Reminder for the week: Here’s what deer hunters need to know for shotgun deer season

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 Oct. 31-Nov. 6 made 1,666 contacts with anglers, hunters, boaters and the general public, including 112 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 34 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail.

Incidents of note:
• On Nov. 6, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police boarded a charter fishing boat in Lewes for a routine check and cited 11 people aboard for fishing violations as follows: 16 counts of possession of undersized black sea bass, two counts of possession of over-the-limit black sea bass and one count of possession of over-the-limit bluefish, carrying fines per violation of $107, including court costs.

• On Nov. 4, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited a 58-year-old Townsend man for possession of unlawfully taken antlerless deer, hunting on a state game refuge and hunting deer with the aid of illegal bait on a state game refuge on DelDOT property near Pike Creek. He was fined $495, including court costs.

• On Nov. 3, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited an 18-year-old Townsend man for operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to obtain a motor vehicle title, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop at Staves Landing Boat Ramp near Odessa. He was released pending a mandatory appearance in Justice of the Peace Court 9 in Middletown at a later date.

• On Nov. 1, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Scott G. Austin, 18, of Frederica, and charged him with providing false information when registering an antlered deer, attaching an antlerless deer tag to an antlered deer, possession of an unlawfully taken antlered deer, hunting antlered deer with a firearm during archery season and unlawful possession of a game animal/antlered deer in connection with an Oct. 30 incident near Felton. Austin was taken to Justice of the Peace Court 7 in Dover, where he pled guilty to providing false information when registering an antlered deer and attaching an antlerless deer tag to an antlered deer. He was fined $2,504, including court costs, and released.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Trespassing to hunt (1), hunting on a state refuge (1), hunting deer over bait on a state refuge (1), hunting antlered deer with a firearm during archery season (2)*, hunting with a bow in a closed area (1), providing false information when registering an antlered deer (1), attaching an antlerless deer tag to an antlered deer (1), possession of unlawfully taken antlered deer (2), possession of unlawfully taken antlerless deer (1), failure to tag antlerless deer (1), failure to register antlerless deer within 24 hours (1), butchering antlerless deer prior to registration (1), wanton waste of a game animal/deer (1), and camping on a state wildlife area (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (3), possession of undersized black sea bass (16), possession of over-the-limit black sea bass (2), possession of undersized striped bass (6), possession of undersized tautog (1), and possession of over-the-limit bluefish (1).

Public Safety: Possession of marijuana (1), possession of drug paraphernalia (1), reckless driving (1), operating a vehicle at unreasonable speed (1), failure to obey authorized person directing traffic (1), failure to obtain a motor vehicle title (1), operating a motor vehicle without insurance (1), and failure to wear a seatbelt (2).

*Citation issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area: Hunting antlered deer with a firearm during archery season (1).

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police in the Community
• On Nov. 2 and 6, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Kent County officers attended hunter safety courses at the Little Creek Hunter Education Center near Dover, presenting the legal requirements portion of the courses, explaining what to expect during routine hunter safety checks and answering questions about Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police careers.

Are you AWARE?
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind hunters that shotgun deer season runs from Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 20, including Sunday, Nov. 13, and resumes Saturday, Jan. 14 and runs through Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, including Sunday, Jan. 15. Muzzleloaders also may be used during these dates, and may be equipped with scopes.

Additional upcoming or continuing deer season dates:
• Special antlerless – Saturday, Dec. 10-Saturday, Dec. 17, including Sunday, Dec. 11
• Handgun – Saturday, Jan. 7-Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 (no Sunday deer hunting allowed during handgun season)
• Muzzleloader – Monday, Jan. 23-Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017
• Archery and crossbow deer season, ongoing thru Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 (except for designated Sundays during certain firearms seasons, no Sunday deer hunting allowed during archery and crossbow season)

Deer hunters also are reminded that wearing hunter orange is required for safety during all firearms deer seasons. Firearm deer hunters as well as bow hunters and small game hunters are required to wear no less than a total of 400 square inches of hunter orange on their heads, chests and backs during firearms deer seasons. Deer hunters concealed inside ground-level blinds also must place 400 square inches of hunter orange within 10 feet outside of the blind and at least 3 feet off the ground.

Hunters also are reminded that they may hunt on private lands only with permission of the owner and only on state-owned lands designated for hunting. “All state-owned lands in Delaware, including state, county and municipal parks, are considered state game refuges under state law, with no hunting permitted on these lands at any time of the year, with the exception of those lands with specific areas designated for hunting during specific hunting seasons,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “Before heading afield, hunters should make certain that hunting is permitted where they intend to hunt by checking state wildlife area maps.”

In order to hunt, Delaware residents age 16 through 64 are required to purchase a Delaware hunting license; a Delaware junior license is required for ages 13 through 15. Some license requirements differ for non-resident hunters. Delaware hunting licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, click Delaware Licenses. For more information on Delaware hunting licenses, call 302-739-9918.

Deer must be tagged immediately after harvest, and tags must remain attached until the deer is processed. Delaware hunting licenses come with four antlerless deer tags, and additional antlerless deer tags may be purchased online or from license agents for $10. Resident hunters may purchase a combination resident hunter’s choice/quality buck tag for $10. The resident hunter’s choice tag can be used on both antlered and antlerless deer. The resident quality buck tag can only be used on an antlered deer with a minimum outside antler spread of 15 inches. For non-residents, one antlered deer tag valid for any deer and/or one quality buck tag for deer with a minimum outside antler spread of 15 inches may be purchased separately for $25 each. Hunters are permitted to harvest a maximum of two antlered bucks for all seasons combined. All other deer harvested must be antlerless.

Hunters are reminded that they must register their deer within 24 hours of harvest. A registration number is required before taking any deer to a butcher or taxidermist. Likewise, hunters who butcher their own deer must register the deer within 24 hours of harvest or before processing.

Hunters may register deer by visiting the Hunter and Trapper Registration (HTR) system online at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt using their smartphone, tablet or computer. Those who prefer to register their deer through a live customer service representative have the option to call 855-DEL-HUNT (855-335-4868). However, using the website instead of the live customer service phone number is a cost-savings measure that helps the Division of Fish & Wildlife direct more funding to on-the-ground habitat conservation and management, and to public hunting areas.

For more information on hunting in Delaware, click on 2016-2017 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and from license agents throughout the state. State wildlife area hunting maps are available in hard copy at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk and online at Delaware Wildlife Area Maps. For more information, call the licensing office at 302-739-9918 or the Wildlife Section office at 302-739-9912.

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 http://de.gov/ogt.

Like Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Delaware-Fish-Wildlife-Natural-Resources-Police.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

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. 398

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