What hunting season is it in USA?

21 July 11:20

James Brown

Plan your 2025–26 NJ hunting with our state‑by‑state guide—season dates, bag limits, licenses, bow & rifle rules, and key game species from whitetail deer to wild turkey to ducks. Whether you’re drawing a compound bow for rutting bucks in the Pine Barrens, slipping into cranberry bog ditches for wood ducks at dawn, or tracking coyote year‑round on private lands, New Jersey’s coastal marshes, hardwood forests, and farmland provide premier big game and small game opportunities under clear regulations. What Is There to Hunt in New Jersey? New Jersey’s varied habitats support: Big Game: Whitetail deer, wild turkey, black bear (limited draw), moose (rare permit), invasive feral swine (no closed season) Small Game & Upland Birds: Cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, pheasant (WMAs) Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks (mallard, teal, black duck), Canada geese, brant, rails, coots, mourning dove Furbearers & Predators: Coyote, raccoon, fox, muskrat, opossum From the Pinelands to the Highlands to the bayshore, New Jersey offers healthy state animal populations across distinct seasons. What Animals Can You Hunt Year‑Round in New Jersey? On private lands with explicit landowner permission—and appropriate license—you may harvest nuisance species such as coyote, raccoon, opossum, and invasive feral hogs year‑round with no bag limits, aiding predator control. Public Wildlife Management Areas enforce posted season dates and method restrictions. New Jersey Big Game Hunting Seasons 2025–26 Whitetail Deer Archery: Oct 13 – Dec 31, 2025 Youth Firearms: Oct 18–19, 2025 Firearms: Nov 29 – Dec 11, 2025 Muzzleloader: Dec 20 – Dec 24, 2025 Late Antlerless: Jan 3 – Jan 16, 2026 Bag limit: up to one buck (fork‑tined or better) per season during firearms; archery allows two antlered deer statewide but check county quotas. Wild Turkey (Spring) Spring Youth Hunt: Apr 19–25, 2026 Spring General: Apr 26 – May 23, 2026 Fall Archery (limited areas): Sept 20 – Sept 26, 2025 Spring turkey tags include shotgun and bow options; fall archery permits issue by draw. Black Bear Draw Hunts Only: Sept 1 – Oct 31, 2025 Bear permits allocate via computerized lottery; harvested bears require mandatory tagging and tooth submission. New Jersey Small Game & Waterfowl Seasons 2025–26 Small Game & Upland Birds Rabbit & Squirrel: Oct 1 – Feb 28, 2026 Ruffed Grouse & Woodcock: Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2025 Bobwhite Quail & Pheasant: Oct 1 – Jan 15, 2026 (WMAs only) Mourning Dove: Sept 1 – Nov 20, 2025 Shotguns with non‑toxic shot required; upland hunters rely on dogs and careful call and decoy setups. Waterfowl & Migratory Birds Early Teal: Sept 6 – Sept 27, 2025 Regular Duck Season: Nov 15 – Jan 31, 2026 (zones split) Goose Season: Nov 22 – Jan 31, 2026 Rails & Coots: Sept 1 – Nov 9, 2025 Shooting Hours: Sunrise – sunset; Federal Duck Stamp, HIP, and state waterfowl permit required Delaware Bay and southern marsh WMAs host peak migrations. Daily duck bag limit is 6 with species sub‑limits. Bag Limits by Species Whitetail Deer: 1 buck per firearms season; archery quotas vary Wild Turkey: 2 per spring; 1 fall archery Black Bear: 1 per draw permit Ducks: 6/day; 2 black ducks max, 2 teal max Geese: 5/day Rails & Coots: 15 & 25 per day Rabbit & Squirrel: 8/day each Coyote & Feral Hogs: No limits on private lands Bag limits maintain sustainable big game and small game harvests. License & Tags Information for New Jersey Hunters (2025–26) All hunters must carry a valid NJDEP license and required permits: Resident Hunting License: $18; Nonresident: $84 Deer Tags: $21 (buck); $5 (antlerless) Turkey Permit: $10; youth tags free by application Waterfowl Permit: $6; Federal Duck Stamp & HIP required Bear Permit: $25 (draw only) Furbearer Permit: $10; includes raccoon, muskrat, opossum Licenses fund wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, and enforcement; draw applications open mid‑summer. Hunting Methods: Bow, Rifle, Muzzleloader New Jersey authorizes: Archery: Compound, recurve bows, crossbows (archery seasons) Firearms: Center‑fire rifles, shotguns (slugs & buckshot) Muzzleloaders: Permitted during December window Dogs & Bait: Allowed for raccoon and waterfowl (retrievers) under WMA rules Confirm caliber, draw weight, and non‑toxic shot requirements for each season. Regulations & Resources NJDEP regulations cover: Shooting Hours: Sunrise – sunset (waterfowl sunrise rule) Zone Maps & Boundaries: WMAs, county zones online Harvest Reporting: Mandatory for deer, turkey, bear within 48 hrs Special Areas: Wildlife management areas, refuge closures, and CWD surveillance zones Before you head out, always verify season dates, bag limits, and license requirements on the official New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife website to stay compliant and ensure a legal, ethical hunt. This guide was created based on information from New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDEP): https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/digest-hunting-and-trapping-2024-2025-segment-26-45.pdf With well‑defined seasons, clear bag limits, and streamlined license systems, New Jersey delivers exceptional hunting for whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl, and predators. Prepare your bow or rifle, secure proper tags, and enjoy the Garden State’s diverse wildlife heritage on your 2025–26 hunt.