Van Nest Wildlife Management Area: deer hunting, parking and rules in Zone 14
Van Nest Wildlife Management Area is 95 acres of New Jersey Fish and Wildlife land in Hamilton and West Windsor (Mercer County), in Deer Management Zone 14. Hunters took 1,443 deer in Zone 14 in 2025-26, and the zone follows the High regulation set for 2026-27. NJFW maps 1 fishing access point on the property. NJDEP posts 1 restricted area on it.
Data updated October 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.
Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs)State forest and park landVan Nest WMAZone lineHighway
| Size | 95 acres (NJDEP), in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Hamilton and West Windsor |
| County | Mercer County |
| Deer Management Zone | Zone 14 |
| 2026-27 rules in Zone 14 | High regulation set |
| Parking (NJFW) | None mapped |
| NJFW public deer land list | Not on the 2026 list |
| Deer taken in Zone 14, 2025-26 | 1,443 |
| Nearest town centers | West Windsor (2 mi), Robbinsville (5 mi) and Trenton (5 mi) |
What has NJFW built on Van Nest WMA?
NJFW's points of interest layer shows 1 fishing access point.
| What | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing access point | 40.26950 | -74.67099 |
Which parts of Van Nest WMA have restrictions?
NJDEP maps 1 posted area on Van Nest WMA: 1 no hunting.
| Type | Category | NJDEP's description | Acres | Through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Use | No Hunting | No hunting. | 95 | 2026-12-31 |
What other hunting areas cover Van Nest WMA?
For spring turkey the WMA lies in Turkey Hunting Area 12 in NJFW's Central region. For ducks and geese it is in the North waterfowl zone.
How many deer are taken around Van Nest WMA?
NJFW counts deer by zone. Zone 14 gave 1,443 deer in 2025-26: 1,014 to bowhunters, 114 in the six-day firearm season, 258 in the permit shotgun season and 56 in the permit muzzleloader season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 14 | 95 | 1,443 | 1,615 | 1,411 | 1,405 |
| County | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 1,402 | 1,572 | 1,563 | 1,753 | 1,503 |
What rules apply on Van Nest WMA?
Deer seasons follow Zone 14's High regulation set; its fall bow season runs September 12 to October 2, then October 3 to 30, 2026. WMAs close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. except to hunters, anglers and trappers.
How do you get to Van Nest WMA?
Highways within five miles: I-295, US 1, NJ 33, US 130, US 206 and NJ 26. Distances to the nearest town centers: West Windsor 2 miles, Robbinsville 5 miles, Trenton 5 miles and Princeton 6 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Pleasant Run (9 miles), Assunpink (10 miles), Prospertown Lake (14 miles). NJFW publishes a map of Van Nest WMA.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer on Van Nest WMA?
NJFW allows hunting on WMAs, but Van Nest WMA is not on its 2026 list of public deer lands that need no extra permit, so check its rules first. NJDEP posts these restrictions on it: no hunting. (NJFW Public Hunting Land for Deer (2026 Digest); NJDEP WMA Restrictions in New Jersey)
What deer zone is Van Nest WMA in?
Zone 14. Hunters took 1,443 deer in Zone 14 in 2025-26 and 1,615 in 2024-25 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest).
How many deer are taken in Mercer County?
Mercer County: 1,503 deer in 2025-26, 1,753 in 2024-25 and 1,402 in 2021-22 (NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26).
Get a New Jersey hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, New Jersey included.
Sources: NJDEP open space, NJFW points of interest and WMA restrictions layers; NJFW harvest tables, county harvest, 2026-27 seasons, public deer land list and WMA rules; PAD-US; Census. FilledTag is not part of NJ Fish and Wildlife.