November 8, 2019
Updated December 4, 2019
The pheasant/quail season opens at 8:00 a.m. Saturday with 24 Wildlife Management Areas and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area stocked with birds. Quail are stocked on two WMAs. Stocking continues weekly (except Dec. 7-20) through the end of December. A Pheasant/Quail Stamp is required and small game hunters must wear a hunter orange hat on WMAs stocked with pheasants or quail. Hunters should consult pages 54-57 in the Hunting Digest for additional regulations and information.
Hunters can increase their enjoyment by focusing on days pheasants and quail are available and the fields they are stocked on. The stocking schedule and stocking maps are available on the Fish and Wildlife website and linked below.
NOTE: Beginning this year, pheasants and quail will NOT BE STOCKED the Saturday before the Six-day Firearm Deer/Black Bear Segment B seasons. This decision was made by the Fish and Game Council. Because the pheasant/quail season is closed for a 2-week period beginning the first day of 6-Day Firearm season, and since there is no pheasant/quail hunting allowed on that Sunday, it would only provide hunters with birds for that one day. Since most birds not harvested on Saturday are not likely to hold over during the two-week pheasant season closure, it was decided to move the birds stocked that day to a later date when hunters would have better access to them.
Pheasant Stocking Schedule (pdf, 85kb)
Pheasant Stocking Maps
Quail Stocking Schedule (pdf, 75kb)
Quail Stocking Maps
Small Game Hunting In New Jersey
2019 Hunting Digest