Upland Game Birds

Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

Upland Game Bird Seasons 2025–26
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. 8, 2025 at 8 a.m.–Jan. 31, 2026 Closed Dec. 8–13 & 17, 2025	Nov. 8 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.
Chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, Pheasant	Nov. 8, 2025 at 8 a.m.–Feb. 16, 2026 Closed Dec. 8–13 & 17, 2025	Nov. 8 only: 8 a.m. – ½ hr after sunset. All other dates: Sunrise – ½ hr after sunset	7 partridge, 2 pheasant See Pheasant Stocking schedule.
Youth Upland Bird Day Pheasant For properly licensed Youth hunters, under direct supervision of licensed, non-hunting adult (21 or older)	Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025	7 a.m. start (Guided) 1 p.m. start (Open hunt)	2 pheasant See Youth Pheasant Hunt Day Information.
Youth Pheasant Days For properly licensed Youth hunters, under direct supervision of licensed, non-hunting adult (21 or older)	Nov. 3–7, 2025	Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	2 pheasant See Youth Pheasant Hunt Day Information.
Commercial Shooting Preserves Pheasant/Quail/Partridge/Mallard*	Sept. 1, 2025–May 1, 2026	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. 8, 2025 at 8 a.m.–March 15, 2026	Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset	No limit Must be tagged prior to transport off semi-wild area Sunday Hunting Allowed
Crow	Aug. 11, 2025–Nov. 29, 2025 Dec. 15, 2025–Mar. 21, 2026 (Mon., Thurs., Fri. & Sat. only) 8 a.m. start Nov. 8, 2025 on Stocked WMAs	Sunrise–½ hr after sunset	No limit
Woodcock	See Other Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons table. HIP Certificate Required ($2)
Dogs are allowed when hunting pheasant, quail, partridge, crow and woodcock. * Species restricted to those approved on Commercial/Semi-Wild license.

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.

Areas Open to Quail Hunting

The statewide quail hunting season is closed except at Peaslee WMA and Greenwood Forest WMA where NJDEP 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 chart 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.

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.
* 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 below for Pheasant and Quail stocking schedules.)

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.

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.

Pheasant Stocking Schedule 2025
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	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	Tuesday	Saturday	Tuesday	Saturday	Tuesday	Season
Northern Region	County	Dog Training Area*	11/8	11/11	11/13	11/15	11/18	11/20	11/22	11/25	11/27	11/29	12/16	12/20	12/23	12/27	12/30	Total
Berkshire Valley	Morris	No	90	X	X	70	X	X	50	X	100	50	X	50	X	50	50	510
Black River	Morris	Yes	290	150	150	260	150	150	150	150	260	150	150	150	150	150	150	2,610
Clinton	Hunterdon	Yes	340	170	170	300	170	170	170	170	300	170	170	170	170	170	200	3,010
Delaware Water Gap N.R.A.	Sussex/Warren	No	530	X	X	470	X	X	250	X	470	300	X	300	X	320	320	2,960
Flatbrook	Sussex	No	350	180	180	310	180	180	180	180	310	180	180	180	180	180	220	3,170
Pequest	Warren	Yes	290	150	150	260	150	150	150	150	260	150	150	150	150	150	150	2,610
Walpack	Sussex	No	90	X	X	70	X	X	50	X	100	50	X	50	X	50	50	510
Whittingham	Sussex	Yes	280	140	140	250	140	140	140	140	250	140	140	140	140	140	140	2,460
Central Region			11/8	11/11	11/13	11/15	11/18	11/20	11/22	11/25	11/27	11/29	12/16	12/20	12/23	12/27	12/30	Total
Assunpink	Monmouth	Yes	540	280	280	480	280	280	280	280	480	280	280	280	280	280	280	4,860
Colliers Mills	Ocean	Yes	330	170	170	300	170	170	170	170	300	170	170	170	170	180	180	2,990
Greenwood (Howardsville Section)	Ocean	No	90	X	X	70	X	X	50	X	100	50	X	50	X	50	50	510
Manahawkin	Ocean	No	90	X	X	70	X	X	50	X	100	50	X	50	X	50	50	510
Manasquan	Ocean	Yes	190	95	95	170	95	95	95	95	170	95	95	100	100	100	100	1,690
Medford	Burlington	No	140	X	X	130	X	X	80	X	130	80	X	80	X	80	80	800
Stafford Forge	Ocean	Yes	270	140	140	240	140	140	140	140	240	140	140	140	140	140	140	2,430
Fort Dix	Ocean	No	60	X	X	50	50	60	X	X	70	60	X	X	X	X	X	350
Southern Region			11/8	11/11	11/13	11/15	11/18	11/20	11/22	11/25	11/27	11/29	12/16	12/20	12/23	12/27	12/30	Total
Dix	Cumberland	No	210	105	105	190	105	105	105	105	190	105	105	105	105	105	135	1,880
Glassboro	Gloucester	Yes	170	85	85	150	85	85	85	85	150	85	85	85	85	85	95	1,500
Heislerville	Cumberland	No	100	X	X	80	X	X	60	X	70	50	X	50	X	60	60	530
Mad Horse	Salem	No	150	X	X	140	X	X	90	X	140	80	X	80	X	80	90	850
Millville	Cumberland	Yes	570	300	290	510	290	290	290	290	510	290	290	290	290	290	300	5,090
Nantuxent	Cumberland	No	190	X	X	170	X	X	105	X	170	105	X	105	X	105	110	1,060
Port Republic	Atlantic	No	100	X	X	80	X	X	50	X	80	50	X	50	X	50	60	520
Tuckahoe	Cape May	Yes	180	100	95	160	95	95	95	95	160	95	95	95	95	95	100	1,650
Winslow	Camden	No	230	115	115	210	115	115	115	115	210	115	115	115	115	115	125	2,040
Statewide Totals			5870	2180	2165	5190	2215	2225	3000	2165	5320	3090	2165	3035	2170	3075	3235	47100

Quail Stocking Schedule 2025
Statewide		Dog Training Area*	Saturday	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	Tuesday	Saturday	Tuesday	Saturday	Tuesday	Season
Statewide		Dog Training Area*	11/8	11/11	11/13	11/15	11/18	11/20	11/22	11/25	11/27	11/29	12/16	12/20	12/23	12/27	12/30	Total
Greenwood	Ocean	No	430	240	240	400	240	240	300	240	400	300	240	300	240	300	400	4,510
Peaslee	Cumberland	No	430	240	240	400	240	240	300	240	400	300	240	300	240	300	400	4,510
Maps showing the areas to be stocked with pheasants during the small game season can be found at dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/pheasant-quail-stocking-maps/ * 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

For maps of the pheasant and quail stocked fields for each stocked WMA, go to dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/pheasant-quail-stocking-maps/

Map of Pheasant and Quail Stocked Areas in New Jersey

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.

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