Deer Hunt Starts This Saturday In 14 Morris County Parks

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — The annual fall deer hunt beings for the season this weekend, with 14 Morris County parks starting their hunt this Saturday.

The annual population management hunt is used as a way to help quell the threat to biodiversity posed to local flora and fauna by the white tailed deer. Controlled hunts take place around the county during the hunts.

"The [Morris County Park Commission's] controlled hunts are specifically used as a population management tool and do not represent recreational hunting opportunities," the county stressed on their website.

It's still safe to visit the parks during the hunt, but officials say they understand park-goers might not be comfortable with that.

"While individuals are generally permitted to visit the parks on dates when bow hunting could be occurring, the MCPC understands that not everyone is comfortable hiking in areas where hunting may be taking place. Hunting is never permitted in every park in the park system during a given year. Individuals are advised to consult the hunt schedule to determine what other options in the park system are available to them for recreational pursuits," officials say.

All hunters must be permitted to hunt in the county parks. Permits are park-specific, and only allow for deer.

The deer hunt starts this Saturday in the following parks:

• Jonathan's Woods (Denville, Rockaway, Boonton Twp.)
• Mahlon Dickerson Reservation (Jefferson & Sparta)
• Minnisink Reservation (Jefferson & Roxbury)
• Mount Hope County Park (Rockaway)
• Silas Condict County Park (Kinnelon)
• Black River Facilities (Chester Twp. & Bedminster)
• Schooley's Mountain County Park - North (Washington)
• Mount Paul Memorial County Park (Chester Twp & Mendham Twp)
• Fosterfields Living Historical Farm - South (Morris)
• Frelinghuysen Arboretum - North Tract (Hanover & Morris)
• James Andrews Memorial County Park (Randolph)
• Passaic River County Park (Chatham Twp & Long Hil)
• Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area (Boonton Twp, Kinnelon, Montville)
• Waughaw Mountain Greenway (Kinnelon)

A number of parks will allow for hunting starting on Monday, Sept. 16, and generally do not allow hunting on the weekends at all. You can see the full fall and winter hunt schedule here.

All fall bow hunts run through October 25, followed by the permit bow and winter bow hunts. Lewis Morris County Park and Black River Facilities will have firearm hunts on select days this winter; those hunts will be on weekdays, and the parks will be closed to non-hunters.

Sunday hunting is prohibited by state law.