2019-20 Hunting regulations

[DBuck]

Just went online to check for dates and the reg sets are for 2018-19. How could these not be updated by now?

[mazzgolf]

IIRC they always release the Digest in August - I assume that is when all the dates are released, too?

[BowhunterNJ]

Yeah usually not until mid August or later. 

[BowhunterNJ]

From their site:

2019-2020 Deer Hunting Information 

Fall Bow, September 14 (Early Zones Only, Regulation Sets #4-8)
Youth Deer Bow Hunt, September 21
Fall Bow, September 28 (Statewide)
Permit Bow Season, October 26 
Youth Deer Firearm Hunt, November 23
Permit Muzzleloader, December 2
Six-day Firearm Season, December 9-14
Winter Bow, January 1, 2020

 

2018-2019 Deer Regulation Sets (pdf, 135kb) 

2019-20 Regulation Sets Available In August

[Greybeard]

Short fall bow season again this year.  Don't get a chance to hunt any of the rut without buying a permit.

[Lunatic]

They are always late. A month before the season starts is good fir this state 

[midwestxpress]

2 hours ago, Greybeard said:

Short fall bow season again this year.  Don't get a chance to hunt any of the rut without buying a permit.

Yup, its a money grab. And make sure you buy your buck stub. Lmao

[Tarhunt]

Six day starts on my birthday. Hopefully, I'll get a birthday buck!

[hunterbob1]

13 hours ago, Greybeard said:

Short fall bow season again this year.  Don't get a chance to hunt any of the rut without buying a permit.

Where you been?that way since early 80's.

Didn't need no stinking permit prior,license cost me almost a full day's pay $7.25 but good for whole fall season.

[DV1]

1 hour ago, hunterbob1 said:

Where you been?that way since early 80's.

Didn't need no stinking permit prior,license cost me almost a full day's pay $7.25 but good for whole fall season.

You couldn't hunt much of the rut around here until like 1987. I think that was the first year we had a "permit" bow season. Before that, bow season ended the day before small game season (rabbit and pheasant) began, which was the first Saturday in November, if I remember correctly. We didn't have as many bow hunters then it seemed, mostly gun hunters and small game was huge back then. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by DV1

[Devil Horns]

You couldn't hunt much of the rut around here until like 1987. I think that was the first year we had a "permit" bow season. Before that, bow season ended the day before small game season (rabbit and pheasant) began, which was the first Saturday in November, if I remember correctly. We didn't have as many bow hunters then it seemed, mostly gun hunters and small game was huge back then. 

Agree. I started hunting in 1988 and I remember the permit season was pretty new. Not exactly sure what year it started but it was by lottery. The regular bow season ended the Friday before small game but that generally took you into the second week of November.


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[Greybeard]

10 hours ago, hunterbob1 said:

Where you been?that way since early 80's.

Didn't need no stinking permit prior,license cost me almost a full day's pay $7.25 but good for whole fall season.

Been the same places as you, brother.  They took the last 2 weeks of bow season(the rut), and added it to the new permit season.  Sometimes we start fall bow at the end of the first week in Sept, and sometimes it doesn't end until closer to the end of Oct.  We got the short stick at both ends this year.  A week short at both ends.  The zones that don't start until Oct won't even have 4 full weeks,  3.5 of the worst weeks to hunt.

[nickmarch]

I filed to repeal turkey regulations that were not made according to the laws and regulations that the game council is required to follow.  I filed over 60 days ago!  My petition was about 7 pages of comments and laws/regulations that the council violated.  I could have only specified one legal fact that is known by any lawyer.  If a law/statute conflicts with a regulation the law/statute rules.  Instead of repealing the regulation they chose to extend for another 90 days and cancelled the August Fish Wildlife Meeting.  They want to continue fining fall turkey hunters who are NOT violating the law!  It amounts to criminal fraud as defined by NJ Law.  

The Regulation that I petitioned to repeal is the regulation that forbids the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait while turkey hunting.  The law allows the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait when hunting from the ground.  There is a link to the petition below. 

I do not hunt turkey over bait!  I hunt!  To me hunting over bait is shooting it's not hunting!  I filed the petition due to a disagreement with a gun shop owner and a warden who ruined my only B week hunt.  I received no violations, I violated no laws or regulations.  

The game warden was sent by a Cape May County gun shop owner to harass me.  The gun shop owner lied to the warden claiming that I shot a turkey over bait on his property.  I wasn't and never have hunted on his property!  After talking to other local hunters it became apparent that the gun shop owner uses the wardens to harass hunters who hunt on State ground that borders his private property. 

State possession laws govern illegal possession.  They have to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that you possessed the bait and knew that it was there.

I read years worth of Fish Wildlife Council Meeting Minutes and found numerous examples of their interest in handing out more fines.  Their duty is to set dates, protect wildlife, ect their duty Isn't to find "Creative" ways to fine hunters and increase revenue.   Their minutes also stated... that it is easier to make regulations than go the proper required route to have our elected legislators make laws.  

I assume that they cancelled the August meeting due to the petition and their resistance to following the laws and regulations that they are required to follow.

Link to my petition... https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/petition.html

Edited July 24, 2019 by nickmarch
Added link to petition

[Lunatic]

6 hours ago, nickmarch said:

I filed to repeal turkey regulations that were not made according to the laws and regulations that the game council is required to follow.  I filed over 60 days ago!  My petition was about 7 pages of comments and laws/regulations that the council violated.  I could have only specified one legal fact that is known by any lawyer.  If a law/statute conflicts with a regulation the law/statute rules.  Instead of repealing the regulation they chose to extend for another 90 days and cancelled the August Fish Wildlife Meeting.  They want to continue fining fall turkey hunters who are NOT violating the law!  It amounts to criminal fraud as defined by NJ Law.  

The Regulation that I petitioned to repeal is the regulation that forbids the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait while turkey hunting.  The law allows the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait when hunting from the ground.  There is a link to the petition below. 

I do not hunt turkey over bait!  I hunt!  To me hunting over bait is shooting it's not hunting!  I filed the petition due to a disagreement with a gun shop owner and a warden who ruined my only B week hunt.  I received no violations, I violated no laws or regulations.  

The game warden was sent by a Cape May County gun shop owner to harass me.  The gun shop owner lied to the warden claiming that I shot a turkey over bait on his property.  I wasn't and never have hunted on his property!  After talking to other local hunters it became apparent that the gun shop owner uses the wardens to harass hunters who hunt on State ground that borders his private property. 

State possession laws govern illegal possession.  They have to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that you possessed the bait and knew that it was there.

I read years worth of Fish Wildlife Council Meeting Minutes and found numerous examples of their interest in handing out more fines.  Their duty is to set dates, protect wildlife, ect their duty Isn't to find "Creative" ways to fine hunters and increase revenue.   Their minutes also stated... that it is easier to make regulations than go the proper required route to have our elected legislators make laws.  

I assume that they cancelled the August meeting due to the petition and their resistance to following the laws and regulations that they are required to follow.

Link to my petition... https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/petition.html

I’m not reading 7 pages but  what are you trying to accomplish? Is it just the ability to possess weapon within 300’ of bait site while Turkey hunting? Why? 

[Bucksnbows]

7 hours ago, nickmarch said:

I filed to repeal turkey regulations that were not made according to the laws and regulations that the game council is required to follow.  I filed over 60 days ago!  My petition was about 7 pages of comments and laws/regulations that the council violated.  I could have only specified one legal fact that is known by any lawyer.  If a law/statute conflicts with a regulation the law/statute rules.  Instead of repealing the regulation they chose to extend for another 90 days and cancelled the August Fish Wildlife Meeting.  They want to continue fining fall turkey hunters who are NOT violating the law!  It amounts to criminal fraud as defined by NJ Law.  

The Regulation that I petitioned to repeal is the regulation that forbids the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait while turkey hunting.  The law allows the possession of a weapon within 300' of bait when hunting from the ground.  There is a link to the petition below. 

I do not hunt turkey over bait!  I hunt!  To me hunting over bait is shooting it's not hunting!  I filed the petition due to a disagreement with a gun shop owner and a warden who ruined my only B week hunt.  I received no violations, I violated no laws or regulations.  

The game warden was sent by a Cape May County gun shop owner to harass me.  The gun shop owner lied to the warden claiming that I shot a turkey over bait on his property.  I wasn't and never have hunted on his property!  After talking to other local hunters it became apparent that the gun shop owner uses the wardens to harass hunters who hunt on State ground that borders his private property. 

State possession laws govern illegal possession.  They have to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that you possessed the bait and knew that it was there.

I read years worth of Fish Wildlife Council Meeting Minutes and found numerous examples of their interest in handing out more fines.  Their duty is to set dates, protect wildlife, ect their duty Isn't to find "Creative" ways to fine hunters and increase revenue.   Their minutes also stated... that it is easier to make regulations than go the proper required route to have our elected legislators make laws.  

I assume that they cancelled the August meeting due to the petition and their resistance to following the laws and regulations that they are required to follow.

Link to my petition... https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/petition.html

I have a few issues with your lengthy post.  First of all, the regulation you refer to where you can hunt within 300' of bait if on the ground pertains to bear hunting, not deer or turkey hunting.  Second, you say the Fish & Game Council's "duty is to set dates, protect wildlife, etc.".  I hope you know that setting fines and other punishments is part of their job and fall under "protecting wildlife".  Also, you said you "submitted a petition over 60 days ago".  To whom?  And you realize your petition means nothing from a purely legal standpoint?  The Council can choose to ignore it as it carries no legal authority on its own.  Lastly, the August meeting was cancelled because they 1) passed the new Game Code at the July meeting, and 2) August is a heavy vacation month for both Division staff and Council members.  They would have only met next month if they couldn't pass the Game Code for whatever reason the other week.

Sounds like you have a local bad actor.  Have discussions with your local COs about his antics.  It should go a long way to clearing the air and keeping you out of more headaches from being accused of something you said you did not do and were not ticketed for.  That would be my advice.