Upland Game Birds
What Do I Need to Hunt Upland Game Birds in NJ? |
||||
Area |
Hunting License |
Pheasant/Quail Stamp |
Hunter Orange |
Report Harvest |
Stocked WMAs |
Yes |
Yes |
Orange Hat* required Firearm |
No |
Delaware Water Gap NRA |
Yes |
Yes |
Orange Hat* required Firearm |
No |
Semi-Wild and Commercial Preserves |
Yes |
No |
Yes, except hunting mallards |
No, but birds must be tagged. |
Firearms, Bows and Ammunition Legal for Upland Game Birds |
|||
Weapon Type |
Gauge, Caliber or Draw Weight |
Projectile(s) |
Weapon Transportation |
Bow: long, recurve, compound or crossbow capable of firing a single projectile only |
35 pounds pull at archer’s draw length (long and recurve bows) or peak weight (compound bow) or 75 pounds minimum draw weight (crossbow). |
Arrow or bolt with flu flu fletching and using blunt, field, or judo points |
All bows MUST be unnocked or uncocked |
Shotgun: single or double barrel |
Not larger than 10 gauge or smaller than .410 caliber and capable of holding no more than three shells. |
No shot larger than #4 fine shot |
Shotguns MUST be cased and unloaded while in or on a vehicle, including ATVs/UTVs. |
Upland Game Bird Seasons 2023–24 |
|||
No Sunday hunting except commercial and semi-wild hunting preserves. |
|||
Species |
Season |
Hunting Hours |
Bag Limit |
Bobwhite quail (wild), Ruffed grouse |
Closed statewide |
Stocked quail may be taken at Peaslee and Greenwood WMAs identified below and on commercial and semi-wild hunting preserves |
|
Bobwhite quail (stocked) |
Nov. 11, 2023 at 8 a.m.–Jan. 31, 2024 Closed Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023 |
Nov. 11 only: 8 a.m. – ½ hr after sunset. All other dates: Sunrise – ½ hr after sunset |
4 quail May be taken only at: Greenwood Forest WMA, Peaslee WMA ONLY. Pheasant & Quail Stamp required. |
Chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, Pheasant |
Nov. 11, 2023 at 8 a.m.–Feb. 19, 2024 Closed Dec. 4–9 & 13, 2023 |
Nov. 11 only: 8 a.m. – ½ hr after sunset. All other dates: Sunrise – ½ hr after sunset |
7 partridge, 2 pheasant See Pheasant Stocking schedule below. |
Youth Upland Bird Day Pheasant For properly licensed Youth hunters, under direct supervision of licensed, non-hunting adult (21 or older) |
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 |
7 a.m. start (Guided) 1 p.m. start (Open hunt) |
2 pheasant See Youth Pheasant Hunt Day Information in Take a Kid Hunting. |
Youth Pheasant Days |
Nov. 6–10, 2023 |
Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset |
2 pheasant See Youth Pheasant Hunt Days Information in Take a Kid Hunting. |
Commercial Shooting Preserves Pheasant/Quail/Partridge/Mallard* |
Sept. 1, 2023–May 1, 2024 |
Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset |
No limit Must be tagged prior to transport off Commercial Preserve Sunday Hunting Allowed |
Semi-Wild Preserves Pheasant/Quail/Partridge* |
Nov. 11, 2023 at 8 a.m.–March 15, 2024 |
Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset |
No limit Must be tagged prior to transport off semi-wild area Sunday Hunting Allowed |
Crow |
Aug. 14, 2023–Dec. 2, 2023 Dec. 11, 2023–March 16, 2024 8 a.m. start Nov. 11, 2023 on Stocked WMAs |
Sunrise–½ hr after sunset |
No limit |
Woodcock |
See Other Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons table in Migratory Bird Regulations. HIP Certificate Required ($2) |
||
Pheasant Stocking Schedule 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||
Birds stocked the evening prior to the hunting dates listed below. Pheasant & Quail Stamp required in addition to hunting license. |
||||||||||||||||||
Northern Region |
County |
Dog Training Area* |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Thursday |
Tuesday |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Season |
11/11 |
11/14 |
11/16 |
11/18 |
11/21 |
11/23 |
11/25 |
11/30 |
12/12 |
12/16 |
12/19 |
12/21 |
12/23 |
12/28 |
12/30 |
Total |
|||
Berkshire Valley |
Morris |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Black River |
Morris |
Yes |
290 |
170 |
170 |
260 |
170 |
260 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
2,850 |
Clinton |
Hunterdon |
Yes |
340 |
200 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
3,340 |
Delaware Water Gap N.R.A. |
Sussex/Warren |
No |
530 |
320 |
320 |
470 |
320 |
470 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
5,310 |
Flatbrook |
Sussex |
No |
350 |
210 |
210 |
310 |
210 |
310 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
210 |
3,490 |
Pequest |
Warren |
Yes |
290 |
170 |
170 |
260 |
170 |
260 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
2,850 |
Walpack |
Sussex |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Whittingham |
Sussex |
Yes |
280 |
170 |
170 |
250 |
170 |
250 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
170 |
2,820 |
Central Region |
11/11 |
11/14 |
11/16 |
11/18 |
11/21 |
11/23 |
11/25 |
11/30 |
12/12 |
12/16 |
12/19 |
12/21 |
12/23 |
12/28 |
12/30 |
Total |
||
Assunpink |
Monmouth |
Yes |
540 |
320 |
320 |
480 |
320 |
480 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
320 |
5,340 |
Colliers Mills |
Ocean |
Yes |
330 |
200 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
300 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
3,330 |
Greenwood (Howardsville Section) |
Ocean |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Manahawkin |
Ocean |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Manasquan |
Ocean |
Yes |
190 |
110 |
110 |
170 |
110 |
170 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
1,850 |
Medford |
Burlington |
No |
140 |
80 |
80 |
130 |
80 |
130 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
1,360 |
Stafford Forge |
Ocean |
Yes |
270 |
160 |
160 |
240 |
160 |
240 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
160 |
2,670 |
Fort Dix |
Ocean |
No |
60 |
0 |
0 |
50 |
50 |
60 |
0 |
0 |
70 |
60 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
350 |
Southern Region |
11/11 |
11/14 |
11/16 |
11/18 |
11/21 |
11/23 |
11/25 |
11/30 |
12/12 |
12/16 |
12/19 |
12/21 |
12/23 |
12/28 |
12/30 |
Total |
||
Dix |
Cumberland |
No |
210 |
130 |
130 |
190 |
130 |
190 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
2,150 |
Glassboro |
Gloucester |
Yes |
170 |
100 |
100 |
150 |
100 |
150 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
1,670 |
Heislerville |
Cumberland |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Mad Horse |
Salem |
No |
150 |
90 |
90 |
140 |
90 |
140 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
1,510 |
Millville |
Cumberland |
Yes |
570 |
340 |
340 |
510 |
340 |
510 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
340 |
5,670 |
Nantuxent |
Cumberland |
No |
190 |
110 |
110 |
170 |
110 |
170 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
1,850 |
Port Republic |
Atlantic |
No |
80 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
70 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
820 |
Tuckahoe |
Cape May |
Yes |
180 |
110 |
110 |
160 |
110 |
160 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
110 |
1,820 |
Winslow |
Camden |
No |
230 |
140 |
140 |
210 |
140 |
210 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
140 |
2,330 |
Statewide Totals |
5790 |
3430 |
3430 |
5170 |
3480 |
5180 |
3430 |
3430 |
3500 |
3490 |
3430 |
3430 |
3430 |
3430 |
3430 |
57480 |
||
Quail Stocking Schedule 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||
Statewide |
Dog Training Area* |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Thursday |
Tuesday |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Thursday |
Saturday |
Season |
|
11/11 |
11/14 |
11/16 |
11/18 |
11/21 |
11/23 |
11/25 |
11/30 |
12/12 |
12/16 |
12/19 |
12/21 |
12/23 |
12/28 |
12/30 |
Total |
|||
Greenwood |
Ocean |
No |
600 |
280 |
260 |
400 |
280 |
600 |
400 |
280 |
260 |
400 |
260 |
400 |
400 |
280 |
400 |
5,500 |
Peaslee |
Cumberland |
No |
600 |
280 |
260 |
400 |
280 |
600 |
400 |
280 |
260 |
400 |
260 |
400 |
400 |
280 |
400 |
5,500 |
* WMAs with dog training areas receive 20 chukar each week (Saturdays), for four weeks prior to Youth Pheasant Day for dog training purposes. |
Pheasant and Quail Stocking Maps
Go to dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/pheasant-quail-stocking-maps/ for maps of the pheasant and quail stocked fields for each stocked WMA.

Pheasant and Quail Stamp
Anyone aged 16 and over (except 16-year-olds who are still eligible to use their youth firearm license) hunting or possessing pheasant (or quail only on Greenwood Forest or Peaslee WMAs) on the following designated wildlife management areas must have in possession a current Pheasant and Quail Stamp:
Assunpink, Berkshire Valley, Black River, Clinton, Colliers Mills, Dix, Flatbrook, Glassboro, Greenwood Forest, Howardsville, Heislerville, Mad Horse, Manahawkin, Manasquan River, Medford, Millville (Bevan), Nantuxent, Peaslee, Pequest, Port Republic, Rockport, Stafford Forge, Tuckahoe (MacNamara), Walpack, Whittingham and Winslow. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is also a designated pheasant and quail stamp area. Pheasant and quail stamps are valid for the calendar year, January–December. Quail may be hunted or possessed ONLY on Peaslee or Greenwood Forest WMAs.
Areas Open to Quail Hunting
The statewide quail hunting season is closed except at Peaslee WMA and Greenwood Forest WMA where NJ Fish & Wildlife will provide hunters and falconers the opportunity to hunt for quail.
No person may release quail for dog training purposes on the following WMAs: Buckshutem, Dix, Egg Island, Fortescue, Millville (Bevans), Nantuxent, New Sweden and Stafford Forge.
See Upland Game Bird Seasons table above for season dates and bag limits. Exception: This statewide closure does not apply to certain semi-wild and commercial shooting preserves that were permitted to stock quail during the 2009–10 season, the only ones that may continue to stock quail.
Ruffed Grouse Season Closed
Ruffed grouse rely on young forest habitat which currently comprise only 5% of state forest lands. This lack of habitat has caused grouse populations to decline below the level necessary to support a hunting season. In an effort to reduce the decline, the grouse hunting season is closed statewide. No exceptions.
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