Delaware deer hunters will be afield hoping to harvest a white-tailed trophy buck when the state’s general firearm deer season – known to hunters as the shotgun season – opens Friday, Nov. 10. /USFWS photo

 

Cottontail Rabbits, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Bobwhite Quail Seasons All Set to Open Monday, Nov. 20 Across State

Many Delaware hunting seasons are to open or are already open this month, including the popular November general firearm deer season, also known as the shotgun season, which runs from Friday, Nov. 10 through Sunday, Nov. 19, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Duck, Canada goose and other hunting seasons open later in the month on Nov. 20.

Meanwhile, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife is clarifying season dates for small game, due to incorrect dates listed in print copies of the 2023/’24 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide on the seasons for cottontail rabbits, ring-necked pheasants, and bobwhite quail.  Hunting season for all three species will open on Monday, Nov. 20 – instead of Nov. 21 as indicated the print version of the hunting and trapping guide. The online version of the guide has been updated to reflect the correct dates for small game seasons.

Dates for all hunting seasons opening in November are:

• Raccoon and opossum (hunt only): Nov. 1 through Feb. 29, 2024*
• Red fox (hunt only): Nov. 1 through Feb. 29, 2024
• Deer general firearm/shotgun: Nov. 10 through 19, including all Sundays
• Tundra swan (by special permit ONLY): Nov. 11 through Jan. 31, 2024
• Woodcock (first season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25
• Ducks (including sea ducks), coots and mergansers (second season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25
• Bobwhite quail: Nov. 20 through Jan. 6, 2024
• Mourning dove (second season split): Nov. 20 through Jan. 31, 2024
• Ring-necked pheasant (male only): Nov. 20 through Feb. 3, 2024
• Cottontail rabbit: Nov. 20 through Feb. 29, 2024
• Canada goose (first season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25

*Raccoon and opossum hunting seasons are closed during the November youth/non-ambulatory deer hunt and the November general firearm/shotgun deer season. Special hunting hours for raccoon and opossum during the December antlerless, January handgun/straight-walled pistol-caliber rifle, January general firearm/shotgun and January muzzleloader deer seasons are 7 p.m. until midnight.

More information on hunting seasons and wildlife areas is available in the 2023/2024 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide at de.gov/hunting. More information on hunting licenses, the state waterfowl stamp and the Conservation Access Pass is available at de.gov/huntinglicense.

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 nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

 

###

 Certain state lands – particularly DelDOT’s created wetlands – are closed to public access, including hunting

DOVER – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind the public that certain state-owned lands are closed to public access – including hunting. Anyone found accessing these sites is subject to trespassing and other charges. Other state-owned lands are designated as accessible to the public for recreational use, including hunting.

Particularly, those state-owned properties closed to the public include numerous created wetland sites established by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to offset environmental impacts from transportation projects throughout the state. These created wetlands are protected properties closely monitored to evaluate how well they are becoming established and whether they meet environmental standards. Any damage to these sites as a result of trespassing or other activities – such as illegally erecting blinds or clearing vegetation for hunting, or using the sites for other outdoor recreation activities – may impact DelDOT’s compliance with state and federal environmental permit requirements.

“No trespassing” signage is posted at these sites, with additional signage being installed on DelDOT properties to inform the public. Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police are patrolling these sites to help achieve awareness and compliance.

For information on designated public hunting areas in Delaware, click on 2019-2020 Delaware Hunting Guide. Additional information on Division of Fish & Wildlife public lands open to hunting is available at Delaware Wildlife Area Maps. The guide and wildlife area maps are also available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk or by calling 302-739-9912.

The public is urged to report trespassing and hunting violations to the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police via 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. The public can also call the Natural Resources Police 24-hour dispatch line at 302-739-4580.

Media contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-382-7167, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

-End-