NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Natural and Historic Resources
Division of Fish and Wildlife and Fish and Game Council

Notice of Rule Proposal
Division of Fish and Wildlife Rules – Proposed Readoption with Amendments N.J.A.C. 7:25

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to readopt, with amendments, N.J.A.C. 7:25 – Division of Fish and Wildlife Rules.  A statement of the substance of the proposal follows:

The Division of Fish and Wildlife Rules govern the activities on land and waters within wildlife management areas, sets forth the criteria and restrictions for control of depredating deer and other wildlife; the use of noise making devices to protect crops from depredating wildlife; the classification and protection and possession of wildlife, including game, nongame, endangered species and exotic wildlife; the recreational and commercial taking of wildlife, including marine fish, shellfish, game animals, game birds, game fish and bait fish; the harvest and relay of shellfish, and the leasing of shellfish beds and ocean bottom for aquaculture; and defines the licenses, permits and fees related to these activities.  Proposed amendments are made to the subchapter 5 regarding the hunting of deer and include boundary changes to deer management zones and changes in restrictions on take, including the elimination of antler point restrictions for DMZ 6, elimination of the “earn-a-buck-requirement”, a change in dates for the early muzzleloader permit and shotgun permit seasons, and the establishment of bonus buck permits for the bow permit, muzzleloader permit and shotgun permit seasons at a cost of $28 each.  Hunters seeking to harvest antlered bucks during these seasons must possess the bonus buck permit for the respective season in addition to the basic bow permit, muzzleloader permit or shotgun permit, which will be valid only for the taking of antlerless deer.  

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register February 20, 2007 and a Public Hearing concerning the readoption will be held on March 13, 2007 starting at 6:30 PM at:

            New Jersey State Museum
            205 West State Street
            Trenton, NJ 08625

A copy of the proposal (ODF) is available from: Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) website http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/proposals/022007a.pdf ; LexisNexis Customer Service at (800)223-1944 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore. Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.

Written comments may be submitted by April 21, 2007 to:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Gary J. Brower, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 03-07-01/544
Office of Legal Affairs
PO Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625