Reminder for the week: Where to find Sunday deer hunting information and related wildlife area maps

DOVER – To achieve public compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Sept. 30-Oct. 6 made 1,603 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters, and the general public, issuing 30 citations. Officers responded to 56 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

• On Oct. 4, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers responded to a reported suspicious observation, discovering human remains along the north side of the C&D Canal west of the Route 1 bridge. The case was turned over to the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit for investigation.
• On Oct. 6, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers responded to a submerged vehicle on the south side of the C&D Canal west of the Route 1 bridge to join other first responders in a search, rescue and recovery operation. One survivor was located, with the driver and two occupants recovered and pronounced deceased on scene; officers continued to search the Canal for one missing occupant of the vehicle (the missing occupant was recovered on Oct. 10 and pronounced deceased on scene). The Delaware State Police Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating the cause of the incident.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Trespass to hunt (1), failure to tag antlerless deer (1), and wildlife area map violation – hunting outside of designated zone (2).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Possession of undersized blue crabs (1) and unlicensed fishing (2).

Boating & Boating Safety: No boating safety certificate (1).

Public Safety: Failure to display required hunter orange during a firearms deer season (4).

Other: Resisting arrest (1), trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (12), operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (1), driving a motor vehicle with an expired registration (3), and operating a motor vehicle without insurance (1).

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. The Public are encouraged to report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or through the DENRP Tip app on a smartphone, which can be downloaded free of charge by searching “DENRP Tip” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to http://de.gov/ogt, or using the DENRP Tip app. Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
Sunday deer hunting is allowed in Delaware during the 2019/2020 deer hunting season on all Sundays that occur through Feb. 2, 2020, using those methods legal for the respective established hunting seasons.

For more information, to include Sunday deer hunting opportunities on public wildlife areas, please visit this link.

For more information on the 2019/2020 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 2019-2020 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

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

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell 302-382-7167, or Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police 302-739-9913

Print