New Jersey Deer Management Zone 13: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 13 covers 225 square miles of Morris, Somerset and Union counties. Hunters took 991 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, up from 929 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 441. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's High regulation set, and an antlered deer must have at least 3 points on one side. 6.8% of the zone is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (7,892 acres).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest. Seasons: NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27. Land: PAD-US.
Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs)State forest and park landNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Zone 13Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 225 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 6.8% (9,786 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 991 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 929 |
| Four-season average | 875 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (441 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | High regulation set |
| Antler point rule | An antlered deer needs at least 3 points on one side |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 4.4 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Berkshire Valley |
How many deer are taken in Zone 13 each season?
991 in 2025-26, 62 more than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 875. Zone 13 gave 2.6% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 441 | 342 | 319 | 319 |
| Permit bow | 247 | 298 | 221 | 226 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 43 | 39 | 27 | 23 |
| Permit shotgun | 76 | 77 | 80 | 65 |
| Six-day firearm | 48 | 43 | 32 | 28 |
| Winter bow | 135 | 129 | 130 | 104 |
| Youth bow day | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Youth firearm day | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| All seasons | 991 | 929 | 812 | 767 |
Sources: NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest; NJFW 2024-25 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest; NJFW 2023-24 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest; NJFW 2022-23 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest. Each table's zone rows add up to its Total row.
Which counties does Zone 13 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 13 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris County | 85,674 | 2,432 | 2,130 | 2,115 |
| Somerset County | 41,441 | 2,393 | 2,608 | 2,286 |
| Union County | 16,630 | 211 | 238 | 232 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 13.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 13?
| Season | Dates | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | September 12 to October 2 (first deer must be antlerless, except youth license holders), then October 3 to 30, 2026 | Unlimited antlerless deer and one antlered deer |
| Youth archery day | September 26, 2026 | One deer of either sex |
| Permit bow | October 31 to December 24 and December 26 to 31, 2026 | Unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Bow Permit |
| Youth firearm day | November 21, 2026 | One deer of either sex |
| Six-day firearm | December 7 to 12, 2026 | Two antlered deer |
| Permit muzzleloader | Antlerless only November 23 to 25, 27 and December 7 to 12; either sex November 30, December 1, 14 to 24 and 26 to 31, 2026 and January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Muzzleloader Permit |
| Permit shotgun | Antlerless only November 23 to 25, 27 and December 7 to 12, 2026; either sex December 14 to 18, 2026 and January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit |
| Winter bow | January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited antlerless deer and one antlered deer |
Only one antlered buck may be taken per season per hunter, except two in the six-day firearm season. In Zone 13 an antlered deer must carry at least 3 points on one side of the rack. Sunday hunting is legal only in archery seasons and only on WMAs and private land. Deer must be tagged at once and reported by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest.
Sources: NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27; NJFW 2026-27 Deer Season Regulation Sets Reference Chart.
Where are Zone 13's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Morris, Somerset and Union Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rts. 22 and 206 at Somerville; then north on Rt. 206 to the intersection with Rt. 78 near Pluckemin; then east on Rt. 78 to the intersection with Rt. 525; then north on Rt. 525 to Mountain Ave. in Mendham; then north and west on Mountain Ave. to Calais Rd.; then north on Calais Rd. to Combs Hollow Rd.; then north on Combs Hollow Rd. to Calais Rd.; then east on Calais Rd. to Morris Tpk.; then north and west on Morris Tpk. to Rt. 10; then west on Rt. 10 to Rt. 46 in Ledgewood; then west on Rt. 46 to the intersection with Rt. 80 near Netcong; the east on Rt. 80 to the intersection with Rt. 511; then south on Rt. 511 to the intersection with Rt. 124 in Morristown; then southeast along Rt. 124 to the intersection with Rt. 82; then southwest along Rt. 82 to the intersection with Rt. 22; then southwest along Rt. 22 to the point of beginning at Somerville. Zone 13 also includes the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (previously designated as Zone 38)."
Source: NJFW Deer Management Zone Descriptions. NJFW suggests tracing the line on a county map; its Hunting and Trapping Explorer shows it too.
How much public land is in Zone 13?
6.8% of Zone 13 is public land: 9,786 of its 143,747 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 7,892 acres. NJFW notes that not every WMA is open to all hunting in every season; state parks and forests set their own rules and allow no Sunday hunting.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 7,892 | 5.5% |
| National Park Service | 1,685 | 1.2% |
| State forest and park land | 145 | 0.1% |
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 64 | under 0.1% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 2 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the zone line from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1).
Wildlife management areas in Zone 13
| WMA | Acres in Zone 13 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Valley | 64 | Mount Arlington, Jefferson, Rockaway & Roxburys |
Which zones border Zone 13?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 | Medium | 184 | 952 | 769 | 22% |
| Zone 8 | High | 262 | 2,581 | 2,567 | 10.1% |
| Zone 9 | High | 79 | 369 | 320 | 5.4% |
| Zone 12 | High | 223 | 2,998 | 3,493 | 4.3% |
| Zone 14 | High | 320 | 1,443 | 1,615 | 4.4% |
| Zone 36 | High | 763 | 1,060 | 1,029 | 0.7% |
Highways crossing Zone 13: I-78 (35 miles), I-287 (34 miles), NJ 10 (26 miles), US 22 (18 miles), US 202 (17 miles) and I-80 (15 miles). Towns inside: Bridgewater, Bernards, Randolph and Roxbury.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 13 in 2025-26?
991 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 441 in fall bow, 247 in permit bow, 135 in winter bow, 76 in permit shotgun. The zone gave 929 in 2024-25, 812 in 2023-24 and 767 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 13?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 13 uses the High regulation set: fall bow September 12 to October 2 (first deer must be antlerless, except youth license holders), then October 3 to 30, 2026, and winter bow January 1 to February 20, 2027 (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
How many antlerless deer can you take in Zone 13?
No limit in most seasons under the High regulation set: fall bow allows unlimited antlerless deer and one antlered deer, and the permit shotgun season allows unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an antlered buck shotgun permit (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27). Any antlered deer taken in Zone 13 must have at least 3 antler points on one side.
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 13?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Morris, Somerset and Union Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rts. 22 and 206 at Somerville." The full boundary is on its zone description page (NJFW Deer Management Zone Descriptions).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest: NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest; earlier seasons' zone tables; NJFW Historic Deer Harvests, 1972 to 2025; NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- Seasons and rules: NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27; NJFW 2026-27 Deer Season Regulation Sets Reference Chart; NJFW Special Area Deer Hunting Regulations. Boundaries: NJFW Deer Management Zone Descriptions.
- Zone map: NJDEP Deer Management Zones (DMZ) in New Jersey. Public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, municipalities (county subdivisions).
FilledTag is not part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from NJFW, NJDEP and federal sources or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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