WORTHINGTON STATE FOREST
Located in Warren County, much farther north than the above mentioned state forests, Worthington SF offers 6,584 acres of some of the best deer habitat in the Garden State. Here you’ll find those traditional hardwood forests and plenty of elbowroom, especially during the late season.

Worthington offers some great deer country, but be prepared. This is rugged terrain that will test the fittest of men, though not all of it is steep rocky inclines. There’s enough rolling hills and some flatland geography on which one needn’t be an Olympic-class rock climber to hunt.

Worthington offers some great deer country, but be prepared. This is rugged terrain that will test the fittest of men, though not all of it is steep rocky inclines.

In fact, if you’re up to it, the famous glacial lake called Sunfish Pond is located in Worthington SF, but it’s a long trail up to the so-called “pond.” Nevertheless, this is an area that will remind you what the country used to be like, long before developments, malls and super highways.

Worthington is part of DMZ 4, whose annual deer harvest tallies indeed reveal just how good this country is for producing a healthy and prospering whitetail herd.

During the 2006-07 seasons, the total count for all seasons in DMZ 4 was 834. Late-season permit muzzleloader hunters accounted for 280 of those whitetails, while permit shotgunners nailed down 24 and winter bow hunters downed 27 deer. Not a shabby count by any means!

Worthington SF is easily accessed by taking Interstate 80 west to the last exit in New Jersey before crossing into Pennsylvania. The exit is marked as “Millbrook/Flat Brookville.” At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right, and you’re into Worthington -- which, by the way, offers ample pull-off parking as you progress through the SF. For additional information, hunters may call Worthington at (908) 841-9575.

JENNY JUMP STATE FOREST
Finally, let’s take a look at what could be called the proverbial dark horse in the race for state forestland deer hunting. That would be the 4,288 acres of Jenny Jump SF, which is also located in Warren County.

Like Worthington, Jenny Jump can be tough, though not impossible, country to negotiate. This SF is named for the famous mountain range of Jenny Jump, which continues on into Pennsylvania. Essentially, it’s a glacial-created land comprised of hardwood forests and some hills and meadows.

Jenny Jump SF is also located within DMZ 4. For this particular DMZ, the late-season tally for permit muzzleloader hunters was 280; for permit shotgunners, 24; and for winter bow hunters, 27. Not bad by anyone’s standards.

As to camping at Jenny Jump SF, the traditional campsites close after Oct. 31. Near the top of Jenny Jump Mountain, however, there are eight of what Jenny Jump SF officials call “shelters” that are open year ‘round.

These shelters consist of a furnished living room with wood-burning stove, plus two rooms each with double-deck bunks, showers and flush toilets to the tune of $10 per bunk, per night.

That’s an excellent deal. For additional information on an overnight stay, call (908) 459-4366.

To access Jenny Jump SF from Interstate 80, take exit 12 to the town of Hope, then turn right onto SR 519 north at the only blinking light. Take the third right and turn onto Shiloh Road. After approximately one mile, turn right onto State Park Road.

If you, like many deer hunters in New Jersey, have lost some of your prime deer-hunting lands due to development or local or municipal ordinances, check out one or more of these SFs or WMAs.

I think you’ll like what you find, especially in the form of a nice set of antlers -- or at least some great-tasting venison.

Find more about Mid-Atlantic fishing and hunting at MidAtlanticGameandFish.com