New Jersey Deer Management Zone 63: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and public land
New Jersey's Deer Management Zone 63 covers 45 square miles of Salem County. Hunters took 144 deer there in the 2025-26 seasons, down from 174 the year before, and fall bow gave the most, 44. For 2026-27 the zone follows NJFW's Low regulation set, and an antlered deer must have at least 3 points on one side. 17.8% of the zone is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (3,439 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 refugeZone 63Neighboring zonesHighway
| Size | 45 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 17.8% (5,142 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 144 |
| Deer taken, 2024-25 | 174 |
| Four-season average | 155 a season (2022-23 to 2025-26) |
| Busiest season, 2025-26 | Fall bow (44 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 | 3.2 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Wildlife management areas | Abbotts Meadow, Salem River |
How many deer are taken in Zone 63 each season?
144 in 2025-26, 30 fewer than in 2024-25; across the four seasons below the zone averaged 155. Zone 63 gave 0.4% of New Jersey's 38,438 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall bow | 44 | 32 | 32 | 31 |
| Permit bow | 33 | 59 | 49 | 51 |
| Permit muzzleloader | 31 | 33 | 38 | 24 |
| Permit shotgun | 2 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Six-day firearm | 19 | 15 | 18 | 18 |
| Winter bow | 11 | 23 | 13 | 11 |
| Youth firearm day | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| All seasons | 144 | 174 | 160 | 142 |
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 63 cover?
| County | Acres in Zone 63 | County deer, 2025-26 | County deer, 2024-25 | County deer, 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County | 28,821 | 1,670 | 1,830 | 2,036 |
Source: NJFW White-tailed Deer Harvest by County, 2021-22 to 2025-26. County figures cover the whole county, not just Zone 63.
When are the 2026-27 deer seasons in Zone 63?
| 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 63 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 63's boundaries?
NJFW's description: "That portion of Salem County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of the Salem Canal and the Delaware River at Deepwater; then eastward along the south bank of the Salem Canal to its intersection with the Salem River; then southward along the west bank of the Salem River to its intersection with Rt. 49 at Salem; then southeastward on Rt. 49 to its intersection with Alloway Creek at Quinton; then, southwest along the northern bank of the Alloway Creek to its intersection with the Delaware River; then northward along the east bank of the Delaware River and New Jersey State line to Finns Point and Fort Mott State Park; then northward along the New Jersey State Line to the Delaware River; then northwest along the east bank of the Delaware River; then northwestward along the east bank of the Delaware River and New Jersey State line to its intersection with the Salem Canal at Deepwater, the point of beginning."
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 63?
17.8% of Zone 63 is public land: 5,142 of its 28,876 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 3,439 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 63 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 3,439 | 11.9% |
| Fish and Wildlife land (WMAs) | 1,591 | 5.5% |
| State forest and park land | 112 | 0.4% |
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 63
| WMA | Acres in Zone 63 | Municipality (NJDEP) |
|---|---|---|
| Abbotts Meadow | 1,490 | Elsinboro & Lower Alloways Creek |
| Salem River | 103 | Multiple Municipalities |
Which zones border Zone 63?
| Zone | 2026-27 rules | Square miles | Deer, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 27 | Medium | 121 | 668 | 707 | 6.2% |
| Zone 29 | Medium | 113 | 594 | 634 | 19% |
Highways crossing Zone 63: NJ 49 (12 miles) and I-295 (3 miles). Towns inside: Pennsville, Elsinboro and Salem.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in New Jersey Deer Zone 63 in 2025-26?
144 (NJFW 2025-26 New Jersey Total Deer Harvest): 44 in fall bow, 33 in permit bow, 31 in permit muzzleloader, 19 in six-day firearm. The zone gave 174 in 2024-25, 160 in 2023-24 and 142 in 2022-23.
When is the six-day firearm season in Zone 63?
December 7 to 12, 2026, with a bag limit of two antlered deer, one at a time. Zone 63 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 63?
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 63 must have at least 3 antler points on one side.
Where is New Jersey Deer Zone 63?
NJFW's description begins: "That portion of Salem County lying within a continuous line beginning at the intersection of the Salem Canal and the Delaware River at Deepwater." 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.