Most commonly hunted migratory birds in New Jersey

Stacker compiled a list of the most commonly hunted migratory birds in New Jersey using data from a report released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in August 2025. Duck and goose species are ranked by the estimated 2024 hunting harvest in New Jersey.

#10. Gadwall
- New Jersey: 2,986 (0.2% of national harvest)
- National: 1.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Arkansas: 295,749 (20.5% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 180,505 (12.5%)
--- #3. Texas: 147,712 (10.2%)
--- #4. Tennessee: 85,775 (5.9%)
--- #5. Oklahoma: 85,682 (5.9%)

#9. Hooded Merganser
- New Jersey: 3,121 (2.4% of national harvest)
- National: 132,412
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Kentucky: 11,331 (8.6% of national harvest)
--- #2. North Carolina: 11,304 (8.5%)
--- #3. Minnesota: 8,743 (6.6%)
--- #4. Louisiana: 8,452 (6.4%)
--- #5. New York: 8,164 (6.2%)

#8. Wood Duck
- New Jersey: 3,528 (0.2% of national harvest)
- National: 1.8 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Georgia: 215,316 (12.1% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 205,256 (11.5%)
--- #3. Arkansas: 175,526 (9.8%)
--- #4. Minnesota: 114,865 (6.4%)
--- #5. Wisconsin: 112,564 (6.3%)

#7. Greater Scaup
- New Jersey: 4,343 (7.2% of national harvest)
- National: 60,020
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Wisconsin: 11,372 (18.9% of national harvest)
--- #2. Michigan: 6,080 (10.1%)
--- #3. North Carolina: 5,075 (8.5%)
--- #4. Maryland: 4,553 (7.6%)
--- #5. New Jersey: 4,343 (7.2%)

#6. Scoters
- New Jersey: 7,194 (8.2% of national harvest)
- National: 88,025
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Maryland: 20,053 (22.8% of national harvest)
--- #2. North Carolina: 16,380 (18.6%)
--- #3. South Carolina: 8,368 (9.5%)
--- #4. New Jersey: 7,194 (8.2%)
--- #5. New York: 6,770 (7.7%)

#5. Green-winged Teal
- New Jersey: 7,464 (0.3% of national harvest)
- National: 2.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. California: 332,993 (13.9% of national harvest)
--- #2. Louisiana: 263,211 (11.0%)
--- #3. Texas: 219,022 (9.1%)
--- #4. Arkansas: 209,789 (8.8%)
--- #5. North Carolina: 134,267 (5.6%)

#4. Mallard
- New Jersey: 12,349 (0.4% of national harvest)
- National: 3.5 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Arkansas: 530,183 (15.3% of national harvest)
--- #2. Oklahoma: 201,683 (5.8%)
--- #3. Missouri: 187,251 (5.4%)
--- #4. Tennessee: 180,965 (5.2%)
--- #5. North Dakota: 164,401 (4.7%)

#3. Black Duck
- New Jersey: 18,456 (9.8% of national harvest)
- National: 187,389
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Maryland: 27,614 (14.7% of national harvest)
--- #2. New York: 24,822 (13.2%)
--- #3. New Jersey: 18,456 (9.8%)
--- #4. Maine: 14,437 (7.7%)
--- #5. Virginia: 12,723 (6.8%)

#2. Bufflehead
- New Jersey: 23,613 (8.6% of national harvest)
- National: 275,897
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Virginia: 43,421 (15.7% of national harvest)
--- #2. New Jersey: 23,613 (8.6%)
--- #3. California: 20,968 (7.6%)
--- #4. North Carolina: 17,995 (6.5%)
--- #5. Michigan: 16,051 (5.8%)

#1. Canada Goose
- New Jersey: 33,812 (1.4% of national harvest)
- National: 2.4 million
- States with the largest harvests:
--- #1. Michigan: 167,809 (7.1% of national harvest)
--- #2. Minnesota: 149,423 (6.3%)
--- #3. Kansas: 147,696 (6.2%)
--- #4. Wisconsin: 141,923 (6.0%)
--- #5. Illinois: 140,829 (5.9%)