DMZ 22, New Jersey
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- Zones 20–29
- Area
- 1,399 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 157
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, Turkey, Bear also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
Sign in to contributeDMZ 22 encompasses the rolling hills and mixed hardwood forests of Morris and Hunterdon counties in northern-central New Jersey, including significant public land in the Farny Highlands, Lewis Morris County Park vicinity, and multiple WMAs such as Splitrock Reservoir and Berkshire Valley. Hunters here pursue a healthy white-tailed deer herd under a structured antlerless permit system, with archery, shotgun, muzzleloader, and permit antlerless seasons available, plus a resident black bear population in the Morris County portion. Wild turkey are also present throughout the oak-hickory ridges and agricultural edges of this zone.
Rolling Highlands and mixed hardwood ridges typical of the New Jersey Highlands physiographic region; oak-hickory forest dominant with hemlock-lined stream corridors, rocky outcrops, and interspersed agricultural fields and wetlands; elevation ranges roughly 400-1200 ft in the Farny and Hunterdon Highlands
Significant public land including Splitrock Reservoir WMA, Berkshire Valley WMA, Black River WMA, Farny State Park, Hacklebarney State Park, and portions of Voorhees State Park; Hunterdon County also offers Spruce Run Recreation Area and Ken Lockwood Gorge WMA; large blocks of private farmland and suburban woodlots also available with landowner permission
Moderate; public WMAs receive consistent pressure especially during the 6-day firearm season, while interior state forest parcels and mid-week archery hunting remain less pressured; proximity to NY metro area drives weekend crowding on popular tracts
Deer: 6-day antlered firearm season (typically first week of December), permit bow season (October through January with breaks), permit muzzleloader season, and permit antlerless firearm seasons with zone-specific antlerless permit quotas set annually by NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife — DMZ 22 typically receives a moderate antlerless allocation reflecting a managed herd; shotgun-only restriction applies (no rifles for deer statewide in NJ); Bear: DMZ 22 falls within the primary NJ black bear management zone covering Morris County — bear hunting seasons (typically archery, muzzleloader, and firearm segments in October-December) require a separate bear permit issued by lottery; season structure and permit numbers vary annually based on population objectives; Turkey: spring gobbler season (late April through May) statewide with a 2-bird limit; fall turkey hunting also permitted in season with a firearm or archery tag
Strong deer herd with good antler genetics in the hardwood ridges; Morris County overlaps core NJ black bear range making DMZ 22 one of the few zones where deer and bear tags can be combined in a single hunt; excellent fall turkey hunting in acorn-heavy oak stands; Splitrock and Berkshire Valley WMAs offer large contiguous blocks of walk-in access with minimal development pressure
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMZ 22— 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 22.
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 114d ago.