Seasonal Information
Hunting Season 2023-24
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Remember: It's always a good idea to wear bright colors when in the woods during hunting season, no matter where you go. Stay safe!
The New Jersey Fall Bow Deer Season opens Saturday, September 9, 2023 (Early Zones Only, Regulation Sets #4-8). Click here for more information.
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Click here for information on the New Jersey Bear Hunt. A bear hunt will occur for Segment A (Oct. 9 – 14) and Segment B (Dec. 4 – 9) of the 2023 bear season.
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Click here for the New York New Jersey Trail Conference's Top 10 List of No-Hunting Hike Areas In New York And New Jersey
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Click here for info on deer and black bear seasons and regulations in New York.
Bear Mountain-Harriman and Sterling Forest State Parks
Hikers should be aware that hunting is allowed with a park permit in the area of Harriman west of Route I-87 and into Sterling Forest State Park. Other areas of Harriman-Bear Mountain are not open to hunting. For complete details, call the park at 845-351-5907 or view the Sterling Forest State Park Hunting Guide, which includes a map.
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Essex County Parks Deer Hunt 2024
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The Essex County Deer Management Program will be held in South Mountain Reservation on Tuesdays, January 16, 23 and 30 and February 6 and 13. In the event any dates are cancelled, make-up days will be on Tuesdays, February 20 or 27. The program will be held in Hilltop Reservation on Thursdays, January 11, 18 and 25 and February 1, 8, 15 and 22. In the event any days are cancelled, a make-up day will be on Thursday, February 29.
South Mountain Reservation is located in Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange, and Hilltop Reservation is in Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona. The program will not be held in Eagle Rock Reservation.
Click on the above link for more information.
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Morris County Parks: White-Tailed Deer Management Program
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Click on the above link for information about the Morris County Parks deer hunts.
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Get a Grip - Crampons and other winter traction options
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Click on the above link for a short primer about traction devices from AMC Outdoors (published November 2017).
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Winter Traction Devices - When do you need snowshoes? Gaiters? Crampons?
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Click on the above link for an article from AMC Outdoors about different gear for your feet for winter adventure (published in February 2017).
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Click on the above link for an article about different types of ticks, preventive measures, and more (published in May 2018).
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Per an article in the Star Ledger from May 24, 2021:
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New Jersey’s rate of 40.8 cases per 100,000 for Lyme disease is near four times as high as the national rate of 10.8.
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New Jersey ranks third nationally in Lyme disease cases from 1990-2018, behind only New York and Pennsylvania. Nationally, 95% of cases are in the Northeast and Upper Midwest.
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Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex counties have produced the highest rates of Lyme disease in recent years. Morris County had the highest number of cases in 2019 with 426, followed by Monmouth County at 369 and Hunterdon County at 339. In 2018, Monmouth recorded 506; Morris had 472 and Hunterdon tallied 335.
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How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again
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Click on the above link for a YouTube video about preventing the rash and skin irritation associated with poison ivy.
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Click on the above link for an article about bear safety or here for some additional information
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The Science behind falling leaves in Autumn
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Click on the above link for a short NPR podcast, Shortwave. Botanist Tanisha Williams explains why some leaves change color during fall and what shorter days and colder temperatures have to do with it.