New Jersey Deer Management Zone 3: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 3 covers 198 square miles of Passaic, Sussex and Bergen counties. Hunters took 566 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, up from 430 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 200. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Low regulation set, and an antlered deer must have at least 3 points on one side. 31.7% of the zone is public land, the largest share state forest and park land (34,851 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 refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Zone 3Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 198 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 31.7% (40,161 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 566 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 430 |
| Four-season average | 477 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (200 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Low regulation set |
| Antler point rule | An antlered deer needs at least 3 points on one side |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 2.86 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Hamburg Mountain, Sparta Mountain |
How many deer are taken in Zone 3 each season?
566 in 2025-26, 136 more than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 477. Zone 3 gave 1.5% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 200 | 127 | 122 | 151 |
| Permit bow | 164 | 122 | 107 | 154 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 82 | 78 | 79 | 80 |
| Permit shotgun | 10 | 9 | 5 | 11 |
| Six-day firearm | 75 | 69 | 72 | 68 |
| Winter bow | 28 | 25 | 21 | 34 |
| Youth bow day | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Youth firearm day | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| All seasons | 566 | 430 | 410 | 502 |
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 3 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 3 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic County | 79,777 | 488 | 363 | 315 |
| Sussex County | 34,253 | 3,925 | 3,735 | 3,329 |
| Bergen County | 11,138 | 151 | 179 | 182 |
| Morris County | 1,618 | 2,432 | 2,130 | 2,115 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 3.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 3?
| 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. In Zone 3 an antlered deer must carry at least 3 points on one side of the rack. 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 3's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Sussex, Morris, Passaic, and Bergen Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 94 and the New York State line; then east along the New York State line to its intersection with Rt. 202 near Suffern; then south along Rt. 202 to its intersection with Rt. 287 in Oakland; then south on Rt. 287 to its intersection with Rt. 23 in Riverdale; then west along Rt. 23 to its intersection with Rt. 94 at Hamburg; then north along Rt. 94 to the point of beginning on the New York State line."
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 3?
31.7% of Zone 3 is public land: 40,161 of its 126,843 acres. The largest share is state forest and park land, 34,851 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 3 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and park land | 34,851 | 27.5% |
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 5,135 | 4% |
| National Park Service | 175 | 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 3
| WMA | Acres in Zone 3 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Hamburg Mountain | 5,087 | Franklin, Hardyston, Ogdensburg, Vernon |
| Sparta Mountain | 48 | Jefferson; Hardyston, Ogdensburg & Sparta |
Which zones border Zone 3?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | Medium | 180 | 1,597 | 1,565 | 13% |
| Zone 6 | Medium | 184 | 952 | 769 | 22% |
| Zone 36 | High | 763 | 1,060 | 1,029 | 0.7% |
Highways crossing Zone 3: NJ 23 (21 miles), NJ 94 (9 miles) and I-287 (9 miles). Towns inside: West Milford, Vernon, Hardyston and Ringwood.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 3 in 2025-26?
566 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 200 in fall bow, 164 in permit bow, 82 in permit muzzleloader, 75 in six-day firearm. The zone gave 430 in 2024-25, 410 in 2023-24 and 502 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 3?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 3 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 3?
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). Any antlered deer taken in Zone 3 must have at least 3 antler points on one side.
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 3?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Sussex, Morris, Passaic, and Bergen Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 94 and the New York State line." 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.