The Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area in Eagleswood, Little Egg Harbor, and Stafford Townships in Ocean County offers a mix of pinelands and former cranberry bogs, providing 12,597 acres of habitat for wildlife. The WMA contains four ponds, a small freshwater marsh, and hundreds of acres of pine-oak forest that provide a haven from the rapid development of nearby areas for nesting, migrating, and wintering wildlife. Bass River State Forest lies to the south. A unique pygmy pine forest covers the northern end of the tract with dwarf but mature pitch pines, blackjack oak, and scrub oak standing four to six feet high.
Visit For:
Fishing
Anglers will find excellent fishing for chain pickerel and other warmwater fish in the ponds. The use of powered outboards other than electric motors is prohibited. A 3.4-mile sand road provides access for shore anglers.
Ranges
A shotgun range, archery range, and 100-yard centerfire rifle range are open to licensed hunters.
Dog Training
A dog training area is off County Road 606/Forge Road adjacent to the lake. It is well-stocked with chukar for training before the opening of upland game bird season.
Hunting
Stafford Forge WMA is a popular destination for hunting many of New Jersey’s game species, including upland and small game, deer (DMZ 24), turkey (THA 16), and waterfowl (south zone).
Wildlife
Stafford Forge WMA lies in the heart of the Pine Barrens and exhibits the unique plant and animal communities encouraged by the sandy, acidic soil and frequent cycles of burning the area historically endured. Many of the species found here are considered rare or endangered, like the curly grass fern, broom crowberry, northern pine snake, timber rattlesnake, and Pine Barrens treefrog. In the ponds, you can find southern leopard frogs, northern water snakes, wood ducks, little green herons, beaver, and spotted and painted turtles.
Because the habitat here is so varied, various species of birds inhabit the area. Look and listen for wood thrush, eastern pewee, black-throated green warblers, black and white warblers, chickadees, and solitary vireos near the marsh at the northern end of the ponds, especially during spring migration. Birds commonly found in the pine woods include downy woodpeckers, pine and prairie warblers, common yellowthroats, and towhees. Both bird and birders alike find the series of four ponds along dammed Westecunk Creek attractive.
Red squirrels, pine voles, gray fox, raccoons, and white-footed mice are the most common mammals here, but they may be tough to catch a glimpse of. There are many species of reptiles that make their home on this WMA including hognose, black rat, and black racer, as well as milk snakes, box turtles, and fence lizards.
Access
Take exit 58 off the Garden State Parkway for Tuckerton and follow County Road 539 North. Turn right onto Forge Road and continue onto Martha Road. Turn left onto Old Forge Road to enter the WMA. Sand roads run the length of the WMA since dense underbrush and pitch pines make bushwhacking through some of the terrain extremely difficult. Sand roads also run along both sides of the southernmost and largest pond. It is possible to cross the dikes between the ponds on foot. There are also numerous sand roads leading away from the ponds. The ranges are located off Route 539 just south of Bombing Range Road.
Owned by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Fish & Wildlife, the Wildlife Management Area System is comprised of more than 360,000 acres in 122 areas throughout the state, which is more than 44% of New Jersey’s state-owned public open space. WMAs are maintained and supported with funding from hunting and fishing license sales, the Federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and the Wildlife Habitat Supporter Program.
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WMAs are patrolled by NJ Fish & Wildlife Conservation Police Officers to ensure public safety. If you see violations while visiting a WMA, please call the 24-hour DEP hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
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