Upland Game Birds

Regulations in red are new this year.

Upland Game Birds

REGULATIONS

Upland Game Bird Seasons 2021–22

No Sunday hunting except commercial and semi-wild hunting preserves.

Species Season Hunting Hours Bag Limit

Bobwhite quail (wild), Ruffedgrouse Closed statewide

Stocked quail may be taken at Peaslee and Greenwood

WMAsidentiﬁed below and on commercial and semi-

wild hunting preserves

Bobwhite quail

Nov. 6, 2021 at 8 a.m.–Jan. 31, 2022

Closed Dec. 6–11 & 15, 2021

Sunrise–½ hr after sunset

4 quail

May be taken only at:

Greenwood Forest WMA, Peaslee WMA ONLY.

heasant & Quail Stamp required.

Chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge,

Pheasant

Nov. 6, 2021 at 8 a.m.–Feb. 21, 2022

Closed Dec. 6–11 & 15, 2021

Sunrise–½ hr after sunset

7 partridge, 2 pheasant

See Pheasant Stocking schedule on page 55.

Youth Upland Bird Day

Pheasant

For properly licensed Youth hunters, under

direct supervision of licensed, non-hunting

adult (21 or older)

Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021

7 a.m. start (Guided)

1 p.m. start (Open hunt)

2 pheasant

See Youth Pheasant Hunt Day Information on page 20.

Youth Pheasant Days

For properly licensed Youth hunters, under

irect supervision of licensed, non-hunting

adult (21 or older)

Nov. 1–5, 2021 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset

2 pheasant

See Youth Pheasant Hunt Days Information on page 20.

Commercial Shooting Preserves

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge/Mallard

Sept. 1, 2021–May 1, 2022 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset

No limit

Must be tagged prior to transport off

CommercialPreserve

Sunday Hunting Allowed

Semi-Wild Preserves

Pheasant/Quail/Partridge

Nov. 6, 2021 at 8 a.m.–March 15, 2022 Sunrise–½ hr. after sunset

No limit

Must be tagged prior to transport off semi-wild area

Sunday Hunting Allowed

Crow

Aug. 9, 2021–Mar. 19, 2022

(Mon.,Thurs.,Fri. & Sat. only)

8 a

.m. start Nov. 6, 2021 on Stocked WMAs

Closed Dec. 6–11, 2021

unrise–½ hr after sunset No limit

Woodcock See Other Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons table on page 63. HIP Certiﬁcate Required ($2)

Dogs are allowed when hunting pheasant, quail, partridge, crow and woodcock.

Species restricted to those approved on Commercial/Semi-Wild license.

What Do I Need to Hunt Upland Game Birds in NJ?

Area Hunting License Pheasant/Quail Stamp Hunter Orange Report Harvest

Stocked WMAs Yes Yes Orange Hat

required Firearm No

Delaware Water Gap NRA Yes Yes Orange Hat

required Firearm No

Semi-Wild and Commercial

Preserves

Yes No Yes, except hunting mallards No, but birds must be tagged.

A SOLID hunter orange hat (no camouflage/logos) is required as part of the 200 sq. inch hunter orange requirement when hunting small game with a firearm on any pheasant/

quail-stocked WMA. (See page 55.)

Firearms, Bows and Ammunition Legal for Upland Game Birds

Weapon Type Gauge, Caliber or Draw Weight Projectile(s) Weapon Transportation

Bow: long, recurve, compound or crossbow

capable of ﬁring a single projectile only

35 pounds pull at archer’s draw length (long and

recurve bows) or peak weight (compound bow) or 75

pounds minimum drawweight (crossbow).

Arrow or bolt with ﬂu ﬂu ﬂetching and

using blunt, ﬁeld, or judo points

All bows MUST be unnocked or uncocked

Shotgun: single or double barrel

Not larger than 10 gauge or smaller than .410 caliber

and capable of holding no morethan three shells.

No shot larger than #4 ﬁne shot

Shotguns MUST be cased and unloaded

while in or on a vehicle, including

ATVs/UTVs.

| New Jersey Hunting & Trapping Digest NJFishandWildlife.com 2021 Issue54

Regulations in red are new this year.

Upland Game Birds

PHEASANT AND QUAIL STOCKING SCHEDULE

Pheasant Stocking Schedule 2021

Birds stocked the evening prior to the hunting dates listed below. Pheasant & Quail Stamp required in addition to hunting license.

Northern Region County

Dog

Training

Area

Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Tuesday Thursday Season

11/6 11/9 11/11 11/13 11/16 11/18 11/20 11/23 11/25 11/27 12/18 12/21 12/23 12/28 12/30 Total

Berkshire Valley Morris No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Black River Morris Yes 290 170 170 260 170 170 170 170 260 170 170 170 170 170 170 2,850

Clinton Hunterdon Yes 340 200 200 300 200 200 200 200 300 200 200 200 200 200 200 3,340

Delaware Water

Gap N.R.A.

Sussex/

Warren

No 530 320 320 470 320 320 320 320 470 320 320 320 320 320 320 5,310

Flatbrook Sussex No 350 210 210 310 210 210 210 210 310 210 210 210 210 210 210 3,490

Pequest Warren Yes 290 170 170 260 170 170 170 170 260 170 170 170 170 170 170 2,850

Walpack Sussex No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Whittingham Sussex Yes 280 170 170 250 170 170 170 170 250 170 170 170 170 170 170 2,820

Central Region 11/6 11/9 11/11 11/13 11/16 11/18 11/20 11/23 11/25 11/27 12/18 12/21 12/23 12/28 12/30 Total

Assunpink Monmouth Yes 540 320 320 480 320 320 320 320 480 320 320 320 320 320 320 5,340

Colliers Mills Ocean Yes 330 200 200 300 200 200 200 200 300 200 200 200 200 200 200 3,330

Greenwood

(Howardsville

Section)

Ocean No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Manahawkin Ocean No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Manasquan Ocean Yes 190 110 110 170 110 110 110 110 170 110 110 110 110 110 110 1,850

Medford Burlington No 140 80 80 130 80 80 80 80 130 80 80 80 80 80 80 1,360

Stafford Forge Ocean Yes 270 160 160 240 160 160 160 160 240 160 160 160 160 160 160 2,670

Fort Dix Ocean No 60 0 0 50 50 60 0 0 70 60 0 0 0 0 0 350

Southern Region 11/6 11/9 11/11 11/13 11/16 11/18 11/20 11/23 11/25 11/27 12/18 12/21 12/23 12/28 12/30 Total

Dix

Cumberland

No 210 130 130 190 130 130 130 130 190 130 130 130 130 130 130 2,150

Glassboro Gloucester Yes 170 100 100 150 100 100 100 100 150 100 100 100 100 100 100 1,670

Heislerville

Cumberland

No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Mad Horse Salem No 150 90 90 140 90 90 90 90 140 90 90 90 90 90 90 1,510

Millville

Cumberland

Yes 570 340 340 510 340 340 340 340 510 340 340 340 340 340 340 5,670

Nantuxent

Cumberland

No 190 110 110 170 110 110 110 110 170 110 110 110 110 110 110 1,850

Port Republic Atlantic No 80 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 70 50 50 50 50 50 50 820

Tuckahoe Cape May Yes 180 110 110 160 110 110 110 110 160 110 110 110 110 110 110 1,820

Winslow Camden No 230 140 140 210 140 140 140 140 210 140 140 140 140 140 140 2,330

Statewide Totals 5790 3430 3430 5170 3480 3490 3430 3430 5190 3490 3430 3430 3430 3430 3430 57480

Quail Stocking Schedule 2021

Statewide

Dog

Training

Area

Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Tuesday Thursday Season

11/6 11/9 11/11 11/13 11/16 11/18 11/20 11/23 11/25 11/27 12/18 12/21 12/23 12/28 12/30 Total

Greenwood Ocean No 600 280 260 400 280 400 400 280 600 260 260 400 400 280 400 5,500

Peaslee

Cumberland

No 600 280 260 400 280 400 400 280 600 260 260 400 400 280 400 5,500

Maps showing the areas to be stocked with pheasants during the small game season can be found at NJFishandWildlife.com/smgame_info.htm

WMAs with dog training areas receive 20 chukar each week (Saturday), for the four weeks of pre-season for dog training purposes.

2021 Issue NJFishandWildlife.com New Jersey Hunting & Trapping Digest | 55

Regulations in red are new this year.

The statewide quail hunting season is closed except at Peaslee

WMA and Greenwood Forest WMA where Fish and Wildlife will pro-

vide hunters and falconers the opportunity to hunt for quail.

No person may release quail for dog training purposes on the following

WMAs: Buckshutem, Dix, Egg Island, Fortescue, Millville (Bevans), Nantux-

ent, New Sweden and Stafford Forge.

See Upland Game Bird Seasons chart, page 54 for season dates and

bag limits. Exception: This statewide closure does not apply to certain

semi-wild and commercial shooting preserves that were permitted to

stock quail during the 2009–10 season, the only ones that may continue

to stock quail.

Areas Open to Quail Hunting

Upland Game Birds

REGULATIONS

Ruffed grouse rely on young forest habitat which currently comprise

only 5% of state forest lands. This lack of habitat has caused grouse

populations to decline below the level necessary to support a hunting

season. In an effort to reduce the decline, the grouse hunting season is

closed statewide. Noexceptions.

Ruffed Grouse Season Closed

Edible portions do not include meat from the head or neck; meat that has been damaged by the method of taking; bones, sinew, and meat reasonably lost

as a result of butchering, boning, or close trimming of bones, or viscera. Edible portions do not include meat from diseased or scavenged carcasses. See

Wanton Waste of Game, page 23.

For rabbit and squirrel:

• Front shoulders

• Thighs

• Backstrap

For game birds such

as turkey:

• breast, legs and thighs

For game birds other

than turkey:

• breast

Edible Portions Guide

Anyone aged 16 and over (except 16-year-olds who are still eligible to

use their youth firearm license) hunting or possessing pheasant (or quail

only on Greenwood Forest or Peaslee WMAs) on the following designated

wildlife management areas must have in possession a current Pheasant

and Quail Stamp:

Assunpink, Berkshire Valley, Black River, Clinton, Colliers Mills, Dix, Flat-

brook, Glassboro, Greenwood Forest, Howardsville, Heislerville, Mad Horse,

Manahawkin, Manasquan River, Medford, Millville (Bevan), Nantuxent,

Peaslee, Pequest, Port Republic, Rockport, Stafford Forge, Tuckahoe (Mac-

Namara), Walpack, Whittingham and Winslow. The Delaware Water Gap

National Recreation Area is also a designated pheasant and quail stamp

area. Pheasant and quail stamps are valid for the calendar year, January–

December. Quail may be hunted or possessed ONLY on Peaslee or Green-

wood Forest WMAs.

Pheasant and Quail Stamp

Scan this QR code or

follow the link for maps

of the pheasant and quail

stocked fields for each

stocked WMA.

Go to

NJFishandWildlife.

com/pheasmaps.htm.

Pheasant and Quail Stocking Maps

| New Jersey Hunting & Trapping Digest NJFishandWildlife.com 2021 Issue56