New Jersey Deer Management Zone 24: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 24 covers 167 square miles of Burlington and Ocean counties. Hunters took 162 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, down from 221 the year before, and six-day firearm gave the most, 68. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Low regulation set. 60.6% of the zone is public land, the largest share state forest and park land (44,206 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 refugeMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Zone 24Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 167 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 60.6% (64,811 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 162 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 221 |
| Four-season average | 199 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Six-day firearm (68 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Low regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 0.97 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Stafford Forge, Swan Bay |
How many deer are taken in Zone 24 each season?
162 in 2025-26, 59 fewer than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 199. Zone 24 gave 0.4% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 16 | 43 | 19 | 39 |
| Permit bow | 32 | 61 | 41 | 56 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 30 | 35 | 32 | 36 |
| Permit shotgun | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Six-day firearm | 68 | 60 | 58 | 88 |
| Winter bow | 9 | 11 | 16 | 13 |
| Youth bow day | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Youth firearm day | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| All seasons | 162 | 221 | 170 | 244 |
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 24 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 24 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington County | 78,710 | 3,217 | 3,593 | 2,568 |
| Ocean County | 28,204 | 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 24.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 24?
| 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 24's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Burlington and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 563 and Rt. 72; then southeast along Rt. 72 to its intersection with the Garden State Parkway; then south along the Parkway to its intersection with Stage Road; then west along Stage Road to its intersection with Leektown Road; then west along Leektown Road (which turns into Rt. 563) to its intersection with the Wading River; then south along the east bank of the Wading River to its intersection with the Mullica River and the Atlantic-Burlington County line; then west along the north bank of the Mullica River to its intersection with Rt. 563 near Green Bank; then north along Rt. 563 to its intersection with Rt. 72, 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 24?
60.6% of Zone 24 is public land: 64,811 of its 106,927 acres. The largest share is state forest and park land, 44,206 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 24 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and park land | 44,206 | 41.3% |
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 20,273 | 19% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 9,312 | 8.7% |
| National wildlife refuge | 332 | 0.3% |
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 24
| WMA | Acres in Zone 24 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford Forge | 16,624 | Barnegat, Eagleswood, Little Egg Harbor & Staffords |
| Swan Bay | 3,655 | Bass River & Washingtons |
Which zones border Zone 24?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 21 | Low | 207 | 388 | 391 | 55.9% |
| Zone 22 | Low | 130 | 155 | 149 | 32% |
| Zone 23 | Low | 202 | 488 | 541 | 69.3% |
| Zone 26 | Low | 217 | 667 | 567 | 21.3% |
| Zone 51 | High | 351 | 882 | 940 | 9.9% |
| Zone 68 | Special Area | 18 | 49 | 78 | 1.5% |
Highways crossing Zone 24: NJ 72 (7 miles). Towns inside: Woodland and Bass River.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 24 in 2025-26?
162 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 68 in six-day firearm, 32 in permit bow, 30 in permit muzzleloader, 16 in fall bow. The zone gave 221 in 2024-25, 170 in 2023-24 and 244 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 24?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 24 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 24?
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 24?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Burlington and Ocean Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 563 and Rt. 72." 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.
New Jersey hunting Zone 21 Zone 22 Zone 23 Zone 26 Zone 51 Zone 68