Reminder for the week: Hunters and residents encouraged to review Delaware hunting regulations

DOVER – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Sept. 5-11 made 1,787 contacts with anglers, hunters, boaters and the general public, including 96 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 38 complaints and issued 27 citations, one of which was related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

Incidents of note:

• On Sept. 9, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested two Sussex County men for one count each of loitering to engage in sex at Redden State Forest near Georgetown. Both were released, pending an appearance in Sussex County Family Court at a later date.
• On Sept. 7, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested a juvenile and charged him with eight counts of damaging/defacing state property on a wildlife area and one count of criminal mischief under $1,000, related to an investigation into graffiti at the Horseys Pond fishing area. The juvenile was released to his parents, pending an appearance in Sussex County Family Court at a later date.

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Wildlife Conservation: Hunting migratory waterfowl without required state waterfowl stamp (4), damaging/defacing state property on a wildlife area (8), criminal mischief under $1,000 (1), trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (2), and littering on a state wildlife area (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (2)*, possession of undersized blue crabs (3), possession of undersized white perch (1), trespassing to fish (1), and fishing in a closed area (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: Failure to observe slow-no-wake zone (1).

Public Safety: Loitering to engage in sex (2).

*Citation issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area: unlicensed fishing (1).

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police News, Training and Outreach

• On Sept. 10-11, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers displayed the Operation Game Theft trailer and answered questions on hunting, boating and fishing opportunities in Delaware at the annual Nanticoke Indian Pow Wow near Millsboro.
• On Sept. 10, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers displayed a marine patrol boat and answered boating safety questions at the Houston Fire Department’s Fire Prevention & Safety Day.
• On Sept. 9, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers attended a “Welcome to Dover” event at Dover Air Force Base and answered questions about hunting, boating and fishing opportunities in Delaware.
• On Sept. 8, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers gave a presentation about careers in fish and wildlife law enforcement at a hunter safety class at the Little Creek Hunter Education Center.

Are you AWARE?
With September’s mourning dove and resident Canada goose seasons as well as archery deer season underway and more hunting season dates ahead, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind both hunters and residents who live near hunting areas to become familiar with Delaware hunting regulations.

“Something new this year that hunters as well as the public should know is that Sunday deer hunting will be allowed on five Sundays – Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and 20, Dec. 11 in 2016 and on Jan. 15, 2017 – on private lands with landowner permission and designated public lands including wildlife areas,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “These are the only Sundays when hunting is allowed in Delaware, and deer are the only game species that can be harvested.”

Sgt. McDerby noted that residents also can expect to see and hear hunting activity in the next several months, such as:

• In most areas, hunting hours begin a half hour before sunrise and end a half hour after sunset.
• Hunting between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise is illegal. (Exception: Night hunting for raccoon and opossum in season.)
• Hunting is allowed on private lands with permission of the landowner.
• Regulated hunting is allowed on most state wildlife areas.
• Regulations for specific wildlife areas, including hunting days and hours, are included on wildlife area maps.

“We recommend that residents who live near hunting areas – private or public – familiarize themselves with season dates and regulations by checking wildlife area maps and our hunting and trapping guide,” said Sgt. McDerby. “Although most hunters observe these regulations, we also encourage the public to report any illegal hunting activity they observe.”

Sgt. McDerby also added some tips on what residents should report:

• Hearing gunshots at night between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise.
• Seeing hunters or becoming aware they are shooting on your property if they do not have your permission to hunt.
• Seeing hunters afield or hearing gunshots coming from wildlife areas on Sunday, with the exception of the five Sundays noted above at areas open to deer hunting on those dates.
• Witnessing shots fired across a public road or right-of-way, or within 15 yards or closer to a public roadway. (NOTE: carrying a loaded weapon in a vehicle or vessel also is illegal.)
• Hunting migratory waterfowl and game birds, including doves, over bait is illegal in Delaware. An area is generally considered baited if grain or other feed has been placed as a lure or attraction.
• Target shooting on state wildlife areas is illegal at all times; target shooting on private property is allowed seven days a week, within the parameters of local, county and state ordinances.

For more information on the 2016/2017 hunting seasons – including hunter education, licensing, hunting and trapping seasons, limits, regulations, wildlife area information and more, with sections devoted to deer, small game, turkey and migratory birds – click on 2016-2017 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide. Newly updated wildlife area maps with area-specific regulations are available online at Wildlife Area Maps.

Printed copies of the Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide and the wildlife area maps are also available at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or by calling the Wildlife Section office at 302-739-9912. The printed guide also is available from license agents throughout the state.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at de.gov/ogt.

Media Contact: Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 340

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