Outside the big metros, Warren leads New Jersey's Buck Index at 79. Inside the New York metro, Monmouth leads at 95 and shares that displayed score with Morris. Gloucester and Salem, both inside the Philadelphia metro, score lower. Bergen, Hudson and Union are Not rated because they are mostly inside city limits. The county order compares documented big-buck history per estimated bow-huntable acre on a national scale. That gives hunters a specific county comparison, while permits and property access remain separate decisions.
KEY FINDINGS
- Outside the big metros, Warren leads at 79. Inside the New York metro, Monmouth leads at 95. FDR names the leaders on each side of the line, and a big metro means a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
- Monmouth and Morris share a displayed score of 95. Essex is third at 82, and Somerset is fourth at 81. Warren is fifth at 79, the highest result outside the big metros.
- Hunterdon and Passaic share a displayed score of 77. Mercer and Sussex share a displayed score of 75. Ocean is twelfth at 68, and Salem is thirteenth at 65.
- All 21 New Jersey counties are included, and 18 are rated. The score is a relative Buck Index, not an official county harvest rate. Bergen, Hudson and Union are Not rated because they are mostly inside city limits.
New Jersey county finder
Where does your county rank?
Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
10 of 21 entries shown
| State rank | County | Buck Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monmouth New York metro | 95 |
| 2 | Morris New York metro | 95 |
| 3 | Essex New York metro | 82 |
| 4 | Somerset New York metro | 81 |
| 5 | Warren | 79 |
| 6 | Hunterdon New York metro | 77 |
| 7 | Passaic New York metro | 77 |
| 8 | Middlesex New York metro | 76 |
| 9 | Mercer | 75 |
| 10 | Sussex New York metro | 75 |
01County comparison
Warren leads outside the metros, with Monmouth and Morris at the top
Warren ranks fifth at 79, the top result outside the big metros. Monmouth and Morris share a displayed score of 95, the highest in the state. The national scoring frame matters: Warren's 79 sits on a 0 to 100 scale built for the whole country, so the score reads against that wider comparison.
The denominator is estimated bow-huntable acreage. A county with less qualifying acreage can rank high when its documented big-buck history is concentrated relative to that acreage. The score does not identify which parcel produced that history or whether a hunter can gain access to it.
02County comparison
The first ten counties all score 75 or higher
Essex is third at 82, and Somerset is fourth at 81. Warren follows at 79 in fifth place, ahead of Mercer at 75.
Hunterdon and Passaic share a displayed score of 77 in sixth and seventh place. Mercer and Sussex share a displayed score of 75 in ninth and tenth place, and Ocean is twelfth at 68.
03County comparison
Three counties share the lowest rated score of 49
Camden, Cape May and Cumberland share a displayed score of 49 in sixteenth through eighteenth place. Burlington is fifteenth at 55, and Atlantic is fourteenth at 64.
Gloucester is eleventh at 69, and Salem is thirteenth at 65. Both sit inside the Philadelphia metro, along with Burlington and Camden.
04County comparison
Keep the county, the management unit and the property together
The state wildlife agency's deer hunting information supplies the agency context for deer seasons and rules. This report does not allocate statewide totals to counties. Before a county becomes a trip, check the current season and rule details for the exact ground under consideration.
The state's parks and forests hunting information provides the next step for hunting on state park and forest land. Start with a county you can actually hunt, then compare the substitutes that fit the same trip. Access may matter more than the index for a given trip.
05Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR derived this October 17, 2026 snapshot from the 2011 through 2025 history window. Scores use estimated bow-huntable acreage and national scaling. They are sensitive to reporting and modeled-area choices. The public display ranges from 0 to 100, with no interpretation as harvest odds, population density or guaranteed access.
Compare the other states in the FDR county report series.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR county scores and interpretations are independent analysis. A county ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
Keep reading
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