NJ has check stations and a calendar year.A calendar yearis clever in that ittempts you to renewyour licensebefore Jan. 1st if you want to hunt the little bit of time that is left (especially pheasants and waterfowl which often are huntable all through January).
It is clever because they get your money in Jan. instead of six months later and therefore earn extra interest income on those funds.
I can see a needy PGC switching some time in the future just to get their hands on a windfall.
I have a feeling that that is how fiscal years got started in the first place.