New Jersey Deer Management Zone 17: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 17 covers 104 square miles of Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer counties. Hunters took 954 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, down from 973 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 276. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's High regulation set. 4% of the zone is public land, the largest share Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) (2,408 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 17Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 104 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4% (2,681 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 954 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 973 |
| Four-season average | 878 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (276 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | High regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 9.17 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Prospertown Lake, Colliers Mills, Pleasant Run, Imlaystown Lake |
How many deer are taken in Zone 17 each season?
954 in 2025-26, 19 fewer than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 878. Zone 17 gave 2.5% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 276 | 266 | 210 | 242 |
| Permit bow | 183 | 191 | 183 | 142 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 44 | 62 | 64 | 53 |
| Permit shotgun | 273 | 300 | 226 | 183 |
| Six-day firearm | 116 | 95 | 105 | 92 |
| Winter bow | 57 | 53 | 39 | 34 |
| Youth bow day | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Youth firearm day | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| All seasons | 954 | 973 | 833 | 753 |
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 17 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 17 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington County | 24,813 | 3,217 | 3,593 | 2,568 |
| Monmouth County | 24,716 | 3,879 | 3,714 | 2,955 |
| Ocean County | 13,016 | 1,605 | 1,761 | 1,674 |
| Mercer County | 4,131 | 1,503 | 1,753 | 1,402 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 17.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 17?
| 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. 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 17's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Mercer, Monmouth, Burlington, and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 195; then east along Interstate 195 to the intersection with Rt. 537 near Holmeson; then southwest along Rt. 537 to the intersection with Hawkin Road (Prospertown-Colliers Mills Road: Rt. 640); then southeast along Hawkin Road (Prospertown Colliers Mills Road: Rt. 640) to the intersection with Colliers Mills Road; then west along Colliers Mills Road to its intersection with Woodruff Rd.; then southwest along Woodruff Rd. to the intersection with Rt. 539; then southeast along Rt. 539 to the border of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst; then westward along the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst boundary to Rt. 545 near Wrightstown; then northwest along Rt. 545 to the intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then northeast along the New Jersey Turnpike to its intersection with Interstate 195 the point of beginning."
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 17?
4% of Zone 17 is public land: 2,681 of its 66,676 acres. The largest share is Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs), 2,408 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 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 2,408 | 3.6% |
| State forest and park land | 273 | 0.4% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 100 | 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 17
| WMA | Acres in Zone 17 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Prospertown Lake | 991 | Millstone & Upper Freeholds; Jackson |
| Colliers Mills | 859 | Jackson & Plumsteds |
| Pleasant Run | 615 | North Hanover; Hamilton; Upper Freehold |
| Imlaystown Lake | 27 | Upper Freehold |
Which zones border Zone 17?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 14 | High | 320 | 1,443 | 1,615 | 4.4% |
| Zone 15 | High | 110 | 1,072 | 1,090 | 8.5% |
| Zone 18 | Low | 89 | 359 | 368 | 29.9% |
| Zone 48 | High | 115 | 783 | 723 | 2% |
Highways crossing Zone 17: I-95 (13 miles), I-195 (10 miles) and NJ 138 (8 miles). Towns inside: Upper Freehold, Plumsted, Chesterfield and North Hanover.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 17 in 2025-26?
954 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 276 in fall bow, 273 in permit shotgun, 183 in permit bow, 116 in six-day firearm. The zone gave 973 in 2024-25, 833 in 2023-24 and 753 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 17?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 17 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 17?
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).
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 17?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Mercer, Monmouth, Burlington, and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 195." 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.