New Jersey Deer Management Zone 26: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 26 covers 217 square miles of Atlantic County. Hunters took 667 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, up from 567 the year before, and six-day firearm gave the most, 244. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Low regulation set. 21.3% of the zone is public land, the largest share Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) (26,122 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 26Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 217 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 21.3% (29,699 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 667 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 567 |
| Four-season average | 594 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Six-day firearm (244 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Low regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 3.07 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Makepeace Lake, Great Egg Harbor River, Hammonton Creek, Port Republic |
How many deer are taken in Zone 26 each season?
667 in 2025-26, 100 more than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 594. Zone 26 gave 1.7% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 127 | 122 | 83 | 110 |
| Permit bow | 161 | 139 | 134 | 137 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 70 | 53 | 55 | 67 |
| Permit shotgun | 10 | 6 | 16 | 7 |
| Six-day firearm | 244 | 185 | 193 | 212 |
| Winter bow | 49 | 55 | 50 | 47 |
| Youth bow day | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| Youth firearm day | 5 | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| All seasons | 667 | 567 | 544 | 599 |
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 26 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 26 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic County | 138,809 | 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 26.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 26?
| 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 26's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Atlantic County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rts. 40 and 54 near Buena; then southeast on Rt. 40 to its intersection with Rt. 50; then north on Rt. 50 to its intersection with Rt. 322; then east on Rt. 322 to its intersection with Cologne Avenue; then north on Cologne Avenue to its intersection with Duerer Street; then east on Duerer Street to its intersection with Jimmie Leeds Rd.; then east on Jimmie Leeds Rd. to its intersection with Great Creek Rd.; then east on Great Creek Rd. to its intersection with Rt. 9; then north on Rt. 9 to its intersection with the Garden State Parkway; then to its intersection on the south shore of the Mullica River; then west along the south bank of the Mullica River to its intersection with Rt. 542 at Pleasant Mills; then west on Rt. 542 to its intersection with Nescochague Creek at Pleasant Mills; then north along the west bank of Nescochaque Creek to its intersection with Great Swamp Branch; then westward along Great Swamp Branch to its intersection with Rt. 206 (just past the intersection of Rt. 206 and Middle Rd.); then south on Rt. 206 to its intersection with Rt. 30 (White Horse Pike), near Hammonton; then south on Rt. 30 to its intersection with Weymouth Road (Rts. 640-559); then south on Weymouth Road to its intersection with the Atlantic City Expressway; then northwest along the Atlantic City Expressway to its intersection with Eighth Street; then southwest along Eighth Street to its intersection with Rt. 322 (Black Horse Pike); then northwest along Rt. 332 to its intersection with Rt. 54; then southwest along Rt. 54 to its intersection with Rt. 40 at Buena, the point of beginning. The Atlantic County Park System (Zone 61) is excluded from Zone 26."
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 26?
21.3% of Zone 26 is public land: 29,699 of its 139,164 acres. The largest share is Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs), 26,122 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 26 |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 26,122 | 18.8% |
| State forest and park land | 3,472 | 2.5% |
| National wildlife refuge | 105 | 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 26
| WMA | Acres in Zone 26 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Makepeace Lake | 11,541 | Hamilton & Mullicas |
| Great Egg Harbor River | 7,068 | Folsom, Estell Manor, Buena Vista, Hamilton & Weymouths |
| Hammonton Creek | 5,980 | Egg Harbor, Hammonton Town, Galloway & Mullicas |
| Port Republic | 1,556 | Galloway & Port Republic |
| Absecon | 111 | Absecon,Atlantic,Brigantine,Galloway & Pleasantville |
| Swan Bay | 30 | Bass River & Washingtons |
Which zones border Zone 26?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 22 | Low | 130 | 155 | 149 | 32% |
| Zone 23 | Low | 202 | 488 | 541 | 69.3% |
| Zone 24 | Low | 167 | 162 | 221 | 60.6% |
| Zone 25 | Medium | 193 | 1,028 | 1,132 | 1.7% |
| Zone 42 | High | 218 | 370 | 332 | 17% |
| Zone 46 | Low | 86 | 173 | 93 | 45.8% |
| Zone 47 | Medium | 78 | 213 | 210 | 3.8% |
| Zone 61 | Special Area | 8 | 23 | 20 | 0% |
Highways crossing Zone 26: US 30 (13 miles), US 322 (11 miles), NJ 50 (6 miles), NJ 54 (5 miles) and US 206 (2 miles). Towns inside: Hamilton, Galloway, Mullica and Buena Vista.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 26 in 2025-26?
667 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 244 in six-day firearm, 161 in permit bow, 127 in fall bow, 70 in permit muzzleloader. The zone gave 567 in 2024-25, 544 in 2023-24 and 599 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 26?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 26 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 26?
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 26?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Atlantic County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rts. 40 and 54 near Buena." 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 22 Zone 23 Zone 24 Zone 25 Zone 42 Zone 46 Zone 47 Zone 61