Hunters and their retrievers can get a daily double for migratory birds in their sights Sept. 1 when Delaware hunting seasons open for mourning dove and resident Canada goose. Retriever owners also should be vigilant when working their gundogs in the typically warm weather for dove season opener and ensure the dogs get plenty of cool water between retrieves. /DNREC photos

Early Season Teal and Resident Canada Goose Are
Among a Variety of Game Hunters Can Choose From

Hunter’s delight is at hand in Delaware with the September opening of numerous hunting seasons. Among them are the traditional Sept. 1 dove season opener – with many wingshooting opportunities afield, particularly on state wildlife areas, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Resident Canada goose season opens the same day as dove season, as does the first of Delaware’s deer seasons (archery and crossbow), while early teal season runs from Sept. 13-30 for both green-winged and blue-winged teal.

What follows is a summary of September migratory bird hunting opportunities on state wildlife areas, how to take advantage of them, and the regulations and procedures to be followed for hunters accessing these opportunities. A complete listing of all the state’s hunting seasons, to include daily bag limits, regulations and legal shooting hours, can be found in the 2023/’24 Delaware Hunting Guide.

New Castle County

Dove

Sunflower fields are planted on the Rocks and Daniels Tracts of the Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area.  Permits to hunt these fields are issued through a noon lottery at the Cedar Swamp lottery station located on Collins Beach Road. These tracts are open to hunting on Opening Day, Labor Day, and all Saturdays in September. Hunting hours are 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Dove hunting is prohibited in zones 2, 3, and 8 outside of the regulated dove fields, but is allowed in all other zones in accordance with all state and federal regulations from ½-hour before sunrise to sunset.

Dove hunting is also permitted on the C&D Canal Conservation Area, Augustine Wildlife Area, and Eagles Nest Wildlife Area from ½-hour before sunrise to sunset with no special permits required. Non-toxic shot is required for dove hunting on all state wildlife areas during the early season.

Resident Canada Goose

Resident Canada goose hunting is available on the C&D Canal Conservation Area, on and around Reedy Island in the Delaware River, and on the Eagles Nest Wildlife Area, with no special permits required. Hunting hours are ½-hour before sunrise to sunset. Resident Canada geese may be harvested on the Port Penn and Ashton Tracts of the Augustine Wildlife Area while hunting teal by obtaining a permit as described below.

September Teal

Duck blinds will be available on the Port Penn and Ashton Tracts of the Augustine Wildlife Area for early teal season. The blinds are available by permit only through lottery drawings held at the Augustine lottery station at the end of North Congress Street in Port Penn. Lotteries are held on opening day (Sept. 13), and weekly Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with drawings taking place 1½ hours before legal shooting time throughout the season. Note that blinds may not be grassed for the early teal season.

 Kent County

Dove

Sunflower fields are planted on the Logan Lane and Buckaloo/Morris Tracts of the Ted Harvey Conservation Area, the Main Tract of the Little Creek Wildlife Area and the Penuel Tract of the Milford Neck Wildlife Area. Permits to hunt these fields are issued through a noon lottery at the Little Creek Wildlife Area check station on Route 9/Bayside Drive just south of the town of Little Creek. These areas will be open to hunting on opening day, Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 4), Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in September. Hunting hours are from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Dove hunting is restricted to these fields only on the five tracts.

Sunflower fields open to hunters without a lottery are on the Blackiston Wildlife Area off Underwoods Corner Road and Sewell Branch Road and on the Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area off Ironmine Road, with hunting permitted from ½-hour before sunrise to sunset with no special permits required. Non-toxic shot is required for dove hunting on all state wildlife areas during the early season.

Resident Canada Goose

Resident goose hunting opportunities are available on the Blackiston and Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Areas, the Little Creek Wildlife Area’s Davey Crockett Tract, Ted Harvey Wildlife Area’s Morris and Buckaloo Tracts and Milford Neck Wildlife Area’s Penuel, Main and Rawley’s Island Tracts, with no special permits required. Hours are ½-hour before sunrise to sunset.

September Teal

Select blinds will be open at the Woodland Beach Wildlife Area for the early teal season. These blinds and will be available by permit only through a lottery at the Woodland Beach check station on Route 9. Lotteries will be held 1½-hours before legal shooting time on a daily basis. Ted Harvey Conservation Area river blinds and Roberts Tract and Island Farm Tract blinds will be issued through the Little Creek lottery station beginning 2 hours before legal shooting time on a daily basis. Note that blinds will not be grassed for the early teal season. The Little Creek Wildlife Area’s Davey Crockett Tract and Milford Neck Wildlife Area’s Penuel, Main, Rawley’s Island and Cedar Creek Tracts are open without special permits.

Sussex County

Dove

Sunflower fields and corn are planted on the Muddy Neck Tract of the Assawoman Wildlife Area on both sides of Double Bridges Road. Permits to hunt these fields are available at the Assawoman Lottery Station beginning at noon on opening day, Labor Day and all Saturdays in September. Hunting hours are 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunflower and corn fields are planted at the Nanticoke Wildlife Area this year for dove hunting and are located on either side of the Main Road running between Old Sharptown and Phillips Landing Roads – the fields are called the George Adams Field and Dirt Pit Field. No permits or check-in are required. Nanticoke is open daily to dove hunting in accordance with all state and federal regulations from ½-hour before sunrise to sunset.

All other wildlife areas in Sussex County are open for dove hunting with no permits required and in accordance with all state and federal regulations from ½-hour before sunrise to sunset. Non-toxic shot is required for dove hunting on all state wildlife areas during the early season.

Resident Canada Goose

Resident goose hunting is available at the Assawoman Wildlife Area from a field blind on the Muddy Neck Tract south of Double Bridges Road. A hunter-facilitated drawing will occur two hours before sunrise on Mondays and Thursdays during the early season. More information can be obtained at the Assawoman Checking Station or by calling 302-539-3160 in advance of hunting days.

 September Teal

Prime Hook State Wildlife Area blinds and Prime Hook NWR blind sites will be open for the early teal season. Hunting days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Permits are free and will be issued using a hunter facilitated drawing 2½-hours before sunrise from the check station located on the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Hunting hours are ½-hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. Hunters should plan to use the Foord’s Landing boat ramp within the federal refuge to access the state waterfowl blinds as the new water levels have made the state boat ramp inaccessible. Note that blinds may not be grassed for the early teal season.

No other Sussex County state wildlife areas are located within the September teal season zones.

More information about hunting in Delaware, including migratory birds, can be found at https://de.gov/hunting. More information about hunting on state wildlife areas can be found at https://de.gov/wamaps. Information about Delaware’s deer hunting seasons, which run in various incarnations from Sept. 1 through Jan. 31, 2024, can be found in the 2023-’24 hunting guide.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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