Delaware Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish to meet Feb. 25 in Dover

DOVER – Delaware’s Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 in the DNREC Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

The Council will discuss Delaware’s proposed 2020/2021 waterfowl and migratory gamebird seasons and the public land turkey hunting lottery. For more information, including the meeting agenda, visit the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/65287.

For more information on Delaware wildlife, please call the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912. For more information on Delaware fisheries, please call the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


Registration open to hunters for mandatory wild turkey hunting courses

DOVER – With Delaware’s annual spring wild turkey hunting season approaching, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Hunter Education Program reminds both resident and non-resident hunters age 13 and older that they must pass a Division-Approved turkey hunting course before they can legally hunt turkeys in the First State. Also, hunters age 13 and older born after Jan. 1, 1967, must have completed an approved basic hunter education safety course and have a course card/number. These hunter education requirements have collectively helped Delaware turkey hunters achieve an excellent hunting safety record.

Registration is now open for one-day turkey hunting courses offered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by the Division of Fish & Wildlife at the following locations in Kent, New Castle, and Sussex counties:

  • Kent County – Saturday, March 7, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901
  • New Castle County – Saturday, March 14, Ommelanden Hunter/Trapper Education Training Center and Range, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720 and Saturday, March 28, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 15 East Green Street, Middletown, DE 19709 (NOTE: 8:30 a.m. start time)
  • Sussex County – Sunday, March 29, Lewes Fire Department, Station #2 at Nassau, 32198 Janice Road, Lewes, DE 19958

Delaware’s turkey hunter education course teaches turkey hunting safety, as well as the state’s current wild turkey hunting laws and regulations. Students also learn about Delaware’s wild turkey history, as well wild turkey biology and behavior, and turkey calling that can help improve turkey hunting success. While required for all hunters age 13 and older, youth 10 through 12 years of age can also take the course.

Successful completion of the course enables students to obtain their Delaware Turkey Hunter Safety Card or have the turkey course certification added to their Delaware Hunter Education Card. Proof of both basic hunter education and turkey hunting safety certification must be carried while in the field turkey hunting.

Students planning to attend one of the turkey courses must register in advance. To register for a course, click Hunter Education Online Access. After logging in, click “Sign me up” and select “Mandatory Turkey Ed.” Students may also contact the Hunter Education Office at 302-735-3600, ext. 1, to register or for additional information.

Delaware’s 2020 wild turkey season will run from Saturday, April 11 through Saturday, May 9, excluding Sundays, with a youth/non-ambulatory disabled turkey hunt on Saturday, April 4. For more information on wild turkey hunting in Delaware, click on 2019-2020 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide. The guide is also available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and from license agents throughout the state.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Blotter: Feb. 3-9

Reminder for the week: Spring ahead of Spring Aboard boating safety campaign

DOVER – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources, promote boating safety, and protect the public through outreach, education, and law enforcement. To help achieve public compliance with laws and regulations, officers from Feb. 3-9 made 869 public contacts and responded to 22 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police in the Community

  • On Feb. 9, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers discussed their role and reviewed safe hunting practices, hunting laws, and what to expect when checked by an officer in the field with attendees of a Hunter Education Class held at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Officers issued a total of 16 citations for the following listed violations related to:

Wildlife Conservation: Failure to tag traps, hunting license forgery, and hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal waterfowl stamp.

Fisheries Conservation: Harvesting oysters without a commercial shellfish license.

Public Safety: Possession of marijuana – civil and reckless endangering.

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area* and operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area*.

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters who comply with Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The public can report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or using the free smartphone DENRP Tip app downloaded from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations can 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?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters to spring ahead of the upcoming National Association of State Boating Law Administrators’ (NASBLA) Spring Aboard campaign for boating education by enrolling in a boater safety course now.

This year’s Spring Aboard campaign will take place from March 17-23; however, courses are being offered now. These courses cover the rules and regulations of Delaware’s waterways, including appropriate speed limits, responsible boating skills and awareness, how to distinguish navigational aids and water depths, weather tips, information about basic engine mechanics, required and recommended safety equipment, what to do if a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officer stops your vessel, and the dangers of boating under the influence. Upon completing the course, boaters receive a boating safety certificate, which is required to operate motorized boats in Delaware for boaters born on or after Jan. 1, 1978.

For more information, including Delaware’s boating safety course schedule, access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook, and other boating information, please visit Delaware Boating Safety.

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, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913, or 302-382-7167.


DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife reminds hunters to remove temporary deer stands from state wildlife areas

DOVER – With Delaware’s 2019/20 deer hunting seasons having ended earlier this month, hunters are reminded to remove their portable deer stands from state wildlife areas by Saturday, Feb. 15. Any stands found on wildlife areas after that date will become the property of the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Hunters may temporarily set up portable stands starting Aug. 1 each year and must remove them at the end of the season – doing so with the knowledge that placement of a deer stand on a public wildlife area does not provide exclusive rights to hunting from their stand. Under state wildlife area rules, no parts of portable deer stands can be nailed or bolted to a tree. Hunters are also prohibited from cutting any vegetation or branches to hang a stand or to clear shooting paths on a wildlife area.

For more information, please contact the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Blotter: Jan. 27- Feb. 2

A massive flock of snow geese moves around Kent County’s coastal communities. The Snow Goose Conservation Order allows them to be taken from Feb. 10-April 10, excluding Sundays.

Reminder for the week: Snow Goose Conservation Order season provides additional hunting opportunities

DOVER – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources, promote boating safety, and protect the public through outreach, education, and law enforcement. To help achieve public compliance with laws and regulations, officers from Jan. 27-Feb. 2 made 1,713 public contacts and responded to 61 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Officers issued a total of 28 citations for the following listed violations related to:

Wildlife Conservation: Unlawful to provide a guided hunt on division lands, unlicensed hunting, hunting license forgery, hunting migratory waterfowl without required HIP number, hunting migratory waterfowl without required state waterfowl stamp, hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal waterfowl stamp, and possession of unlawfully taken waterfowl.

Boating & Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets.

Public Safety: Striking an occupied dwelling with shot discharged from a firearm.

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area, operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area, unregistered motor vehicle on a state wildlife area, and criminal mischief.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters who comply with Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The public can report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or using the free smartphone DENRP Tip app downloaded from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations can 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?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind hunters that the 2020 Snow Goose Conservation Order season to harvest snow geese will be closing for the youth waterfowl hunting day on Saturday, Feb. 8, reopening Monday, Feb. 10 through Friday, April 10, excluding Sundays.

The Snow Goose Conservation Order season allows use of unplugged shotguns and electronic calls, with no daily bag and possession limits. Legal shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Federal and state hunting regulations otherwise apply.

To participate in the Snow Goose Conservation Order season, hunters must obtain and keep in their possession while hunting snow geese a free Snow Goose Conservation Order permit number, available at https://egov.delaware.gov/htr. Individuals needing assistance in obtaining the permit number can call 302-735-3600 during business hours Monday through Friday.

Conservation Order participants are also required to have a valid Delaware hunting license or license-exempt number (LEN) or a Maryland resident hunting license (unless exempt in Maryland), a Delaware waterfowl stamp (unless exempt), and a Delaware Harvest Information Program (HIP) number. A federal waterfowl stamp is not required.

LEN and HIP numbers are available, and participants in the Conservation Order are required to report their hunting activity and success to the Division of Fish & Wildlife by Wednesday, May 1, 2020, at the website above or by calling 855-DELHUNT (855-335-4868).

For more information on the Snow Goose Conservation Order, please call 302-739-9912 or visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/.

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, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913, or 302-382-7167.