New Jersey Deer Management Zone 36: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 36 covers 763 square miles of Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Morris, Union, Passaic and Hudson counties. Hunters took 1,060 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, up from 1,029 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 446. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's High regulation set. 0.7% of the zone is public land, the largest share state forest and park land (2,608 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 36Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 763 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 0.7% (3,411 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 1,060 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 1,029 |
| Four-season average | 1,064 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (446 deer) |
| 2026-27 rules | High regulation set |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025-26 | 1.39 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Sawmill Creek |
How many deer are taken in Zone 36 each season?
1,060 in 2025-26, 31 more than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 1,064. Zone 36 gave 2.8% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 446 | 409 | 382 | 432 |
| Permit bow | 306 | 346 | 337 | 343 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 29 | 21 | 14 | 18 |
| Permit shotgun | 44 | 28 | 33 | 46 |
| Six-day firearm | 64 | 48 | 36 | 49 |
| Winter bow | 169 | 176 | 228 | 248 |
| Youth bow day | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Youth firearm day | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| All seasons | 1,060 | 1,029 | 1,031 | 1,136 |
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 36 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 36 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen County | 142,351 | 151 | 179 | 182 |
| Essex County | 82,099 | 147 | 134 | 110 |
| Middlesex County | 64,925 | 1,049 | 997 | 723 |
| Morris County | 63,739 | 2,432 | 2,130 | 2,115 |
| Union County | 49,961 | 211 | 238 | 232 |
| Passaic County | 45,309 | 488 | 363 | 315 |
| Hudson County | 31,402 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Somerset County | 4,894 | 2,393 | 2,608 | 2,286 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 36.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 36?
| 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 | Unlimited 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 | Unlimited 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 | Antlerless only November 23 to 25, 27 and December 7 to 12; either sex November 30, December 1, 14 to 24 and 26 to 31, 2026 and January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Muzzleloader Permit |
| Permit shotgun | Antlerless only November 23 to 25, 27 and December 7 to 12, 2026; either sex December 14 to 18, 2026 and January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit |
| Winter bow | January 1 to February 20, 2027 | Unlimited 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. 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 36's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Union, Somerset and Middlesex Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 202 and the New York State line near Suffern; then south on Rt. 202 to its intersection with Rt. 287 in Oakland; then south along Rt. 287 to its intersection with Rt. 23; then northwest along Rt. 23 to its intersection with Rt. 618; then south along Rt. 618 to its intersection with Rockaway Valley Road; then southwest along Rockaway Valley Road to its intersection with Diamond Spring Road; then south along Diamond Spring Road to its intersection with West Main Street in Denville; then south along West Main Street to its intersection with Rt. 80; then east along Rt. 80 to intersection with Rt. 511; then south on Rt. 511 to its intersection with Rt. 510; then west on Rt. 510 to its intersection with Rt. 124 at Morristown; then southeast on Rt. 124 to its intersection with Rt. 82; then southeast along Rt. 82 to its intersection with Rt. 22; then southwest on Rt. 22 to its intersection with Rt. 287 near Somerville; then southeast on Rt. 287 to its intersection with Rt. 18 near South Bound Brook; then southeast on Rt. 18 to its intersection with the New Jersey Turnpike; then north on the Turnpike to its intersection with the Raritan River; then east along the north bank of the Raritan River to Raritan Bay and the New York State line; then north along the New York State line to Arthur Kill and west bank of the Hudson River; then west along the New Jersey-New York border to the point of beginning near Suffern."
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 36?
0.7% of Zone 36 is public land: 3,411 of its 488,117 acres. The largest share is state forest and park land, 2,608 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 36 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and park land | 2,608 | 0.5% |
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 755 | 0.2% |
| National Park Service | 48 | under 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 36
| WMA | Acres in Zone 36 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Sawmill Creek | 752 | Lyndhurst; Kearny Town |
Which zones border Zone 36?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Low | 198 | 566 | 430 | 31.7% |
| Zone 6 | Medium | 184 | 952 | 769 | 22% |
| Zone 13 | High | 225 | 991 | 929 | 6.8% |
| Zone 14 | High | 320 | 1,443 | 1,615 | 4.4% |
| Zone 50 | High | 293 | 1,821 | 1,673 | 2% |
Highways crossing Zone 36: I-95 (155 miles), I-287 (70 miles), US 1 (69 miles), I-80 (64 miles), US 9 (63 miles) and I-78 (51 miles). Towns inside: Edison, Newark, Wayne and Parsippany-Troy Hills.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 36 in 2025-26?
1,060 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 446 in fall bow, 306 in permit bow, 169 in winter bow, 64 in six-day firearm. The zone gave 1,029 in 2024-25, 1,031 in 2023-24 and 1,136 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 36?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 36 uses the High 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 February 20, 2027 (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
How many antlerless deer can you take in Zone 36?
No limit in most seasons under the High regulation set: fall bow allows unlimited antlerless deer and one antlered deer, and the permit shotgun season allows unlimited antlerless deer; one antlered deer with an antlered buck shotgun permit (NJFW Deer Seasons 2026-27).
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 36?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Union, Somerset and Middlesex Counties lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of Rt. 202 and the New York State line near Suffern." 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.