New Jersey Deer Management Zone 16: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 16 covers 129 square miles of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Hunters took 811 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, up from 809 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 288. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Medium regulation set. 6.3% of the zone is public land, the largest share Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) (4,015 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 landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Zone 16Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 129 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 6.3% (5,176 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 811 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 809 |
| Four-season average | 792 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (288 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Medium regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 6.29 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Turkey Swamp, Butterfly Bogs, Colliers Mills |
How many deer are taken in Zone 16 each season?
811 in 2025-26, 2 more than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 792. Zone 16 gave 2.1% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 288 | 293 | 218 | 320 |
| Permit bow | 237 | 231 | 211 | 261 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 45 | 37 | 35 | 43 |
| Permit shotgun | 67 | 81 | 72 | 74 |
| Six-day firearm | 121 | 86 | 90 | 85 |
| Winter bow | 50 | 79 | 70 | 57 |
| Youth bow day | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Youth firearm day | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| All seasons | 811 | 809 | 699 | 847 |
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 16 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 16 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monmouth County | 43,605 | 3,879 | 3,714 | 2,955 |
| Ocean County | 38,725 | 1,605 | 1,761 | 1,674 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 16.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 16?
| 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 | Five 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 | Five 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 | November 30, December 1, 14 to 24 and 26 to 31, 2026 and January 1 to 9, 2027 | Five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Muzzleloader Permit |
| Permit shotgun | December 14 to 18, 2026 and January 1 to 16, 2027 | Five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit |
| Winter bow | January 1 to 31, 2027 | Five 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. 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 16's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Monmouth and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 537 and Rt. 571 near Holmeson; then southeast on Rt. 571 to the intersection with Rt. 547; then northeast on Rt. 547 through Farmingdale to the intersection with Tinton Falls Rd.; then north on Tinton Falls Rd. to the intersection with Rt. 33 and Rt. 34; then north on Rt. 34 to the intersection with the fenced boundary of the Earle Naval Weapons Depot property; then westward along the fenced border of the Earle Depot to the intersection with Rt. 33; then west along Rt. 33 to the intersection with Rt. 537 in Freehold; then southwest on Rt. 537 to the intersection with Rt. 571 near Holmeson, the point of beginning. Back to top"
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 16?
6.3% of Zone 16 is public land: 5,176 of its 82,330 acres. The largest share is Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs), 4,015 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 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 4,015 | 4.9% |
| State forest and park land | 1,161 | 1.4% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 27 | 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 16
| WMA | Acres in Zone 16 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey Swamp | 3,794 | Freehold; Jackson |
| Butterfly Bogs | 164 | Jackson |
| Colliers Mills | 59 | Jackson & Plumsteds |
Which zones border Zone 16?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 15 | High | 110 | 1,072 | 1,090 | 8.5% |
| Zone 18 | Low | 89 | 359 | 368 | 29.9% |
| Zone 39 | Special Area | 17 | 93 | 120 | 0% |
| Zone 50 | High | 293 | 1,821 | 1,673 | 2% |
| Zone 51 | High | 351 | 882 | 940 | 9.9% |
Highways crossing Zone 16: I-195 (28 miles), US 9 (24 miles) and NJ 33 (13 miles). Towns inside: Jackson, Howell, Freehold and Farmingdale.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 16 in 2025-26?
811 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 288 in fall bow, 237 in permit bow, 121 in six-day firearm, 67 in permit shotgun. The zone gave 809 in 2024-25, 699 in 2023-24 and 847 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 16?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 16 uses the Medium 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 31, 2027 (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
How many antlerless deer can you take in Zone 16?
Five per season under the Medium regulation set: fall bow allows five antlerless deer and one antlered deer, and the permit shotgun season allows five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an antlered buck shotgun permit (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 16?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Monmouth and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 537 and Rt. 571 near Holmeson." 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.