Winter can be a great time for hunting in New Jersey. From the beautiful coastline to the wooded inland areas, the addition of the snow and the cold can add to both the beauty and difficulty of the hunt. If you are either a resident of New Jersey or looking to travel there, here are seven animals to hunt during the winter.
- Deer - Deer are often considered the most popular animal to hunt in the mid-Atlantic. With the muzzleloader, firearm, and shotgun seasons taking place in December, winter is one of the best times to hunt. The addition of a winter bow season in January only adds to its popularity. The bow season carries a one-bag limit ,while the muzzleloader, firearm, and shotgun seasons each carry a one to two bag limit.
- Black Bear - Because of their size, black Bears are very fun to hunt in New Jersey. But due to their popularity it can be difficult to get a permit. Bear season is usually in mid-December and takes place in four designated zones in northern New Jersey. To distribute permits, a lottery is held from mid September to mid-October, with the remaining permits sold online. While it is possible to hold a permit for two zones at once, there is a one-bag limit per hunter during the season.
- Migratory Birds - Because of its long coastline, many migratory birds make their way through New Jersey. The most popular of these birds is the Canada goose, but other popular birds for hunting include many types of duck, brant, and goose. While it depends on which zone you are in, most of the seasons range from mid-to-late November to mid-January. The limits to the amount of birds you can bag depends on the type of bird and vary from daily limits to seasonal limits.
- Coyote and Fox -While there is a bow hunting season in New Jersey for fox and coyote in the fall, the use of firearms is allowed in the winter and early spring. A special permit season allows for round-the-clock hunting from January to mid-March, while without a permit you are allowed to hunt from sunrise to sunset. Because of their difficulty to catch and their abundance in the wild, there is no bag limit for these animals.
- Pheasant and Partridge - Another type of bird that is popular to hunt in New Jersey during the winter is the partridge. The partridge, along with the pheasant, have a season that starts in mid-November and goes until mid-February with daily limits depending on the bird.
- Woodchuck - The woodchuck has a short fall hunting season in New Jersey followed by a few days in December. The majority of the season then runs January thru mid-February. The allowed weapons are bow and shotgun and there is no bag limit on this animal.
- Rabbit, Hare, Jackrabbit - A comparable group of animals to the woodchuck, the rabbit, hare, and jackrabbit have a similar hunting season in New Jersey. Because they can be difficult to shoot, traps are preferred for these animals. They do carry a limit of one to four, per day, depending on variety.
All information regarding
hunting seasons comes from The New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
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