New Jersey Deer Management Zone 31: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 31 covers 48 square miles of Cumberland County. Hunters took 236 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, down from 307 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 75. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Medium regulation set, and an antlered deer must have at least 3 points on one side. 15.4% of the zone is public land, the largest share Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) (4,762 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)Zone 31Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 48 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 15.4% (4,762 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 236 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 307 |
| Four-season average | 288 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (75 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | Medium regulation set |
| Antler point rule | An antlered deer needs at least 3 points on one side |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 4.92 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Buckshutem, Millville, Clarks Pond, Cohansey River |
How many deer are taken in Zone 31 each season?
236 in 2025-26, 71 fewer than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 288. Zone 31 gave 0.6% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 75 | 119 | 91 | 155 |
| Permit bow | 63 | 86 | 66 | 86 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 27 | 36 | 24 | 40 |
| Permit shotgun | 37 | 29 | 37 | 25 |
| Six-day firearm | 19 | 14 | 23 | 19 |
| Winter bow | 11 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
| Youth bow day | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Youth firearm day | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| All seasons | 236 | 307 | 260 | 347 |
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 31 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 31 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 30,856 | 1,795 | 2,030 | 2,609 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 31.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 31?
| 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 | Five 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 | Five 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 | November 30, December 1, 14 to 24 and 26 to 31, 2026 and January 1 to 9, 2027 | Five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Muzzleloader Permit |
| Permit shotgun | December 14 to 18, 2026 and January 1 to 16, 2027 | Five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit |
| Winter bow | January 1 to 31, 2027 | Five 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. In Zone 31 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 31's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Cumberland County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersections of Rts. 77 and 49 at Bridgeton; then east on Rt. 49 to the Maurice River near Millville; then south along the west bank of the Maurice River near Millville; then south along the west bank of the Maurice River to Buckshutem Creek; then west on the north bank of Buckshutem Creek to its intersection with Buckshutem Road (County Road 670); then northwest on Buckshutem Road to its intersection with Cedarville Road (County Road 610); then southwest on Cedarville Road to its intersection with Newport Centre Grove Road (County Road 629); then southwest on Newport Centre Grove Road to its intersection with Rt. 553; then northwest along Rt. 553 to the Cohansey River at Fairton; then north on the east bank of the Cohansey River to Bridgeton, 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 31?
15.4% of Zone 31 is public land: 4,762 of its 30,856 acres. The largest share is Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs), 4,762 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 31 |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 4,762 | 15.4% |
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 31
| WMA | Acres in Zone 31 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Buckshutem | 3,701 | Washington & Whites |
| Millville | 384 | Millville,Commercial, Downe, Lawrence & Maurice Rivers |
| Clarks Pond | 324 | Fairfield |
| Cohansey River | 174 | Bridgeton, Fairfield, Greenwich & Hopewells |
| New Sweden | 113 | Fairfield & Lawrences |
| Cedarville Ponds | 40 | Lawrence |
Which zones border Zone 31?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 28 | Medium | 151 | 698 | 819 | 8.2% |
| Zone 29 | Medium | 113 | 594 | 634 | 19% |
| Zone 30 | Low | 108 | 302 | 310 | 32.3% |
| Zone 43 | Low | 29 | 126 | 169 | 68.3% |
| Zone 45 | Low | 71 | 154 | 73 | 50% |
Highways crossing Zone 31: NJ 49 (11 miles). Towns inside: Millville and Lawrence.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 31 in 2025-26?
236 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 75 in fall bow, 63 in permit bow, 37 in permit shotgun, 27 in permit muzzleloader. The zone gave 307 in 2024-25, 260 in 2023-24 and 347 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 31?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 31 uses the Medium 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 31, 2027 (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
How many antlerless deer can you take in Zone 31?
Five per season under the Medium regulation set: fall bow allows five antlerless deer and one antlered deer, and the permit shotgun season allows five antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an antlered buck shotgun permit (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27). Any antlered deer taken in Zone 31 must have at least 3 antler points on one side.
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 31?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Cumberland County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersections of Rts. 77 and 49 at Bridgeton." 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.