Hunting spots in Mt Olive

[mbeattie]

I recently moved to Budd Lake and am looking at some maps of the area to find some nearby areas.

 

1) The Budd Lake bog - looks like some kind of special registration but I am not sure... based on its location and the fact that it's a bog it might not be the best.

 

2) Stephens (?) state park behind like Smithtown road towards Waterloo road - State park so it's open... no real access from the south side but it might be good.

 

3) Land between Smithtown rd and Stephens Park Road... I am not sure it is open, the tax maps list it as Township or County land but someone seems to be farming on it. I am not sure if unimproved township land is open to hunting or not.

 

Anyone have any experience with any of these areas? Or anywhere else to think about?

Edited August 3, 2016 by mbeattie

[Axiom]

As far as I know most huntable township lands are open to hunting.. Just gotta check with the municipal court house and see which ones .. I know Chester TWP just down the road from you has some good hunting on city land.. Gotta buy a permit though.. Black River WMA is pretty good before Pheasant season.. after that U gotta go down deep..Which means LONG drag, up hill,  if you bag one.. Then there is Hacklebarney State Park.. I've had pretty good luck there through all seasons..  County Property has worked well for me for freezer fillers around the area.. Just a lot of silly rules to follow.. A byproduct of ignorant input.. U know, Politics...

[Bucksnbows]

That parcel you are talking about in # 3 is owned by the county and not the town, but I can't tell you if it is huntable or not, needs a permit or not, etc.  I live nearby, but I don't hunt here, I hunt elsewhere.  What are you looking to hunt, deer?  Lots of big WMAs nearby.  Like all public lands in NJ, everything will be very crowded for the big seasons, but archery gives you the most days afield which means less hunters on average each day.  

 

Welcome to the site and to Mount Olive.  I'm here in Flanders.

[Ms Grit]

The Budd Lake Bog is a Land Preserve.  You need to print out a permission slip from the on-line web-site and carry a map of the bog with you at all times while hunting.  Since it is a Land Preserve, they only allow deer hunting in the preserve. The town joke is that there is only ONE deer in there per year and Fishguy shoots it.  I have, however, taken a few deer out of there over the years, as well as walked to my stand to find someone sitting in it, had several cameras stolen, and found the beginning of a blood trail on bait that I had set out.  But hey, it's public land . . .

[Ms Grit]

Oh, did you see the post about hunting Byram Township?

 

https://www.njwoodsandwater.com/topic/8114-hunters-needed-for-township-hunt-zone-6/?hl=byram

[mbeattie]

That parcel you are talking about in # 3 is owned by the county and not the town, but I can't tell you if it is huntable or not, needs a permit or not, etc.  I live nearby, but I don't hunt here, I hunt elsewhere.  What are you looking to hunt, deer?

 

Yea, I am fairly casual really, I will go out a couple of times (2-3) and try for a deer. Might try for some birds on or right after a stocking day but I don't have a dog so we'll see.

[Bucksnbows]

Yea, I am fairly casual really, I will go out a couple of times (2-3) and try for a deer. Might try for some birds on or right after a stocking day but I don't have a dog so we'll see.

 

Allamuchy Mountain State Park is additional land adjacent to Stephens State Park that you can deer hunt.  Like any public land, deer numbers are low, but I have a buddy that kills some nice bucks every year on that property because he knows the land (hunted it for 50+ years so far) and because he isn't afraid to hunt well past being able to see his truck parked along the road.  He gets in where others are far too lazy to hunt and it always pays off.  

[mbeattie]

Cool, yea, I dont mind hiking in quite a bit.

[Bucksnbows]

Cool, yea, I dont mind hiking in quite a bit.

 

Lots of white oaks in certain areas and they seem to attract the deer.  I have hiked it many times, but never hunted it myself.  Good luck this season!

[jerseyhunter]

 

 I will go out a couple of times (2-3) and try for a deer. Might try for some birds on or right after a stocking day but I don't have a dog so we'll see.

If that's the case you should stick to Black River wma and leave the bog alone. No small game hunting there and to bag a deer you really need to put you time in.  And as said once small game opens you need to go deep or with a bow in a tree stand stay on the edges of the safety zones, you get an extra 75 yds where gun hunters can't go.  Good luck, every one has to start somewhere and at some time.