New Jersey Deer Management Zone 23: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 23 covers 202 square miles of Burlington, Camden and Atlantic counties. Hunters took 488 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, down from 541 the year before, and six-day firearm gave the most, 256. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Low regulation set. 69.3% of the zone is public land, the largest share state forest and park land (89,627 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 landZone 23Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 202 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 69.3% (89,627 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 488 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 541 |
| Four-season average | 491 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Six-day firearm (256 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Low regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 2.42 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
How many deer are taken in Zone 23 each season?
488 in 2025-26, 53 fewer than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 491. Zone 23 gave 1.3% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 66 | 104 | 61 | 83 |
| Permit bow | 86 | 124 | 77 | 103 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 35 | 49 | 52 | 58 |
| Permit shotgun | 15 | 15 | 17 | 8 |
| Six-day firearm | 256 | 190 | 183 | 197 |
| Winter bow | 27 | 47 | 30 | 41 |
| Youth bow day | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Youth firearm day | 3 | 11 | 8 | 14 |
| All seasons | 488 | 541 | 428 | 506 |
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 23 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 23 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington County | 94,011 | 3,217 | 3,593 | 2,568 |
| Camden County | 23,057 | 935 | 950 | 847 |
| Atlantic County | 12,254 | 1,490 | 1,231 | 2,202 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 23.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 23?
| Season | Dates | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | October 3 to 30, 2026 | Two deer, only one antlered |
| Youth archery day | September 26, 2026 | One deer of either sex |
| Permit bow | October 31 to November 29, 2026 (closed in zones 45 and 46) | Two deer; one may be antlered with an Antlered Buck 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, 15, 19 to 24 and 26 to 31, 2026 and January 1 to 9, 2027 (closed in zones 45 and 46) | Two deer; one may be antlered with an Antlered Buck Muzzleloader Permit |
| Permit shotgun | December 16 to 18, 2026 (closed in zones 45 and 46) | Two deer; one may be antlered with an Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit |
| Winter bow | January 1 to 31, 2027 | Two deer, only one antlered |
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 23's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Burlington, Atlantic and Camden Counties lying with a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 563 and the Mullica River at the Atlantic-Burlington County line near Green Bank; then north and west along the north bank of the Mullica River to its intersection with Rt. 542 at Pleasant Mills; then west along Rt. 542 to its intersection with Nescochague Creek; then northwest along Nescochague Creek to Great Swamp Branch; then westward along Great Swamp Branch to its intersection with Rt. 206 (just south of the intersection of Rt. 206 and Middle Road); then south along Rt. 206 to its intersection with Rt. 30; then northwest along Rt. 30 to its intersection with Rt. 73; then north on Rt. 73 to its intersection with Rt. 534, Jackson Road; then east along Rt. 534 to its intersection with Atsion Road; then southeast on Atsion Road to its intersection with Willow Grove Road; then northeast on Willow Grove Road to its intersection with Rt. 541, Stokes Road; then southeast along Rt. 541 to its intersection with Rt. 206; then north along Rt. 206 to its intersection with Forked Neck Road; then east along Forked Neck Rd. which becomes Dingletown Rd. curving to the northeast; then northeast along Dingletown Rd. to its intersection with Bozarthtown Rd.; then northeast on Bozarthtown Rd. to its intersection with Brace Lane; then east on Brace Lane to its intersection with Butterworth’s Bogs Rd.; then north on Butterworth’s Bogs Rd. to its intersection with Rt. 532 (Chatsworth Rd.); then east on Rt. 532 to its intersection with Irick’s Causeway; then northeast on Irick’s Causeway to its intersection with Sooy Place Road (Vincentown-South Park Road); then northwest on Sooy Place Rd. to its intersection with Avenue Road; then northeast on Avenue Rd. to its intersection with Burr’s Mill Road; then northeast on Burr’s Mill Rd. to its intersection with Rt. 70; then east on Rt. 70 to its intersection with Rt. 72 at Four Mile Circle; then southeast on Rt. 72 to its intersection with Rt. 563; then southwest along Rt. 563 to its intersection with the Mullica River at the Atlantic-Burlington County line, the point of beginning near Green Bank. The Franklin Parker Preserve and Four Mile Spring Preserve (Zone 68) are excluded from Zone 23."
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 23?
69.3% of Zone 23 is public land: 89,627 of its 129,322 acres. The largest share is state forest and park land, 89,627 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 23 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and park land | 89,627 | 69.3% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the zone line from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1).
Which zones border Zone 23?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 19 | High | 193 | 1,344 | 1,572 | 6.2% |
| Zone 21 | Low | 207 | 388 | 391 | 55.9% |
| Zone 24 | Low | 167 | 162 | 221 | 60.6% |
| Zone 25 | Medium | 193 | 1,028 | 1,132 | 1.7% |
| Zone 26 | Low | 217 | 667 | 567 | 21.3% |
| Zone 68 | Special Area | 18 | 49 | 78 | 1.5% |
Highways crossing Zone 23: US 206 (9 miles) and US 30 (4 miles). Towns inside: Washington, Tabernacle, Shamong and Waterford.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 23 in 2025-26?
488 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 256 in six-day firearm, 86 in permit bow, 66 in fall bow, 35 in permit muzzleloader. The zone gave 541 in 2024-25, 428 in 2023-24 and 506 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 23?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 23 uses the Low regulation set: fall bow 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 23?
Two deer per season, only one antlered under the Low regulation set: fall bow allows two deer, only one antlered, and the permit shotgun season allows two deer; one may be antlered with an antlered buck shotgun permit (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 23?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Burlington, Atlantic and Camden Counties lying with a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 563 and the Mullica River at the Atlantic-Burlington County line near Green Bank." The full boundary is on its zone description page (NJFW Deer Management Zone Descriptions).
Get a New Jersey hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for New Jersey are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, New Jersey included.
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.
New Jersey hunting Zone 19 Zone 21 Zone 24 Zone 25 Zone 26 Zone 68