Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Fish & Wildlife
The Black River Wildlife Management Area in Chester Township, Morris County, consists of over 3,000 acres of diverse landscapes and plentiful flora and fauna. The WMA is named for the Black River which passes through a portion of Morris County before becoming the Lamington River. The area is well known for birding, hunting, and fishing.
Bureau of Land Management staff plant wildflowers and warm season grass mix to boost habitat and help pollinators. Look for river otters, belted kingfishers, waterfowl, and a variety of songbirds. A converted rail bed, now a foottrail, provides the best opportunity to see the freshwater wetland and riparian habitat on foot. Spring migration brings a plethora of warblers to the area. Look for blue-winged and chestnut-sided warblers in the fields. Red foxes and red-tailed hawks are common.
Opportunities are limited, but anglers can try fishing for bass and panfish in the small ponds throughout the area. The Black River is stocked with trout approximately two miles south of the tract’s southwestern boundary, but access to the river can be difficult except by canoe.
Morris County’s Patriot’s Path hiking trail crosses through the Black River WMA. The land showcases river bottom, swampy woodland, freshwater marsh, fields, and upland deciduous woods.
The Wildlife Management Area has archery and shotgun ranges, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., located on the west side of Dover-Chester Road.
DMZ 9 provides varied terrain and a large herd for deer hunting. The turkey population in THA 9 is modest, and seasoned callers can be successful in the spring and fall seasons. Wood ducks, black ducks, and mallards provide waterfowl hunting opportunities along the six-mile section of the Black River that flows through the tract. Upland game hunters can find cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, and woodcock. Pheasants are stocked during the small game season. The WMA’s dog training area is also stocked with chukar in October.
There are several different parking areas at the WMA. The main lot and ranges are located off North Road, also called County Route 513 north of Chester and Route 206. Access is also available by heading north on Route 206 from Chester towards Flanders. Other access points are along Pleasant Hill Road and Ironia Road on the western side of the WMA. The Patriot’s Path Trailhead can be accessed at the Southern end of the WMA along Pleasant Hill Road.
Owned by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Fish & Wildlife, the Wildlife Management Area System is comprised of more than 360,000 acres in 122 areas throughout the state, which is more than 44% of New Jersey’s state-owned public open space. WMAs are maintained and supported with funding from hunting and fishing license sales, the Federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and the Wildlife Habitat Supporter Program.
Support the maintenance of New Jersey’s Wildlife Management Areas by becoming a Wildlife Habitat Supporter! Donate now and get your Third Edition sticker:
WMAs are patrolled by NJ Fish & Wildlife Conservation Police Officers to ensure public safety. If you see violations while visiting a WMA, please call the 24-hour DEP hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
