Two New Jersey Senators introduce legislation to allow Sunday hunting, including deer, on military bases

There is legislation in the works that would allow Sunday hunting on military bases in New Jersey.

State Senators Jean Stanfield (R-8), and Anthony Bucco (R-25), announced Wednesday that their legislation comes with the goal of preventing any disruptions to critical missions on military bases in the Garden State.

One of those such sites, the Senators said, is Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

JBMDL has been having some issues with a surplus of deer intruding onto the base and within the bases with the animals having no regard for anyone or anything.

Among the problems, the overcrowding of deer at JBMDL has caused is with airfield safety and on-base vehicle safety.

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“Protecting base missions is always something we need to be thinking about in the legislature. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is incredibly important to the South Jersey economy and the safety of our nation,” Stanfield said in a statement. "They’ve expressed that the deer population is reaching difficult levels inside the base fences and there’s concern about aircraft-deer strikes. We believe allowing Sunday deer hunting on military installments will help ease their concerns, and it is something the Joint Base has asked for."

The legislation from both Senators would allow hunting on Sundays in New Jersey on military bases -- something that isn't currently allowed in this state.

The bill from Senators, Stanfield, and Bucco, they explain, would also authorize bow and arrow or firearm hunting on federal land subject to the approval of the federal military authority.

“The surging deer population across New Jersey is leading to more car strikes and increased risk for drivers and their passengers,” Bucco said in a statement. “This is an especially daunting problem for communities around military facilities like Picatinny Arsenal, which often have thousands of acres where deer can breed in large numbers. Giving our military facilities greater flexibility will lead to more effective deer management programs, fewer accidents, and safer roads for our families.”