Wildlife Management Area REGULATIONS Regulations in red are new this year. Additional regulations involve the release of game Outboard Motors birds for training, the use of pigeons, the use of THE FOLLOWING ARE PROHIBITED: alcoholic firearms, frozen game birds, the use of call back Only electric motors are allowed on freshwater lakes beverages, camping, geocaching, cutting or dam- pens and the release of fox, raccoon, rabbit and and ponds owned by NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife aging vegetation, removing timber or firewood, hare. For more information call (609) 984-0547. areas with the exception of Union Lake where an dumping, fires, metal detecting, swimming, pic- outboard motor, not exceeding 9.9 hp, may be used. nicking and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles Field Trials On Prospertown Lake, only manually operated boats known as drones. and canoes are allowed. Wildlife management area (WMA) regulations A permit to conduct a field trial on a wildlife man- All titled boats must also be registered. Any boat are established by the Division of Fish and Wildlife agement area may be obtained by contacting Fish mechanically propelled, regardless of length, must be with penalties of not less than $50 nor more than and Wildlife at (609) 259-2132. registered. All boats greater than 12 feet, regardless $1,500. A second violation of any WMA regula- of propulsion means, must be titled and registered. tion will result in a five-year loss of all sporting Higbee Beach A boat license and New Jersey boat safety certificate licenses and privileges. are required to operate a power vessel on non-tidal Information on WMA regulations and permit Higbee Beach WMA is closed to hunting from waters of New Jersey. A boat license is not required applications may be obtained by writing to New Sept. 1 until 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2016. for non-powered vessels. Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, MC 501- 03, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420, or Horseback Riding Restricted Hours NJFishandWildlife.com/wmaregs.htm. Fish and Wildlife may revoke any permit (or other Horseback riding is allowed on designated WMAs Wildlife management areas are closed from 9 p.m. authorization) for violation or due cause. only by permit from the Division of Fish and Wild- until 5 a.m. unless engaged in lawful hunting, fish- life. Apply online at www.NJ.WildlifeLicense.com. ing or trapping activities. Special permission may be Boat Ramp Horseback riding permits should be displayed on granted for Fish and Wildlife-approved activities. outer clothing while riding. For more information Maintenance Permit on horseback riding permits, call (609) 259-2132. Target Practice Any vehicle used to transport or launch a vessel or Only archery, shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, water conveyance on the following WMAs must Hunting Regulations muzzleloading rifle, .177 and .22 caliber rimfire rifle have affixed to the lower corner of the driver’s side The restriction prohibiting firearm hunting on shooting is allowed in designated hunter training ranges rear window a boat ramp maintenance permit, or wildlife management areas on the day prior to according to regulations posted at the training area. a photocopy of a valid hunting, fishing or trapping the opening of the regular small game season for The following types of ranges are available on des- license. Be sure your Conservation ID number is pheasants and quail is rescinded. Pheasants are ignated WMAs statewide: clearly displayed; all other personal information stocked after dark, precluding interaction between • Shotgun Range: for use with clay birds and the may be blacked out for reasons of privacy. The Fish and Wildlife personnel and hunters or the patterning of fine shot; boat ramp maintenance permit fee is $15, avail- chance of prematurely harvesting a pheasant before • Archery Range: approved backstops at select able from a license agent or at Fish and Wildlife’s the season opens. ranges, no broadheads allowed; Internet sales site. For more information see: The quail season is closed statewide with the • Muzzleloading Rifle and Shotgun Slug Range: NJFishandWildlife.com/wmaregs.htm. exception of the Peaslee and Greenwood WMAs. for sighting in with shotgun slugs or buckshot, .177 Persons 70 years and older are not required to See Pheasants, page 55. or .22 caliber rimfire rifles and muzzleloaders; no obtain a boat ramp maintenance permit and need It is legal to use a .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber other firearms allowed. See page 71 for a list of no license, but must affix to their window proof rimfire short cartridges for hunting raccoon and ranges and requirements. of age, such as a former license displaying your opossum and for dispatching trapped animals other date of birth. than muskrat on WMAs. Unmanned Aerial 1. Round Valley 5. Mad Horse Creek For coyote and fox hunting: the use of .177 and .22 Angler Access 6. Union Lake caliber rimfire or .177 through .25 caliber centerfire Vehicles or Drones 2. Assunpink 7. Menantico Ponds rifle ammo is allowed on WMAs. See Coyote/Fox The use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or 3. Dennis Creek 8. Prospertown Lake ammo chart on page 54 for additional restrictions. drone is prohibited on WMAs. A UAV is computer- 4. Tuckahoe The use of air guns to hunt rabbit and squirrel is controlled for nearly their entire flight either autono- allowed on WMAs. See Air Guns page 25, and mously or by remote control of a pilot and has the Squirrel, Regular Season on page 56. Dog Training, capacity for autonomous flight and navigation. Exercising and Hunting Rifles, including muzzleloading rifles, may not be used to hunt woodchucks on WMAs. Waterfowl Blinds A person may exercise or train dogs only in desig- nated dog training areas from May 1 to Aug. 31, Motor Vehicles and Other No permanent waterfowl blinds, including pit blinds, inclusive and only on the following select WMAs: Forms of Conveyance shall be constructed, hunted from or used in any manner on any of the following WMAs: 1. Assunpink 8. Millville No person shall operate an unregistered vehicle on 2. Black River 9. Pequest 1. Assunpink 8. Whittingham any state WMA. All motor vehicles are restricted to 3. Clinton 10. Salem River 2. Black River 9. Beaver Swamp established public roads and parking areas. 4. Colliers Mills 11. Stafford Forge 3. Colliers Mills 10. Sedge Island All motor boats must be properly registered 5. Glassboro 12. Tuckahoe 4. Hainesville 11. Salem River and have all the required safety equipment. (See 6. Hainesville 13. Whittingham 5. Tuckahoe 12. Prospertown Outboard Motors, below.) 7. Manasquan 14. Winslow 6. Manahawkin 13. Paulinskill The use of dog sleds and dog carts, off road 7. Stafford Forge All dogs must be properly licensed. Dogs may be vehicles, ATVs, trail bikes, or snowmobiles is exercised or trained on any WMA from Sept. 1 prohibited on all WMAs unless authorized by Any blind used in these designated areas must be to April 30. Fish and Wildlife. portable and shall be completely removed at the end of the day. Blinds remaining in WMAs will be subject to confiscation and properly disposed of by 70 | New Jersey Hunting & Trapping Digest NJFishandWildlife.com Fish and Wildlife. Wildlife Management Area REGULATIONS Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Ranges The following information pertains to New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife facilities. Information on privately operated facilities is available at “Where To Shoot,” a site maintained by the National Shooting Sports Foundation at www.wheretoshoot.org • All WMA regulations apply. • Shotgun range: fine shot only. No buckshot or • Muzzleloading rifle range: muzzleloading fire- • Ranges are open 8 a.m. to sunset. rifled slugs. arms, shotguns with rifled slugs or buckshot and • At least one member of the shooting party must • Archery range: target or practice tips only. NO modern rimfire (both .177 and .22 caliber) rifles have a current, valid New Jersey hunting license broadheads are allowed on any WMA range, and air guns in calibers legal for hunting. in possession. whether practicing at the provided backstop or • No handguns or centerfire rifles permitted. shooting into your own target brought to the range. Northern Region Sussex County Southern Region Flatbrook WMA Hunterdon County Route 615, Layton Atlantic County Clinton WMA • Shotgun, Archery, Muzzleloader (75 yards) Makepeace Lake WMA Route 173W, Clinton Elmwood-Weymouth Rd., Weymouth • Shotgun, Archery, Muzzleloader (100 yards) Warren County • Shotgun, Muzzleloader (100 yards) • All target frames must measure a minimum 30 Pequest WMA • All target frames must measure a minimum 30 inches from base to bottom of the paper target held Pequest Rd., Oxford inches from base to bottom of the paper target held in the frame. Frames must be placed only on top of a • Archery in the frame. Frames must be placed only on top of a target mound located at the 25, 50 and 100 yard lines. target mound located at the 25, 50 and 100 yard lines. This minimum target height requirement eliminates Central Region This minimum target height requirement eliminates the risk of ricochet to ensure all projectiles are col- the risk of ricochet to ensure all projectiles are col- lected in the berm behind the 100 yard target. Monmouth County lected in the berm behind the 100 yard target. • Spinner type targets for .177 and .22 caliber fire- Assunpink WMA • Spinner type targets for .177 and .22 caliber fire- arms MUST be placed directly at the base of the Imlaystown-Hightstown Rd., Upper Freehold Twp. arms MUST be placed directly at the base of the 25 yard berm to direct all bullets into the berm. • Archery 25 yard berm to direct all bullets into the berm. These targets are not to be used at other yardage • Shotgun range is restricted to the use of non- These targets are not to be used at other yardage or target mound placements.