What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

New Jersey Fish & Wildlife

Home
United States
Trenton, NJ
New Jersey Fish & Wildlife

Directions Website Contact the organization

New Jersey Fish & Wildlife is a part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife (NJF&W) is a professional organization dedicated to the management and conservation of the state's fish and wildlife resources. NJF&W has a rich heritage dating back to 1892 and the creation of a commission form of wildlife administration with an appointed, salaried Fish and Game Protector. This was an addition to nine county wardens who were first authorized in 1871.

11/02/2026

New Jersey’s pheasant and quail seasons open this Saturday, November 7 at sunrise! Pheasants are stocked at 23 Wildlife Management Areas, Fort Dix and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Quail may be hunted or possessed only on Peaslee and Greenwood Forest WMAs where quail are stocked. The statewide quail hunting season remains closed everywhere else in the state.

A valid hunting license and Pheasant and Quail Stamp are required when hunting for pheasant or quail on stocked WMAs and federal properties. In addition, wearing a hunter orange hat is mandatory when fi***rm hunting for small game on stocked WMAs.

Good luck hunters!

Upland Game Bird Season and Regulations: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/upland-game-bird-season-and-regulations/

Purchase your hunting license and Pheasant and Quail Stamp: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/licenses-and-permits/

10/30/2026

Fall trout stocking wrapped up last week, and the fish have had some time to settle into their new environments. Alexis, Juliet, and Sandi enjoyed great days on the water this week, reeling in some nice Rainbow Trout. Remember that the daily creel limit was reduced from four fish to two fish beginning June 1 and remains in effect until Opening Day 2027.

Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery staff stocked 3,000 landlocked salmon averaging 14.5 inches in Lake Aeroflex, Tilcon Lake, and Wawayanda Lake this week, with Merrill Creek Reservoir soon to follow.

Keep in mind that cold-weather life jacket requirements go into effect on November 1: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/news-2023-10-05-boater-update-mandatory-winter-pfd-wear/

10/30/2026

A first for freshwater fish conservation in New Jersey!

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife successfully raised endangered Ironcolor Shiners at the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery and released more than 2,200 into protected habitat within the Upper Delaware watershed to establish a new conservation population.

This marks New Jersey’s first captive propagation and conservation release of an endangered freshwater fish. The pilot project brought together fisheries research, hatchery expertise, landowners, and regional habitat-conservation partners.

Stay tuned for the full story, including interviews with the biologists and partners behind this milestone!

10/28/2026

Permit Bow season opens this Saturday, October 31! If you have purchased your antlerless deer zone permit but haven't yet purchased a buck permit for permit bow season, you have until 11:59 p.m. Saturday to do so. The buck permit will still be available with the initial purchase of an antlerless deer zone permit after the season opens.

Purchase permits: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/licenses-and-permits/

Deer Season Regulations:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/deer-hunting-regulations.pdf

All permit deer seasons have buck permit purchase deadlines as follows:
Permit Bow Season: October 31 at 11:59 p.m.
Permit Muzzleloader Season: November 30 at 11:59 p.m.
Permit Sh***un Season: December 16 at 11:59 p.m.

Please Note: DMZs 45 & 46 are closed for Permit Bow Season and permits will not be sold for these zones.

📸 credit: Bill Klimas

10/27/2026

Learn how to process your deer harvest at our Northern Deer Butchering Workshop! Join the R3 Hunting and Shooting Sports Program for an opportunity to learn how to skin, cut, and package your own venison with a professional butcher.

Where: Growmark FS, Bloomsbury, NJ | Hunterdon County
When: Saturday, November 21 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Applications are NOW OPEN! Apply here 🔗: https://dep.nj.gov/event/deer-butchering-workshop-2026-11-21/

This workshop is offered in partnership with Hunters Helping the Hungry and Growmark FS.

10/26/2026

Get your hunter orange hats and vests ready, Pheasant Season is almost here!

The Youth Pheasant Hunt is Saturday, October 31 and Monday - Friday, November 2 - 6. Properly licensed and supervised youth hunters can hunt any of the 10 Wildlife Management Areas stocked specifically for this program. Visit https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/take-a-kid-hunting-program/ to see the list of stocked WMAs.

After the Youth Pheasant Hunt, the regular Pheasant Season opens Saturday, November 7 at sunrise. Pheasants are stocked at 23 Wildlife Management Areas, Fort Dix and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Quail are also stocked on two WMAs.

Pheasant Hunting Regulations:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/digest-hunting-and-trapping-2026-2027-segment-50-52.pdf

Pheasant Stocking Schedule:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/pheasant-and-quail-stocking-schedule-2.pdf

Pheasant Stocking Maps: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/hunting/pheasant-quail-stocking-maps/

Purchase your license and Pheasant and Quail Stamp: https://nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales

10/23/2026

Justin, Kaitlyn and Max caught some freshly stocked trout in this week’s ! NJDEP Fish & Wildlife staff finished up Fall Trout Stocking yesterday, with a total of 30,070 trout stocked across New Jersey waters over the past two weeks. Staff stocked 29,070 two-year-old trout, averaging 14.5 inches, and 1,000 three-year-old trout, averaging 20.3 inches. During the first week, crews focused on rivers and streams, while this week's efforts targeted lakes and ponds throughout the state.

After a couple of challenging fall trout seasons marked by low water conditions, this year's rainfall has helped create excellent fishing opportunities. With peak fall colors, comfortable temperatures, and freshly stocked waters, get outside and enjoy all that New Jersey has to offer!

🔗https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/trout-fishing-information/fall-trout-stocking-schedule/

10/23/2026

Follow Keith Dunton and his Monmouth University team as they tag sand tiger sharks and collect samples along the New Jersey coast, gathering valuable data for shark research and conservation.

The team conducts shark tagging and sampling under a Scientific Collecting Permit issued by NJDEP Fish & Wildlife.

Intentionally fishing for prohibited shark species, including sand tiger sharks, is illegal in New Jersey. If accidentally caught, these sharks must be released immediately without removing them from the water.

For marine fishing regulations and information from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Marine Resources Administration, visit: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/

10/22/2026

This National Seafood Month, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife's Shell Recycling Program wants to thank the industry that makes our work possible. 🦪🍽️ From the harvesters working our waters, to the restaurants serving up shellfish, to the at-home chefs adding shell to our public drop-offs, everyone plays a crucial role in our habitat enhancement efforts. Looking to enjoy some local seafood while contributing to our Shell Recycling Program? An up-to-date list of our restaurant partners, as well as the locations of our public drop-off sites, can be found here: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/shell-recycling-program/

10/21/2026

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program works to protect New Jersey’s aquatic habitats through monitoring, public reporting, and efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species. An important threat is the northern snakehead, an invasive predatory fish established in the Delaware River watershed. Snakeheads consume other fish and compete for food and habitat, threatening native species and recreational species like the largemouth bass. Tracking their distribution helps biologists guide management efforts and limit their spread into additional waters.

Anglers and other outdoor recreationists can help by reporting northern snakeheads and other suspected aquatic invaders through the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Reporting Form: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/aquatic-invasive-species/

Anglers who catch a northern snakehead must humanely destroy it; possession or release of live snakeheads is prohibited.

For identification and additional information, visit the New Jersey AIS Species Guide:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/nj-aquatic-invasive-species-guide.pdf

Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan: https://dep.nj.gov/invasive-species/aquatic-management-plan/

Address

501 East State Street
Trenton, NJ
08625

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.njfishandwildlife.nj.gov/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when New Jersey Fish & Wildlife posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.