This is not the full law. Consult the Division of Fish and Wildlife for further details. All persons are reminded that the statues, code and regulations are the legal authorities.
From the N.J. Fish & Wildlife Digest, A Summary of Rules and Management Information
Vol. ? No. ? AUGUST 2010

Deer Regulations

Legal Deer Hunting Hours are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Find Times: Sunrise and Sunset, Newark NJ

ONLY ONE ANTLERED DEER may be taken per season statewide, except during the Six-Day Firearm Season, regardless of the number of antlered buck permits in possession. To be legal, all deer havested must be registered at an official deer check station and have a metal possission seal affixed to the deer.

NOTE: Only one deer at a time may be taken during any permit season even if you possess both an antlered and antlerless permit, except in those zones in Regulation Sets 6 and 8 where two deer at a time may be harvestedduring the Permit Shotgun and Permit Muzzleloader Seasons.

NOTE: Sunday bowhunting for deer is legal only on state wildlife management areas and private property.

Quick jump index:

Licenses and Permits ~ 9/6/10

What's Legal?: Firearms, Ammunition & Bows ~ 9/5/10

Basic Regulations ~ 9/6/10

Deer Season Dates/Bag Limits ~ 9/5/10

Key Concepts and Definitions ~ 9/5/10

Places to Hunt Brochure (2006) (.pdf file)

Supplemental Tags & Deer Checking ~ 9/5/10

Youth Hunter Days (Bow and Firearm) ~ 9/5/10

Zone 25 Feral Hogs ~ 9/5/10

NJ Fish and Wildlife Pages of interest:

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Guidance.
Public Deer Hunting Land
Deer Management Zone Descriptions
Outstanding White-Tailed Deer Program

Key Concepts and Definitions

"Antlered deer" is defined as any deer with at least one antler measuring t least three inches in length as described above.

"Antler length" is defined as the maximum length of a deer antler measured from the lowest outside edge of the antler burr along the outer cure to the most distant point of what is or appears to be the main antler beam. For the purposes of this definition, the antler length does not include the pedicel or portion of skull between the skull plate and base of the antler point.

"Antlered point" is defined as any point at least one inch long from its tip to is base line, and the lenght must exceed the width at some location at least one inch down from the tip.

"Antlerless deer" is defined as any deer which does not have any antler measuring at least three inches in length. For the purposes of this definition, shed antlered deer and deer with broken antlers which measure less than three inches, are considered antlerless deer.

"Antlerless Buck Muzzleloader Permit, Antlered Buck Shotgun Permit or Antlered Buck Bow Permit" refers to the antlered buck permits available for purchase which are valid only when used in conjunction with the antlerless, zone-specific deer season permit. The antlered buck permits contain an antlered deer transportation tag and allows for the pursuit and harvest of an antlered deer only.

"Antler Point Restriction" zones include Zones 3, 9, 13, 27, 29, 35, 37, 40, 63 and 67. The harvest of antlered deer from these zones during any open season is restrictedto deer with at least one antler having a minimum of three antler points as defined above. The goal of the antler point restriction strategy, as part of Qualtiy Deer Management, is to reduce harvest pressure on the 1 1/2 year-old antlered deer in the expectation that they will survive to produce larger antlers as older animals.

Six Day Firearm Deer Season
Dec. 6-11, 2010

"Special Areas Deer Management" zones include Zones 37, 38, 39, 40, 53, 54, 56, 57, 68, 61, 64, 66, 67, 68 and 70. They are generally small, publicly-owned properties administered by county, federal or state agencies (other than Fish and Wildlife) where deer season dates, bag limits or regulations differ from those of the surrounding deer management zone.

"Youth Hunter" see Dates and Bag Limits for definition and additional info.