On Monday, May 4, 2009, Senate Bill 802 was signed into law. This legislative change amends the law (N.J.S.A. 23:4-24) to legalize deer hunting on Sundays with a bow and arrow on Wildlife Management Areas and on private property only. The change does NOT include any firearm hunting for deer, nor does it allow any type of hunting with either bow or firearm for any species other than deer.

Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are those public lands defined as being under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. WMAs suitable for deer hunting are included on the list of land open to deer hunting. Legal Sunday bow hunting for deer became effective on the opening day of the fall 2009 hunting season.

Hunters are reminded that this privilege does NOT extend to other public lands, such as municipal or county parks, state parks or forests, or to any Federal lands. Therefore, you may legally bow hunt for deer on Sunday on any WMA open to deer hunting, but the following properties remain closed to Sunday deer hunting.

NO SUNDAY DEER HUNTING ON THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES:

STATE PARKS and RECREATION AREAS
NOTE: The former Wanaque WMA has been incorporated into Long Pond Ironworks State Park and is NOT open to Sunday bow hunting.

STATE FORESTS

COUNTY PARKS

ALL TOWNSHIP/MUNICIPALLY-OWNED LANDS

FEDERAL PROPERTIES

ALL OTHER PUBLIC LANDS