Attention Deer Hunters – NJ Fish & Wildlife Forums on Simplified Hunting Regulations

NJ Fish & Wildlife is looking for your input and will be hosting three Deer Hunter Forums to discuss preliminary proposals on simplifying NJ’s deer hunting regulations.

Hunters are asked to attend for discussions of ideas on how to make deer hunting regulations less complicated and less expensive.

Your feedback is crucial to keep deer hunting a treasured tradition and valuable wildlife management tool in the Garden State!

The first Forum for North Jersey took place last week. The remaining two are scheduled as follows:

Source:  https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/news-2023-08-24-upcoming-deer-hunter-forums/

 

NJ Governor Murphy Authorizes 2022 Bear Hunt

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher shared today that Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 310 (attached) concerning the black bear population. EO 310 rescinds EO 34 and states that,

“…in consultation with the [DEP] Commissioner, I have determined that a regulated bear hunt that takes place on both state and private lands is necessary to protect New Jersey residents from harm and reduce the threat of tragic human-bear interactions, and I have concurred with the Council’s Statement of Imminent Peril; and

“WHEREAS, as a result of this emergency rulemaking, a Bear Hunting Season will take place pursuant to the Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan and N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.6 from December 5 through December 10, 2022, and will be extended from December 14 through December 17 if necessary to achieve a 20 percent harvest rate;

 

SADC Cost-Sharing for Deer Fence on Permanently Preserved Farms

Whitetail deer. Photo courtesy USDA NRCS.

The NJ State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) recently dedicated $500,000 of funding for 50% cost-share grants to farmers for installing high tensile woven-wire fencing on permanently preserved farms.  The cost share applies to fencing materials and installation.  An applicant can apply for a cost-share of up to $200/acre, with a total award amount capped at $20,000.  As a ballpark estimate: accounting for the farmer’s 50% contribution, the maximum level of funding would support fence installation around roughly 20+ acres.

To be eligible for the program: [Read more…]