DMZ 36, New Jersey
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Bear
- Group
- Zones 30–39
- Area
- 8,208 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 1,031
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
AI-compiled · sourcedDMZ 36 is New Jersey's largest suburban deer zone, stretching across Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Union, Somerset, and Middlesex counties in the densely populated northern corridor. Under Regulation Set 8 — the most liberal in the state — hunters enjoy an unlimited antlerless bag limit, making it a top zone for antlerless harvest in a region where suburban deer populations run high. Public hunting access is limited primarily to county parks and scattered WMAs, with most hunting occurring on private land by permission.
Heavily urbanized and suburban landscape punctuated by forested ridges, river corridors, reservoirs, and preserved open space parcels. Morris and Passaic county portions contain Watchung Mountains foothills, Ramapo highlands, and forested tracts with heavier deer cover. Essex, Hudson, Union, and Bergen are predominantly dense suburb with green corridors along the Passaic, Raritan, and Hackensack rivers.
High. Suburban deer densities attract heavy hunting interest, but access constraints concentrate pressure on the limited public parcels. Private land hunters with permission face less competition. Archery is the dominant legal method across most of the zone given setback and safety-zone rules near residential development.
DEER: Regulation Set 8 — unlimited antlerless bag limit; 2 antlered deer per season. Fall Bow Sept. 13–Oct. 31 2025 (antlerless first required Sept. 13–Oct. 3); Permit Bow Nov. 1–Dec. 31 2025; Winter Bow Jan. 1–Feb. 21 2026; Youth Firearm Day Nov. 22 2025; Six-Day Firearm Dec. 8–13 2025; Permit Shotgun/Muzzleloader Nov. 24 2025–Feb. 14 2026. Zone 36 is included in the DRS Multi-Zone Permit (Reg Set 8 zones: 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 36, 49, 50, 51) at $56 adult/$24 youth. No special area weapon restrictions on record for this zone. BEAR: Active bear harvest in Bergen, Morris, and Passaic county portions; Bear Management Zones 1–5 govern; 2025 season Segment A Oct. 13–18 and Segment B Dec. 8–13. TURKEY: Turkey Hunting Area 10 — spring season late April through late May (2 bearded gobblers); fall archery-only season in September (1 bird per permit).
Regulation Set 8 — the most permissive in New Jersey — applies to Zone 36, allowing unlimited antlerless deer per season. Deer densities are among the highest in the state due to decades of suburban growth and limited predator pressure. The six-day firearm season (Dec. 8-13) applies statewide including this zone. Bear harvest is documented in Bergen, Morris, and Passaic counties (all within this zone), with 2025 season taking 65 bears in Morris and 29 in Passaic counties. Turkey hunting falls under Turkey Hunting Area 10, which covers all Zone 36 counties.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMZ 36— 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 36.
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.