Delaware deer hunters and others interested in the state’s white-tailed deer herd will be keen to use the new interactive game harvest
dashboard which will provide data on deer and the state’s other leading game animal, the wild turkey /USFWS photo
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has announced Delaware’s statewide deer harvest totals for the 2025-‘26 hunting season as the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife launches a new interactive Game Harvest Dashboard that encourages deer hunters and the public to explore the state’s big game animal data in greater detail.
During the recent season, Delaware hunters harvested 16,746 deer, including 11,907 antlerless deer and 4,839 antlered deer. This represents an 11% decrease from the 18,823 deer harvested during the record 2024-‘25 season. Although the 2025-‘26 harvest declined from last season, it still ranks in the top five highest harvests since the modern-day deer hunt season began in 1954.
“The slight decline in harvest compared to last season is likely influenced by several factors,” said DNREC Deer Biologist Sam Millman. “Reduced hunter participation, weather conditions during key portions of the season, and high acorn production across much of the state likely affected deer movement and hunter success.”
Delaware is divided into 18 deer management zones by DNREC, allowing wildlife biologists to monitor harvest trends and manage the herd at a finer geographic scale. New Castle County includes Zones 1A, 1B, 2, and 3; Kent County Zones 4 through 8; and Sussex County Zones 9 through 17. While the management zones generally align with county geography, several of them cross county lines to reflect habitat continuity and landscape features rather than political boundaries. The zone structure enables the Division of Fish and Wildlife to evaluate deer density, hunter effort and harvest trends regionally, ensuring management decisions are grounded in ecological conditions across the landscape.
For the 2025-’26 season, Sussex County once again led the state in total harvest with 8,594 deer reported. Zone 7 in Kent County continued to produce strong numbers, with 1,397 deer harvested. Among lands managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, the Midlands Wildlife Area near Laurel recorded the highest harvest with 168 deer taken during the season.
To improve transparency and public access to Delaware hunting data, DNREC has launched the online Deer and Wild Turkey Harvest Dashboard. The interactive tool allows hunters, landowners, and interested residents to explore harvest trends by season, county and wildlife management zone and examine trends through clear visual summaries using an intuitive, map-based interface.
“This year’s deer harvest reflects the dynamic nature of conservation management and hunter participation,” Millman said. “The new dashboard gives the public a powerful tool to explore harvest data and better understand how regulated hunting and wildlife conservation support healthy deer and turkey populations in Delaware.”
The Game Harvest Dashboard will be updated annually and continue to be refined with additional features. More information about deer hunting in Delaware can be found on the de.gov/deer webpage. For more info on spring wild turkey hunting in the First State, visit the de.gov/turkeyhunting webpage.
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 YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
Media contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov
###