Deer Season Starts Sept. 8 in Parsippany

The official deer hunting season at Parsippany's Central Park begins next month, according to the township administration office.

Hunting by bow and arrow only is permitted in county-owned Central Park, which abuts Parsippany-owned Mountain Way Park and is near Greystone Hospital. The purpose of the season is to keep the deer population from growing too large and causing damage to residents' gardens or to flora and fauna within the park.

The Morris County Parks Commission website clearly states the primary purpose of its deer-management efforts: "The MCPC's controlled hunts are specifically used as a population management tool and do not represent recreational hunting opportunities."

The deer hunt season for Parsippany essentially runs from early September through mid-February. The time period, however, is broken into three separate seasons: Fall Bow, which runs Sept. 8-Oct. 26; Permit Bow, which covers Oct. 27-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-31; and Winter Bow, which starts Jan. 1 and ends Feb. 16.

Kelli Kovacevic, superintendent of natural resources at the Morris County Parks Commission, explained that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife requires a deer permit during Fall and Winter Bow. Hunting during Permit Bow season requires additional licensing.

Even during deer management season, hunting is not permitted on Sundays.

For non-hunters, this means caution is paramount. Even when hunters are allowed to seek prey using bow and arrow, the trails in Central and Mountain Way parks remain open to hikers. The MCPC warns that park patrons must remain on trails. Hunters are required to maintain a sufficient distance from trails to avoid negative consequences.

There is a potential problem in that while hiking through Mountain Way Park, it is easy to wander onto county land and vice versa.

The problem may be bigger than ever because while "blue" and "white" trails are well established in Mountain Way Park, since spring, a new "orange" trail has been under development. Occasionally, hikers have been spotted using the path prematurely.

"At this time, the orange trail is not officially open," MCPC Executive Director David Helmer told Patch, who added that new signs have been posted along the path to warn hikers that the trail is not open and should not be used.  

"A determination about opening the trail will be made prior to hunting season," Helmer said, adding that information regarding the hunt is sent to municipalities, which should then make the news available to residents via their websites.