DMZ 27, New Jersey

Low-lying Delaware Valley agricultural landscape dominated by row-crop fields (corn, soy), bottomland hardwoods, tidal wetlands, and creekside cover along the Salem and Cohansey rivers. Terrain is flat to gently rolling with fertile soils supporting high deer carrying capacity.

Moderate — private land access filters overall pressure, but agricultural areas draw concentrated deer activity and local hunting interest is high.

Deer: 3-point antler restriction on one side required for antlered harvest. Seasons include Fall Bow (Sept 13–Oct 31), Permit Bow (Nov 1–Dec 31), Six-Day Firearm (Dec 8–13, 2 antlered deer), Permit Muzzleloader and Permit Shotgun (zone-specific dates through Feb 14, 2026). Antlerless-only permits available for permit bow, muzzleloader, and shotgun seasons; zone-specific quotas set annually by NJDEP. Harvest must be reported same day by 7–8 p.m. Turkey: spring and fall seasons available on WMAs per NJDEP Turkey Hunting Area designations covering southern NJ zones. Bear: not applicable — DMZ 27 is in southern NJ, outside bear management area.

Strong resident deer herd supported by abundant agricultural food sources. The Delaware River corridor and bottomland edges provide excellent stand locations during the rut. Three-point antler restriction (at least 3 points on one side) encourages quality deer management. Turkey populations present across wooded drainages. No bear hunting — zone is well outside the northern NJ bear range (Sussex, Warren, Passaic, Morris counties).