New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 25 - DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE RULES › Subchapter 5 - 2020-2021 GAME CODE › Section 7:25-5.23 - Firearms and missiles, etc

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Except when legally engaged in deer or black bear hunting during the prescribed firearm seasons, respectively, no person shall have in his or her possession in the woods, fields, marshlands, or on the water any shell or cartridge with missiles of any kind larger than No. 4 fine shot. This shall not apply to persons properly licensed for hunting during the cottontail rabbit, black-tailed jackrabbit, white-tailed jackrabbit, European hare, and eastern gray squirrel seasons, exclusively, who may use an air gun, as defined in N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.1(d)1. Air guns may use wadcutter, domed or pointed, or hollow point pellets; spherical BBs are not permitted. This shall not apply to persons properly licensed and permitted for hunting during the special eastern coyote, red fox, and gray fox hunting season, exclusively, who may use 10 to 20-gauge shotgun ammunition loaded with shot sizes no smaller than "BB" (.18 caliber) and no larger than #3 Buckshot (.25 caliber). Pellets must be lead or tungsten-nickel-iron hybrid pellets. This shall not preclude farmers or their agents from using shot not larger than No. 4 buckshot to control woodchuck causing damage or a properly licensed person from hunting woodchuck with a rifle during the woodchuck season. For hunting woodchuck, center-fire rifles of .25 caliber or smaller or rim-fire rifles may be used. Center-fire rifles larger than .25 caliber may also be used provided that the bullets used do not exceed 80 grains in weight. All center-fire rifle ammunition used in hunting woodchucks must be hollow point, soft point, or expanding lead core bullets. All rim-fire rifle ammunition used in hunting woodchuck must be hollow point or soft point type not exceeding 50 grains in weight. Also excepted is the use of a muzzleloading rifle, .36 caliber or smaller, loaded with a single projectile during the prescribed portion of the squirrel season in designated areas. Waterfowl hunters may possess and use shotgun shells loaded with T (.200'') steel fine shot or smaller or other non-toxic shot authorized by Federal regulations no larger than T (.200'') shot and properly licensed persons hunting for raccoon or opossum with hounds or engaged in trapping for furbearing animals may possess and use a .22 caliber rifle or air gun, as defined in N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.1(d)1, for raccoon, or opossum or legally trapped furbearing animals other than muskrat. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this subsection shall not preclude agents and/or permittees operating under an approved Special Deer Management Permit (N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.32 ) from shooting deer with a rifle or a rifle equipped with a silencer or suppressor if that permit so specifically provides. Rifles for this purpose shall be restricted as specifically provided in that permit to include only .22, .223, .270, and .45 caliber or other calibers approved by the Division. Only highly frangible bullets shall be employed in .223 and .270 caliber rifles. Bullets employed in .22 and .45 caliber rifles shall be restricted to those designed to provide maximum expansion and limited penetration. As a part of a Special Deer Management Permit, use of .22 rim-fire ammunition is restricted to euthanasia of captive deer only. All firearms used to take or attempt to take any wild animal or bird shall be fired only by human-controlled, manually-operated mechanical triggers. No person shall use a smart rifle or gun to take or attempt to take wild animals.
1. "Smart rifle or gun" means any firearm that is equipped with one or more of the following: a target tracking system; an electronically-controlled, electronically-assisted, or computer-linked trigger; or a ballistics computer.