Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area

The Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area is a 3,461-acre landscape in Morris and Sussex counties. The site is part of a large tract of the Sparta Mountain Greenway that extends along the westernmost ridge of the New Jersey Highlands. 

The WMA is adjacent to the Newark Watershed Property, the Pequannock Watershed, and the Hamburg WMA, and is located within the Highlands Preservation Area. 

In 2009, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife partnered with New Jersey Audubon to create and implement a Forest Stewardship Plan at Sparta Mountain WMA with two primary goals: to manage aging portions of the forest providing essential habitat for species like the red-shouldered hawk and barred owl, and to create openings in the canopy allowing light to reach the ground, triggering new growth of oaks, blackberries and native grasses. This successful management has provided more diverse habitats and a greater variety of wildlife species.

Sparta Mountain WMA is one of the rare places in New Jersey where you might spot the state's endangered golden-winged warbler, a tiny, vibrant bird that serves as an "umbrella species". By creating the young forest it needs to survive, we are also helping at least 30 other declining species, including the Baltimore oriole, Canada warbler, scarlet tanager, and indigo bunting. Also commonly seen here are the mysterious whip-poor-will, as well as red-shouldered hawks and barred owls, which have benefited from the hunting areas created by the new growth following the forest management work. A variety of other species inhabit the WMA, including turtles, black bears and bobcats.

Ryker Lake can be found within the WMA. The lake was previously managed under special Conservation Regulations for bass, sunfish and yellow perch. These regulations were recently changed for 2026, and the lake is now managed under General Regulations for all species.  Pickerel, crappie and catfish can also be caught. It features a car-top boat launch, and propulsion at the lake is by paddle or electric motor only.

The Sparta Mountain WMA is open for deer, small game, turkey, and waterfowl hunting. Deer hunting in DMZ 6 is excellent, especially in forested areas where turkeys also flock in great numbers in THA 7 due to mast production from the trees. The WMA is also open for trapping. 

NJDEP| Fish & Wildlife | WMA Highlight - Sparta Mountain

Owned by the 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.

Essex County Cherry Blossom Time

 

Brown Trout Stocking Information

Opening day of trout season this year is Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 8 a.m.

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife announced the stocking of brown trout this spring. They will receive 20,000 Brown Trout for stocking this spring thanks to a partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.

Brown Trout were stocked in the following lakes and ponds on Friday, March 20. These waterbodies are OPEN to fishing:

• Round Valley Reservoir
• Manny's Pond
• Mountain Farm Pond
• Amwell Lake
• Rosedale Lake
• Rowands Pond
• Oak Pond
• South Vineland Park Pond
• Crystal Lake
• Sylvan Lake
• Laurel Pond
• Shaws Mill Pond
• Greenwich Lake
• Brown Trout will also be stocked in Diamond Mill Pond on Friday, March 27.

Brown Trout will be available in the following rivers beginning Opening Day, April 11:

• Manasquan River
• Toms River
• Rahway River (Including the West Branch)
• Rockaway River
• South Branch of the Raritan River (Below Lake Solitude)
• Musconetcong River (Below Route 31)
• Paulinskill River
• Raritan River Mainstem

All trout-stocked lakes and ponds will remain open year-round to fishing and are no longer closed during the preseason stocking period. There is a 2 trout daily possession limit until opening day (April 11 at 8 a.m.), when the limit increases to 6 trout per day. 

Rivers and streams are CLOSED to fishing during the preseason stocking period, March 23 – April 11 at 8 a.m.

Spring Trout Fishing Information

Purchase License and Trout Stamp

Moths as Pollinators

We wrote earlier about how New Jersey moths survive our winters. Today, we are thinking about warmer weather and how moths act as surprisingly good pollinators.

When we think of pollinators, bees are probably the first thing that comes to mind. Moths are more efficient than bees at pollinating some plants. 

A handful of moth species that eat our clothes, invade our pantries, and destroy our crops have given them all a bad name for many people, but most moth species are not pests. 

In terms of species, moths are about eight times more diverse than bees, and 10 times more diverse than butterflies, which actually evolved from moth ancestors. In fact, we now know that moths are the single most diverse group of pollinators on Earth, with more than 123,000 species visiting flowers around the world.  

Source: The Secret Lives of Moths - Nautilus

Also see Butterflies and Moths - BugGuide.Net

Polyphemus Moth