Recently voters approved a Constitutional Amendment which allows the dedication of a portion of the Corporate Business Tax to fund maintenance and capital improvements at state parks and Wildlife Management Areas. Wildlife Management Areas are public lands that offers citizens the opportunity to hike, bike, kayak, boat, birdwatch and hunt and fish.

With this stable source of funding, the Division of Fish and Wildlife now has the opportunity to expand how these areas can be used for public enjoyment. As we develop our plan for these 122 areas, we are interested in hearing from you, the users of these public lands. To help us in this decision making, we are asking you to please take a few moments to complete an on-line survey at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wmasurvey08.htm . Please fill out a separate survey for each WMA that you use. Thank you in advance for assisting the Division in this important capital improvement activity.
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The Express-Times
It's a fact of life that everything eventually increases in price. From the rise in cost of gasoline to the rapid growth in real estate prices, this region has certainly seen its share of price hikes in recent years.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Pennsylvania Game Commission have both raised some of their deer hunting permit fees for 2007.
It's a move that may displease some sportsmen but is also a necessity for the agencies considering their daily operating costs continue to rise while hunting license sales are on the decline and regular license fee increases, which are instituted by state Legislature, happen rather infrequently.
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July 9, 2007 (updated 7/20/07)

At the recommendation of the Atlantic Flyway Council, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has approved the use of special regulations to help curb the growth of Resident Population Canada geese, beginning in 2007. The special regulations are optional. The following new regulations apply:

• Electronic calls are permitted.
• Shotguns capable of holding no more than 7 shells (including magazine and chamber) are permitted.
• Hunting hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. Note that this allows hunting ½ hour later than during previous years.

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The Fish and Game Council adopted amendments to the 2007-2008 Game Code at their May 8, 2007 meeting. The amendments become effective five days after they are published in the NJ Register which should occur in August, 2007. The following changes will be in effect for upcoming seasons. Please refer to the 2007 hunting edition of theFish and Wildlife Digest, due out in August, for specific season dates and other information.

BEAVER & OTTER: The late check-in for pelts is extended from seven to 20 days.

FALCONRY: Kestrels are eliminated from apprentice possession.

WOODCHUCK HUNTING: The use of rifles is excluded from all State Parks, Forests, and Recreation Areas.

OPOSSUM & RACCOON HUNTING: Hunting season dates which were omitted in Code have been restored (October 1 to March 1).

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The following message regarding deer season information updates and preliminary harvest estimates was sent to subscribers to the Division of Fish and Wildlife hunting Listserv.

The 2006-07 deer seasons continue with Winter Bow now open statewide and Permit Shotgun and Permit Muzzleloader seasons open in some zones. Preliminary harvest information is now available and detailed on the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Web site at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2007/deerupdate.htm Read More...