For the 2025/2026 Season - Closed to new applications for the 2025/2026 season

May 17, 2025

Dear Applicant:
Welcome to the Clinton Township Municipal Deer Management Program Permit application process. Applications will ONLY be available online at https://www.clintontwpnj.gov/deer-managementprogram. Completed applications will ONLY be accepted online via submission to deermgt@clintontwpnj.org. Residents and employees of Clinton Township will be allowed to submit their applications starting at 8:00AM on Monday, June 2, 2025. Non-residents will be allowed to submit their application starting at 8:00AM on Monday, June 9, 2025. Permits will be issued on a first come, first serve basis and once all permits are issued the application process will be closed.

Key points about the program for the 2025/2026 hunting season:

1. You can obtain the applications by going to https://www.clintontwpnj.gov/deermanagement-program
2. You must submit your applications and required supporting documentation to deermgt@clintontwpnj.org on the required due date as defined above no earlier than 8:00AM.
3. If submitted applications are incomplete, incorrect or received prior to 8:00AM they will not be allowed to participate in the program. There will be only one follow up on missing or incomplete applications. If still incomplete you will be dropped from the program.
4. Permits will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis. This will be determined by the date/time stamp on your emailed application. Also, only properly completed applications will be processed.
5. You must identify the properties you would like to hunt in order of preference. You must rank all 7 properties in order of preference so that you have a better chance of being assigned a property. If this information is incomplete or inaccurate you may not be assigned a property. Properties will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. If your first choice property has been fully subscribed, then your subsequent preferences will be used to assign you a property based on the order identified on your application. If you don’t identify subsequent properties, you might not be assigned a property.
6. Certain properties will be bow only for the 2025/2026 hunting season. These include Cramer's Creek and White Cloud.
7. Team sizes are a minimum of TWO and maximum of THREE. No teams of one will be allowed. If you submit your application as a resident/employee, the primary team member must be a resident or employee of Clinton Township. Other team members do not have to be residents or employees of Clinton Township.
8. No one under the age of 18 or those holding an apprentice license can apply.
9. You and each team member are required to provide a copy of a certificate of insurance confirming general liability insurance with coverage having combined single limits for bodily injury and property damage of at least $1,000,000 per single occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate. In the past we have recommended insurance through the NJ Federation of Sportsman's Clubs but if you have other satisfactory insurance where you can provide the necessary proof of insurance that will be acceptable. If insurance is not in place at the time of submission of your application your application is deemed to be incomplete. If you obtain your insurance from an organization such as the NJ Federation of Sportman's Clubs or similar organization you are also required to provide proof of current membership in the organization.
10. There will be a mandatory orientation meeting on July 8, 2025 at Bundt Park at 6:00PM and July 15, 2025 at Bundt Park at 6:00PM. The orientation will be held under the pavilion. All team members must attend one of the orientation meetings in order to be assigned a property.
11. All permits and property assignments will be awarded after the final member of your team has attended the orientation.
12. The fee for the permit for the entire 2025/2026 hunting season is $200 per team and can only be paid at the orientation. If you want to add, delete or replace a team member this can only be done one time and the cost is $50.
13. There have been a couple items of note related to the 2025/2026 hunting season. They include:

• First deer taken DOES NOT have to be a doe as long as you comply with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife rules. If a team member does shoot a buck first then the team is required to take a minimum of 4 does. If you do not harvest at least 4 does then that team will not be given priority for a property in the subsequent year no matter when your application is received.
• Only one treestand per hunter will be allowed. If an individual wants to relocate their treestand they must communicate with the other hunters on the property before a move is made. No ground blinds are allowed.
• No treestand or ancillary equipment can be used that will damage the tree.
• All team members can hunt at the same time.
• Coyotes can be harvested incidental to deer while hunting deer as long as you are following the rules of the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

We look forward to working with you this year and making sure your deer hunting experience in the Township is a positive one. If you have any ideas, feedback or questions as the season progresses please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best of luck to you and thank you for your participation in the program.