Reminder for the week: Waterfowl hunters advised to remove lead shot from gear

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 Nov. 6-12 made 1,625 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters and the general public, including 12 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing and hunting regulation compliance checks, issuing 64 citations. Officers responded to 84 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An
increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Incident of note:

• On Nov. 6, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers arrested Chad Lingenfelder, 31, of Seaford, for one count of failure to register antlerless deer within 24 hours, one count of failure to tag antlerless deer, one count of possess or transporting unlawfully taken antlerless deer, one count of hunting deer with a shotgun during archery season, and one count of game animal not consumed or utilized for its value, following an investigation into illegal hunting off Shingle Point Road near Georgetown. Lingenfelder was arraigned at Sussex County Justice of the Peace Court 3 where he plead guilty, was fined $667, including court costs, and released.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Failure to register antlerless deer within 24 hours (3), failure to tag antlerless deer (1), possess or transporting unlawfully taken antlerless deer (1), hunting deer with a shotgun during archery season (1), game animal not consumed or utilized for its value (1), unlicensed hunting (7), failure to tag deer (4), must wear hunter orange (8), trespassing to hunt (7), hunting with an unplugged shotgun capable of holding more than three shells (9), spotlighting (1), unlawful method of deer hunting by baiting lands (2), illegal method of take (1), and unlawful to remove antlerless deer parts prior to examining deer by division (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Possession of undersized tautog (1).

Public Safety: Possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (5), vehicle constructed/loaded to prevent contents from dropping (1), driving while suspended or revoked (1), operating a motor vehicle without insurance card in possession (1), and operating an unregistered off highway vehicle (1).

Other: Operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (1), and trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (6).

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.

Are you AWARE?
With the second waterfowl hunting season segment opening Nov. 20-25, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind waterfowl hunters to again check their hunting gear bags, coats, boats and any other gear to make sure they are not carrying any lead shot.

Non-toxic shot, as approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is required for all waterfowl hunting within the State of Delaware. There are no exceptions. For a list of currently approved non-toxic shot types visit https://flyways.us/faq/what-type-shot-approved-non-toxic-us.

For hunters age 16 and older, a federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp, commonly called “the duck stamp,” is also required to hunt waterfowl. Federal duck stamps may be purchased at U.S Post Offices, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges and online at www.fws.gov/duckstamps; no exemptions are made for persons 65 years or older for purchasing federal stamps. For more information on federal stamps, call 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).

For more information on waterfowl hunting in Delaware, visit 2017-2018 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide. Printed copies of the guide and the wildlife area maps are also available at DNREC’s Dover license desk, 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.

Follow 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.

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