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Small Game Hunting

Name: eRegulations
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Coyote, Fox Seasons 2023–24
Sunday Hunting Prohibited. See General Hunting Regulations.
Regular Season (Hunting license required; no permit needed.)
Season	Weapon		Bag Limit/Reporting
Sept. 30–Nov. 10, 2023 ½ hr. before sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	Bow Only 35 lbs. pull/peak wt. or crossbow (75 lbs. pull wt.) using well-sharpened broadheads (min. 3/4" width).		No daily or seasonal bag limit Harvest Reporting of Coyote is REQUIRED by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest. Reporting of Gray Fox is also requested.
Nov. 11, 2023–Mar. 15, 2024 ½ hr. before sunrise–½ hr. after sunset (except 8 a.m. start on Nov. 11)	Bow (see details above) or Shotgun 10–20 ga. using shot size up to #4 fine shot.
Hunter Orange: Required when shotgun hunting. Method:* On the ground, elevated, or in man-made structure Manner: Running with hounds, stalking or stand and call. Predator call: Manual or electronic; use optional		Dogs: Allowed Nov. 11, 2023–Mar. 15, 2024 (except Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023) Decoys: Allowed (No live decoys) Bait: Min. 300' when in tree stand/ground blind. Baiting not allowed on National Wildlife Refuges
* A SOLID Hunter Orange hat (no camouflage/logos) is required as part of the 200 sq. inch hunter orange requirement when hunting small game with a firearm on any pheasant/quail stocked WMA (see Pheasant and Quail Stocking Schedules in Upland Game Birds).

Special Permit Season - Daytime and limited shotgun-only night hours (Hunting License AND $2 Permit Required)

Season

Weapon

Bag Limit/Reporting

Jan. 1–Mar. 15, 2024 (Day)

½ hr. before sunrise–½ hr. after sunset

Bow

(see Bow Only, above)

Shotgun

10–20 ga. using BB to #3 buckshot ONLY.

Rifle

(Rifle Permit Required).

ML rifle or single-barrel smoothbore, .44 cal. minimum.

Centerfire rifle (.17–.25 cal.) using hollow or soft point bullets (max. 80 grain).

Rimfire (.17–.22 cal.) using hollow or soft point bullets (max. 50 grain).

No daily or seasonal limit

Harvest Reporting of Coyote is REQUIRED by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest.

Reporting of Gray Fox is also requested.

Jan. 1–Mar. 15, 2024 (Night)

Hunting with aid of light allowed.

½ hr. after sunset–½ hr. before sunrise

Shotgun Only

10–12 ga. using shot size #4 fine to 'T' ONLY.

Hunter Orange*: Optional under Special Permit Provisions

Method: On the ground, elevated, or in man-made structure

Manner: Standing and calling only

Predator call: Must possess manual or electronic call

Dogs: Prohibited

Decoys: Allowed (No live decoys)

Bait: Use Prohibited while hunting with a Special Permit.

Firearm Ammunition Legal for Hunting Coyote and Fox in New Jersey

Visit us at dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/types-of-ammunition-legal-for-hunting-coyote-and-fox-with-a-firearm/ for a reference chart useful for coyote-fox hunting during seasons that overlap other game species.

Firearms, Bows and Ammo for Small Game Hunting
Hunters may NOT possess both a firearm and bow & arrow while hunting any game bird or animal. See General Hunting Regulations.
	Weapon Specifications	Species	License, Permit, Stamp Required
Air gun	.177 to .22 caliber Having a non-ignited compressed gas expulsion with a minimum muzzle velocity of 600 fps Using wadcutter, domed or pointed or hollow point pellets ONLY Spherical BBs NOT permitted	Rabbit, squirrel, hare, jackrabbit, opossum, raccoon Dispatching trapped furbearers other than muskrat	Valid Firearm Hunting License or meet Farmer License Exemption. Valid Trapping License when required.
Modern Rifle - Centerfire	.25 caliber or smaller Using max. 80 grain hollow or soft point bullets	Coyote, Fox (Special Permit Season, daylight hrs. only)	Valid Firearm Hunting License (excluding Apprentice Licenses) or meet Farmer License Exemption. Valid Rifle Permit. Special Coyote/Fox Permit required to hunt coyote and fox with this weapon.
Modern Rifle - Centerfire	.25 caliber or smaller Using hollow point, soft point bullets or expanding lead core bullets (any grain weight) Larger than .25 caliber Using max. 80 grain hollow or soft point bullets	Woodchuck Rifle use for woodchuck prohibited on all state WMAs, state parks, forests and recreation areas
Modern Rifle - Rimfire	.22 caliber or smaller Using max. 50 grain hollow or soft point bullets	Coyote, Fox (Special Permit Season, daylight hrs. only)	Valid Firearm Hunting License (excluding Apprentice Licenses) or meet Farmer License Exemption. Valid Trapping License when required. Valid Rifle Permit. Special Coyote/Fox Permit required to hunt coyote and fox with this weapon.
	Any caliber Using max. 50 grain hollow or soft point bullets	Woodchuck Rifle use for woodchuck prohibited on all state WMAs, state parks, forests and recreation areas
	.22 caliber Using .22 short ammo	Opossum, raccoon
	.22 caliber Using .22 short ammo	Dispatching trapped furbearers except muskrat.
Muzzleloading Rifle	.36 caliber or smaller Single-barrel, single-shot rifle firing a single projectile	Gray Squirrel (See Squirrel Muzzleloading Rifle Season Areas map below)	Valid Firearm Hunting License (excluding Apprentice Licenses) or meet Farmer License Exemption. Valid Rifle Permit. Special Coyote/Fox Permit required to hunt coyote and fox with this weapon.
	.44 caliber or larger Single-barrel, single-shot rifle or smoothbore firing a single (round ball or conical) projectile	Coyote, Fox (Special Permit Season, daylight hrs. only)
	Any caliber single-barrel, single-shot rifle firing a single (round ball or conical) projectile	Woodchuck Rifle use for woodchuck prohibited on all state WMAs, state parks, forests and recreation areas
Shotgun (Including smoothbore muzzleloaders)	Not larger than 10 gauge Using shot size not larger than #4 fine	All small game	Valid Firearm Hunting License or meet Farmer License Exemption. Pheasant & Quail Stamp on select WMAs, see Upland Game Birds. HIP Certificate (required for woodcock).
	10–20 gauge Using shot size not smaller than "BB" or larger than #3 Buck. Pellets must be lead or a tungsten-nickel-iron hybrid.	Coyote, Fox (Special Permit Season, daylight hrs. only)	Valid Firearm Hunting License (excluding Apprentice Licenses) or meet Farmer License Exemption. Valid Rifle Permit to hunt with any type of muzzleloader. Special Coyote/Fox Permit required to hunt coyote and fox with shot size larger than #4 fine and when shotgun nighttime hunting for coyote or fox.
	10 or 12 gauge Using shot size not smaller than #4 fine or larger than "T"	Coyote/Fox (Special Permit Season, nighttime hrs. only)
Firearms Specifically Prohibited: Any firearm capable of firing more than 3 rounds without reloading when hunting any species listed above (shotgun capable of holding more than three shells must be plugged; modern rifles may not be loaded with more than 3 rounds). Any firearm having an electronic ignition system. Any firearm equipped with a silencer or noise suppressor. "Smart rifles and guns" equipped with any target tracking system; electronically-controlled, electronically-assisted, or computer-linked trigger; or ballistics computer.
	Weapon Specifications	Species	License, Permit, Stamp Required
Bow & Arrow	Minimum 35 lbs. draw weight (longbow, recurve) or 35 lbs. peak weight (compound) or 75 lbs. draw weight (crossbow)
	Using arrow/bolt with: Standard fletching Well-sharpened metal edge head (min. width 3/4")	Coyote, fox, hare, rabbit, squirrel, woodchuck and non-flying game birds	Valid Archery Hunting License or meet Farmer License Exemption Pheasant & Quail Stamp on Stocked WMAs when hunting for these species
	Using arrow/bolt with: Flu-flu fletching Blunt, field or judo point	Game birds in flight

Small Game Mammal Seasons 2023–24
No Sunday hunting except for opossum and raccoon; see below. See General Hunting Regulations. A SOLID hunter orange hat (no camouflage/logos) is required as part of the 200 sq. inch hunter orange requirement when hunting small game with a firearm on any pheasant/quail stocked WMA (see Pheasant and Quail Stocking Schedules in Upland Game Birds).
Season	Weapon Type	Bag Limits	Manner & Method
Gray Squirrel — Muzzleloading
Sept. 30–Nov. 10, 2023; Jan. 6–Feb. 24, 2024 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	Muzzleloading Rifle Not larger than .36 caliber (Designated zones only — see Squirrel Muzzleloading Rifle Season Areas map below.)	Daily bag limit of 5 No season limit.	Hunter Orange: Required. Rifle Permit: Required. Dogs: Allowed. Sunday Hunting: Prohibited. Restricted: To designated areas only (see Squirrel Muzzleloading Rifle Season Areas map below).
Gray Squirrel, Hare, Jackrabbit, Rabbit
Sept. 30, 2023–Feb. 24, 2024 8 a.m. start on Nov. 11, 2023 Closed Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023 Sunrise–½ hr after sunset	Air Gun, Bow, or Shotgun	5 squirrel, 1 hare or jackrabbit, and 4 cottontail. No season limit.	Hunter Orange: Required when hunting with firearm. Dogs: Allowed. Sunday Hunting: Prohibited.
Opossum and Raccoon (Night Hunting)
Oct. 2, 2023–Mar. 1, 2024; Closed Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023 1 hr. after sunset–1 hr. before sunrise	Air Gun, .22 cal. rifle, or Shotgun	No daily or seasonal bag limits	Hunter Orange: Encouraged, but not required. Dogs: Allowed. Sunday Hunting: 12:01 a.m. to 1 hr. before sunrise only. Portable Lights: Allowed.
Woodchuck
Mar. 1, 2023–Feb. 24, 2024 8 a.m. start Nov. 11, 2023 Closed Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023 Mar. 1, 2024–Feb. 22, 2025 8 a.m. start Nov. 9, 2024 Closed Dec. 2–7 & 11, 2024 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	Bow or Shotgun	No daily or seasonal bag limits	Hunter Orange: Encouraged with shotgun, but not required. Dogs: Allowed. Sunday Hunting: Prohibited
Mar. 1–Sept. 27, 2023 Mar. 1–Sept. 25, 2024 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	Modern or Muzzleloading Rifle (Valid Rifle Permit required)	No daily or seasonal bag limits.	Hunter Orange: Encouraged, but not required. Dogs: Allowed. Sunday Hunting: Prohibited Rifle use for woodchuck prohibited on all State WMAs, Parks and Forests & Recreation Areas.

Squirrel Muzzleloading Rifle Season Areas

For a complete description of the squirrel hunting areas, go to NJFishandWildlife.com/hunt.

Small Game Hunting

Public Hunting Lands

There are a variety of public lands on which to hunt — municipal, county, state and federal. It is the hunter’s responsibility for contacting the applicable landowner to clarify areas open for hunting prior to arriving on-site.

Most wildlife management areas, and select state parks, forests, and recreation areas are open to licensed hunters without requiring written permission. Some areas within specific properties may be closed.

A list of state WMAs with regulations and a link to PDF maps can be found at dep.nj.gov/njfw/conservation/wildlife-management-areas/.

A list of state park and forest lands open for hunting with links to hunting maps can be found at nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/sps_hunting_maps.html. Hunters may be required to obtain a special permit for some species on certain properties.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. There are five national wildlife refuges in New Jersey. Hunting opportunities may be limited to select wildlife species and may vary by refuge. Links to refuges in our state can be found at fws.gov/refuges/profiles/ByState.cfm?state=NJ. Click on the refuge you are interested in to see specific regulations and requirements.

Commercial shooting preserves provide hunters interested in pursuing game birds with another option. Depending on their specific license, hunters may pursue species such as mallards, partridge (chukar and/or Hungarian), pheasant and quail on a fee basis.

Small Game Sunday Hunting

Small game hunting on Sunday is prohibited, except:

On properly licensed semi-wild and commercial shooting preserves, and only for those species covered by their license.
When opossum or raccoon hunting on Sunday mornings only between midnight and 1 hour before sunrise.

Wanton Waste

It is unlawful for any hunter that kills or wounds any gray squirrel, hare, or rabbit, chukar or Hungarian partridge, pheasant, quail or woodcock to not make a reasonable attempt to retrieve the animal and take it into possession. See Wanton Waste of Game section in General Hunting Regulations.

Edible Portions Guide

Edible portions do not include meat from the head or neck; meat that has been damaged by the method of taking; bones, sinew, and meat reasonably lost as a result of butchering, boning, or close trimming of bones, or viscera. Edible portions do not include meat from diseased or scavenged carcasses. See Wanton Waste of Game section in General Hunting Regulations.

For rabbit and squirrel:

Front shoulders
Thighs
Backstrap

For game birds such as turkey:

breast, legs and thighs

For game birds other than turkey:

breast

Upland Game

Bobcat (Closed)

The season for hunting bobcat is closed statewide. If you see a live bobcat or capture an image on your trail camera, please complete the NJ Wildlife Tracker survey at dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife-tracker-app/. If you find one dead on the road, please call (877) 927-6337 to report the carcass location.

Bobwhite Quail (Closed)

The season for hunting wild bobwhite quail is closed statewide. Pen-raised quail may only be hunted at Greenwood Forest and Peaslee WMA and on properly licensed commercial and semi-wild shooting preserves.

No person may release bobwhite quail on Buckshutem, Dix, Egg Island, Fortescue, Millville (Bevans), Nantuxent or New Sweden WMAs (all in Cumberland County), or on Stafford Forge WMA in Ocean County.

If you encounter a bobwhite or capture an image on your trail camera, please complete and submit a sighting report at dep.nj.gov/njfw/upland-game-bird-survey/. A report can also be filed with the eBird app.

Ruffed Grouse (Closed)

The season for hunting ruffed grouse is closed statewide. If you encounter a grouse or capture an image on your trail camera, please complete and submit a brief sighting report (see bobwhite quail, above). You may also file a report with the app eBird.

Coyote and Fox Hunting

See Coyote, Fox Seasons table above for dates, hunting methods and permitted weapons. The general hunting season begins when the fall bow deer season opens statewide and runs through March 15. The Special Permit Season overlaps the general coyote and fox season from January 1 through March 15. All harvested coyotes must be reported, and NJ Fish & Wildlife would appreciate reports of gray fox as well via the Automated Harvest Report System. Red fox cannot be reported via the AHRS at this time. To report a harvest:

By phone, call (855) 448-6865 or by mobile device or computer, go to NJFishandWildlife.com/licensesalessite.htm by 8 p.m. of the harvest date.
If unable to access the Automated Harvest Reporting System by the designated time, the coyote shall be reported immediately by telephone to the nearest NJ Fish & Wildlife Law Enforcement office listed in Law Enforcement and the Telephone Directory. You must continue to attempt accessing the Automated Harvest Report System until you report that coyote harvest.

Special Permit Coyote and Fox Season

A separate $2 permit is required and may be purchased at license agents or online at NJFishandWildlife.com/licensesalessite.htm beginning when the 2024 license year sales start, on December 1. A valid hunting license is required to purchase a special permit. The special permit season is for stand hunting and calling in predators.

You do not need to purchase a special permit to hunt coyote and fox if you are only bowhunting or wish to chase these animals with hounds. However, the special permit does allow the hunter to use weapon types not available to the traditional small game hunter. The special permit allows predator hunters to:

Use larger shot sizes (“BB” to #3 Buck) in 10–20 gauge shotguns during daylight.
Hunt at night with 10–12 gauge shotgun using #4 fine to “T” shot.
Use certain small caliber modern rifles or a muzzleloading rifle during daylight (use requires a valid Rifle Permit).
Hunt for canines without wearing hunter orange.

When hunting under the provisions of the special permit, you must also have a manual or electronic predator call. Baiting and using dogs is prohibited under the permit provisions.

Coyote and Fox, Incidental Harvest by Turkey or Deer Hunters

Turkey hunters may take the opportunity to harvest coyote only (fox harvest is prohibited) during any turkey season; however, the hunter may not:

Have any type of coyote call in their possession.
Have any coyote decoys.
Take any action intended to attract a coyote.

Deer hunters may, during any firearm deer season, take the opportunity to harvest coyote or fox with weapons and ammunition normally restricted to hunting deer, unless:

You are hunting from a tree stand or other structure within 300 feet of a baited area. (Also applies to bowhunters.)
You have taken the season bag limit of deer.

Regardless of whether you are hunting canines, deer or turkey – all coyote harvests must be reported by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest via the Automated Harvest Report System (AHRS) either:

By phone by calling (855) 448-6865; or
Via mobile device or computer at NJFishandWildlife.com/licensesalessite.htm.

Harvest Reporting Tip

Be prepared to provide the harvest location details which are identical to those for reporting a deer harvest (DMZ, county and township). The required harvest reporting information for coyote and fox may change after this Digest is printed. Please check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Although not required, please also report any harvest of GRAY fox on the day of harvest via the ARHS (see above). Red fox cannot be reported at this time.