DMZ 1, New Jersey
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Bear, Turkey
- Group
- Zones 10–19
- Area
- 789 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 455
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Deer, Bear, Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedDMZ 1 covers the northwestern tip of Sussex County along the Kittatinny Ridge and Delaware River corridor, encompassing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and adjacent WMAs. This remote, mountainous zone offers excellent public-land deer hunting with low pressure relative to the rest of New Jersey, plus black bear hunting through the state permit system and strong wild turkey populations on Flatbrook-Roy, Walpack, and Hainesville WMAs.
Rugged Kittatinny Mountain ridgeline and river bottomland along the east bank of the Delaware River in northwestern Sussex County. Steep wooded slopes, laurel-choked hollows, and fertile river flats define the zone. Elevations range from river level to over 1,500 feet on the ridge.
low
Deer: Regulation Set 2 — Fall Bow (Sept 13–Oct 31), Permit Bow (Nov 1–22), Youth Day Firearm (Nov 22), Six-Day Firearm (Dec 8–13, antlered), Permit Muzzleloader (Dec 1–2, Dec 15–16, Dec 20–31, Jan 1–10), Permit Shotgun (Dec 17–19, Jan 3–Feb 14), Winter Bow (Jan 1–Feb 21). Shotguns and muzzleloaders required for firearm seasons — no centerfire rifles for deer statewide. Antlerless deer require a permit in permit seasons. Bear: Sussex County falls within NJ primary bear range; Segment A (archery/muzzleloader, mid-October), Segment B (shotgun/muzzleloader, December) open in zones 1–5; one bear per segment max, two per season with permits. Turkey: Spring permit season (April–May, lottery-based); fall archery season available. Public turkey hunting on Flatbrook-Roy, Walpack, Hainesville WMAs and Delaware Water Gap NRA.
One of NJ's most remote and least-pressured deer zones. Large contiguous blocks of public land on the Kittatinny Ridge hold good deer numbers. Zone also falls within NJ's primary black bear range (Sussex County) with bear hunting open in Bear Zones 1-5 during October and December segments. Strong spring turkey hunting on multiple WMAs. Flatbrook WMA hosts a mandatory bear check station.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMZ 1— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about DMZ 1.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: NJDEP official Deer Management Zones. Community info last updated 23d ago.