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Natural resources

Delaware Announces Public Hunting Opportunities for 2025/'26 Season

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has announced the start of several hunting seasons, marking the beginning of the 2025/'26 hunting season. The early season hunts are a tradition in the state, with deer hunters taking center stage as they open the archery and crossbow season on September 1. Resident Canada goose, mourning dove, and coyote hunting seasons will also start on the same day. Later in the month, hunters will have opportunities to hunt gray squirrels and teal. The state has also introduced new rules for the 2025/'26 waterfowl season, including extended shooting hours, unplugged shotguns, and electronic calls, but with specific restrictions to avoid overlap with other hunting seasons.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 2025/'26 hunting season in Delaware starts on September 1, with early season hunts for deer, Canada geese, mourning doves, and coyotes.
  • The gray squirrel season opens on September 15, and early teal season begins on September 20.
  • New rules for the 2025/'26 waterfowl season include extended shooting hours, unplugged shotguns, and electronic calls, but with limited applicability to avoid overlap with other seasons.
  • Hunters pursuing mourning doves on State Wildlife Areas can find additional opportunities in September to hunt fields managed specifically for doves.
  • The September teal zone will be open to resident Canada goose hunting and teal hunting simultaneously, but special hunting methods will not be allowed during this time.
  • Information about hunting seasons and hunting on state wildlife areas can be found in the Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, and hunting licenses, the state waterfowl stamp, and Delaware's Conservation Access Pass can be obtained at de.gov/huntinglicense.
  • The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware's fish and wildlife and their habitats, providing fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, and boating access on over 68,000 acres of public land.

Statistics:

  • Over 68,000 acres of public land provide fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, and boating access managed by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. (Source: DNREC)
  • September 1 marks the start of several hunting seasons, including archery and crossbow deer hunting, resident Canada goose, mourning dove, and coyote hunting seasons. (Source: DNREC)
  • Extended shooting hours, unplugged shotguns, and electronic calls are allowed for the 2025/'26 waterfowl season, but with specific restrictions to avoid overlap with other hunting seasons. (Source: DNREC)
  • The gray squirrel season opens on September 15, and early teal season begins on September 20. (Source: DNREC)

Sources:

  • DNREC - Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
  • Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide
  • de.gov/huntinglicense
  • DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife

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