Deer Hunting Seasons

Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

Archery Deer Seasons 2023–24
Sunday deer hunting ONLY legal for Archery deer seasons and only on WMAs and private property. Hunting hours: half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset. NOTE: only ONE antlered buck per season per hunter is allowed. Special Area Zones 37, 38, 39, 53, 54, 61, 64, 66, 67, and 68: see Deer Special Areas Information for details. * Any antlered deer taken in zones marked with an asterisk must have at least 3 antler points on one side of rack.
Season	Regulation Set		Zones	Dates	Bag Limits	Additional Information
Fall Bow	7	8	7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 36, 41, 49, 50, 51	Sept. 9–Sept. 29, 2023: Must take ONE Antlerless Deer FIRST before pursuing an Antlered Buck (Does not apply to Youth License Holders) Sept. 30–Oct. 27, 2023: First deer can be of either sex	Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)	Deer MUST be tagged immediately. All harvests must be reported by 8 p.m. on day of harvest. Deer must be reported prior to pursuing additional deer, except in zones where it is legal to take two deer at a time.
	6		5, 19, 25, 42, 48		9 antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	5		2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 47		5 antlerless and 1 antlered
	4		6		Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered
	3		30, 55, 63, 65	Sept. 30–Oct. 27, 2023	2 antlerless OR 1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	2		1, 3*, 4, 18, 22, 26		1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	0		21, 23, 24, 34*, 43, 45, 46		1 deer only (may be either sex)
Youth Day Archery	ALL		ALL Zones Listed in Fall Bow above	Sept. 23, 2023	1 deer only (may be either sex)	Must be accompanied by licensed, non-hunting adult. Earn-A-Buck and Antler Point Restriction regulations DO NOT apply. (See Take a Kid Hunting for details.)
Permit Bow	8		10, 11, 13*, 14, 15, 36, 49, 50, 51	Oct. 28–Dec. 24, Dec. 26–Dec. 31, 2023	Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)	To harvest an antlered deer, a Buck Permit - Bow is also required. Buck Permit is valid in any zone for which hunter has a zone-specific Archery Permit or DRS Multi-Zone Permit. Only 1 buck is permitted. Deer MUST be tagged immediately. All harvests must be reported by 7 p.m. on day of harvest. Deer must be reported prior to pursuing additional deer, except in zones where it is legal to take two deer at a time.
	7		7, 8, 9*, 12, 17, 41		Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	6		5, 19, 25, 42, 48		9 antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	5		2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 47		5 antlerless and 1 antlered
	4		6		Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered
	3		30, 55, 63, 65	Oct. 28–Nov. 26, 2023	2 antlerless OR 1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	2		1, 3*, 4, 18, 22, 26		1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	0		21, 23, 24, 34*, 43, 45, 46	Oct. 28–Nov. 18, 2023	1 deer only (can be either sex)
Winter Bow	7	8	7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 36, 41, 49, 50, 51	Jan. 1–Feb. 17, 2024	Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)	Deer MUST be tagged immediately. All harvests must be reported by 7 p.m. on day of harvest. Deer must be reported prior to pursuing additional deer, except in zones where it is legal to take two deer at a time.
	6		5, 19, 25, 42, 48	Jan. 1–Jan. 31, 2024	9 antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	5		2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 47		5 antlerless and 1 antlered
	4		6		Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered
	3		30, 55, 63, 65		2 antlerless OR 1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	2		1, 3*, 4, 18, 22, 26		1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	0		21, 23, 24, 34*, 43, 45, 46		1 deer only (can be either sex)

Firearm Deer Seasons 2023–24
No Sunday Hunting for deer during any firearm season. Hunting hours: half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset. Coyote and fox may be harvested incidently while hunting for deer during firearm seasons except for Youth Day. Special Area Zones 37, 38, 39, 53, 54, 61, 64, 66, 67, and 68: see Deer Special Areas Information for details. * Any antlered deer taken in zones marked with an asterisk must have at least 3 antler points on one side of rack.
Season	Regulation Set		Zones	Dates	Bag Limits	Additional Information
Youth Day Firearm	ALL		ALL Zones Listed Below	Nov. 18, 2023 (See Take a Kid Hunting for details.)	1 deer only (can be either sex)	Must be accompanied by licensed/permitted, non-hunting adult. Antler Point Restriction regulation DOES NOT apply. (See Take a Kid Hunting for details.)
Permit Muzzleloader	8		10, 11, 13*, 14, 15, 36, 49, 50, 51	Antlerless Only: Nov. 20–22, 24 and Dec. 4–9, 2023 Either Sex: Nov. 27–28; Dec. 11, 12, 16–23, 26–30, 2023; Jan. 1–Feb. 10, 2024	Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)	To harvest an antlered deer, a Buck Permit — Muzzleloader is also required. Buck Permit is valid in any zone for which hunter has a zone-specific Muzzleloader Permit. Only 1 buck is permitted. Deer MUST be tagged immediately and reported by 7 p.m. on day harvested. Any coyote harvested must be reported by 8 p.m. Reporting of gray fox harvests requested. Deer harvest must be reported prior to pursuing additional deer, except in zones where it is legal to take two deer at a time.
	7		7, 8, 9*, 12, 17, 41	Antlerless Only: Dec. 4–9, 2023 Either Sex: Nov. 27–28; Dec. 11, 12, 16–23, 26–30, 2023; Jan. 1–Feb. 10, 2024
	6		5, 19, 25, 42, 48	Nov. 27–28; Dec. 11, 12, 16–23, 26–30, 2023; Jan. 1–31, 2024	9 antlerless deer and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	5		2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 47	Nov. 27–28; Dec. 11, 12, 16–23, 26–30, 2023; Jan. 1–5, 2024	5 antlerless and 1 antlered
	3	4	6, 30, 55, 63, 65		2 antlerless OR 1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	2		1, 3*, 4, 18, 22, 26	Nov. 27–28; Dec. 11, 12, 16–23, 26–30, 2023	1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	0		21, 23, 24, 34*, 43, 45, 46	Nov. 27–28; Dec. 16–23, 26–30, 2023	1 deer only (can be either sex)
Permit Shotgun	8		10, 11, 13*, 14, 15, 36, 49, 50, 51	Antlerless Only: Nov. 20–22, 24 and Dec. 4–9, 2023 Either Sex: Dec. 13–15, 2023; Jan. 6–Feb. 10, 2024	Unlimited antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)	To harvest an antlered deer, a Buck Permit — Shotgun is also required. Buck Permit is valid in any zone for which hunter has a zone-specific Shotgun Permit. Only 1 buck is permitted, see exception below. Note: Shotgun Buck Permit becomes VOID if 2 antlered deer were harvested during Six-day Firearm Season. Deer MUST be tagged immediately and reported by 7 p.m. on day harvested. Any coyote harvested must be reported by 8 p.m. Reporting of gray fox harvests requested. Deer harvest must be reported prior to pursuing additional deer, except in zones where it is legal to take two deer at a time.
	7		7, 8, 9*, 12, 17, 41	Antlerless Only: Dec. 4–9, 2023 Either Sex: Dec. 13–15, 2023; Jan. 6–Feb. 10, 2024
	6		5, 19, 25, 42, 48	Dec. 13–15, 2023; Jan. 6–31, 2024	9 antlerless and 1 antlered (2 deer may be taken at a time)
	5		2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 47	Dec. 13–15, 2023; Jan 13–20, 2024	5 antlerless and 1 antlered
	3	4	6, 30, 55, 63, 65	Dec. 13–15, 2023	2 antlerless OR 1 antlerless and 1 antlered
	0	2	1, 3, 4, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 34, 43, 45, 46		1 deer only (can be either sex)
Six-day Firearm	ALL		ALL zones listed above	Dec. 4–9, 2023	2 antlered deer Only 1 buck at a time may be taken. Once harvest of first antlered deer is reported, the hunter may pursue a second antlered deer.	NOTE: If 2 bucks are harvested, the buck bag limit for the Permit Shotgun Season becomes ZERO. Deer MUST be tagged immediately and reported by 7 p.m. on day harvested. Any coyote harvested must be reported by 8 p.m. Reporting of gray fox harvests requested.

For the detailed deer management zone boundary descriptions, go to our website at dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/deer-management-zone-descriptions/

NOTE: Map is for reference only. Use a county map while following zone boundary descriptions, see Hunting & Trapping Explorer at NJFishandWildlife.com/hunt.