- Available Species
-
- Bear
- Deer
- Turkey
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Shotgun
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for New Jersey
Only Zone2 private-land legal-antlered Six-Day Firearm shotgun dates Dec7–12,2026 reviewed from actual publisher-linked LR2 printed36–37/PDF38–39, equipment printed26/PDF28. No Permit Shotgun bridge or other-zone/weapon/public/special hunts verified. Licenses, boundaries, antler/sex/bag/point, legal ammunition/shotgun/sights, orange/hours/reporting, CWD, local/access/closures need checks. Government index403; seven history rows/license metadata unverified. Not individual permission.
Hunting Method Legend
New Jersey Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in New Jersey
What are the hunting season dates for New Jersey?
Recorded New Jersey entries cover Bear, Deer, Turkey. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in New Jersey?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-09-06 to 2025-10-31; 2025-11-15 to 2025-12-27; 2026-12-07 to 2026-12-12; 2025-12-01 to 2025-12-06; 2025-12-08 to 2025-12-13; 2025-11-01 to 2025-11-14. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does New Jersey require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current New Jersey agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in New Jersey?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Dec 7, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in New Jersey?
Only Zone2 private-land legal-antlered Six-Day Firearm shotgun dates Dec7–12,2026 reviewed from actual publisher-linked LR2 printed36–37/PDF38–39, equipment printed26/PDF28. No Permit Shotgun bridge or other-zone/weapon/public/special hunts verified. Licenses, boundaries, antler/sex/bag/point, legal ammunition/shotgun/sights, orange/hours/reporting, CWD, local/access/closures need checks. Government index403; seven history rows/license metadata unverified. Not individual permission.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
Need a New Jersey Hunting License?
Store your NJ license in Hunter Passport for instant offline access.
Your license shouldn't be harder to access than these regulations.
Hunter Passport stores every state's hunting license on your phone. Works without signal — three seconds from tap to warden.