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Season November 7 to February 15

New Jersey Pheasant Season 2026

New Jersey's pheasant season runs November 7, 2026 to February 15, 2027. Youth hunts run Oct 31 and Nov 2 to 6.

Nov 7
Opening day
Saturday
Feb 15
Last day
Monday, 2027
2 birds a day
Daily limit
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Dates and limits

New Jersey pheasant season dates and bag limit

New Jersey's pheasant season opens Saturday, November 7, 2026, and closes February 15, 2027. Youth hunts run Oct 31 and Nov 2 to 6. The daily limit is 2 pheasants.

  1. New JerseyNov 7
    Season, Nov 7 to Feb 15; Youth, Oct 31; Youth, Nov 2 to 6
General season Youth huntsNew Jersey, Nov 7 to Feb 15
General season
Saturday, November 7, 2026 to February 15, 2027
Youth hunts
Oct 31Nov 2 to 6
Daily limit
2 birds a day
Shooting hours
Sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset; Youth Upland Bird Day 7 a.m. start (mentored) and 1 p.m. start (open hunt)
  • Commercial Shooting PreservesSep 1 to May 1licensed commercial preserves only
  • Youth Upland Bird DayOct 31licensed youth with a non-hunting adult 21 or older
  • Youth Pheasant DaysNov 2 to 6licensed youth with a non-hunting adult 21 or older
  • Chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, PheasantNov 7 to Feb 15statewide; closed Dec. 7 to 12 and Dec. 16, 2026; no Sunday hunting

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife regulations, read October 8, 2026.

Wild and released birds

New Jersey pheasant stocking

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife releases 52,070 pheasants. Release sites: Assunpink, Berkshire Valley, Black River, Clinton, Colliers Mills, Dix, Flatbrook, Glassboro, Greenwood Forest, Howardsville, Heislerville, Mad Horse, Manahawkin, Manasquan River, Medford, Millville (Bevan), Nantuxent, Peaslee, Pequest, Port Republic, Rockport, Stafford Forge, Tuckahoe (MacNamara), Walpack, Whittingham and Winslow. Release timing: Birds stocked the evening prior to the hunting dates listed below: 11/7, 11/10, 11/12, 11/14, 11/17, 11/19, 11/21, 11/24, 11/26, 11/28, 12/19, 12/22, 12/24, 12/29, 12/31.

Pheasant Stocking Schedule 2026 | Birds stocked the evening prior to the hunting dates listed below. Pheasant & Quail Stamp required in addition to hunting license.
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source
License

What it takes to hunt pheasants in New Jersey

Residents and nonresidents
Hunting license plus Pheasant and Quail Stamp on stocked WMAs
Stamp or permit
Pheasant and Quail Stamp

Every New Jersey license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the New Jersey hunting license page.

New Jersey pheasant questions

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Pheasant season in other states

Pheasant openers in every stateThe whole season on one calendar, with each agency's outlook.New Jersey small game seasonsQuail, grouse, rabbit and squirrel dates in New Jersey.New Jersey hunting licenseWhat a New Jersey license costs and who needs one.New Jersey waterfowl seasonsDuck and goose dates in New Jersey, by zone.New Jersey duck migrationWhere the ducks are in New Jersey this week.New Jersey CWD testingDeer sampling rules in New Jersey.
A rooster ring-necked pheasant with a red face, green head and white neck ring standing on disced soil and broken straw
A rooster feeding in a disced crop field beside LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. Birds feed in the open early and late and sit in grass and cattails through the middle of the day. “Ring-necked pheasant at LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge (51154749494)”, Tom Koerner, USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain

New Jersey read October 8, 2026 from New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.