Delaware hunter Matthew Lawson bagged his first wild turkey in the First State last year. Delaware’s season starts next month. /Submitted photo

 

One-Day Youth and Non-Ambulatory Hunter Turkey Hunt April 2, Followed by Regular Hunting Season Opening on April 9

Wild turkey hunting in Delaware begins Saturday, April 2 with a one-day turkey hunt for youth ages 10 through 15 and for non-ambulatory hunters, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today – with the regular turkey hunting season opening Saturday, April 9 and running through Saturday, May 7. Hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no Sunday hunting allowed. Only bearded turkeys may be harvested, and the bag limit is one bearded turkey per hunter each year, regardless of where and when harvested.

Youth participating in the one-day April 2 hunt must be 10 to 15 years of age and must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older who has completed a Delaware-approved turkey hunter safety class and who possesses a Delaware hunting license or License Exempt Number (LEN). Accompanying adults may not hunt during the youth-day hunt. Regular-season turkey hunters under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult of 21 years of age or older who has completed a Delaware-approved turkey hunter safety class and who possesses a Delaware hunting license or LEN. Non-ambulatory hunters who participate in the one-day hunt on April 2 must need a wheelchair for mobility.

Hunting regulations require that all harvested birds must be checked at an authorized turkey check station by 2:30 p.m. on the day the bird was harvested. A list of turkey check stations is available at dnrec.delaware.gov and in the 2021/2022 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide. Check station hours may vary, so hunters are advised to call the station to confirm hours of operation. Hunters who want their bird scored and entered into National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) records are reminded to have their turkey’s weight recorded on a certified scale. For more information, see the NWTF website.

Hunting on state wildlife areas and in state forests during the spring regular turkey hunting season requires carrying a public land permit that was issued via preseason lottery, with the permit specifying the public lands and season segment/dates that can be hunted. Hunters participating in the special turkey hunt for youth and non-ambulatory hunters on April 2 may hunt without a public land permit on those state wildlife areas and state forests open to turkey hunting during the regular turkey hunting season as indicated on pages 43 and 45 of the Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Turkey hunters are reminded of the following hunter education requirements:

•  All turkey hunters 13 years of age and older must have completed a Delaware-approved turkey hunter safety course, including youth ages 13 through 15 hunting on the special youth turkey hunt on April 2.
• Hunters completing the turkey hunting course for the first time and who possessed a current hunting license or LEN prior to completing the course are reminded that they will need to reprint their license or LEN so that it will indicate successful completion of the course. Likewise, hunters who previously completed the turkey hunting course should ensure that their hunting license displays their turkey hunting course number. Hunters who have successfully completed the course no longer need to carry a course card as proof of completion if their hunting license or LEN indicates they have passed the course.
• Prospective hunters who are unable to attend an in-person turkey hunter safety course offered by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife may complete an approved online course offered by an outside vendor for a fee. More hunter education information can be found at dnrec.delaware.gov. Upon completion, hunters will need to submit a copy of their course completion certificate to huntereducation@delaware.gov. Please include a phone number that the hunter education office can call regarding any questions about your certificate.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife offers turkey hunting opportunities on those state wildlife areas that are open to turkey hunting, with details available at de.gov/wamaps.

Registered motor vehicles used to access designated wildlife areas owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife are required to display a Conservation Access Pass (CAP). Hunters can opt to receive one free annual CAP with the purchase of any Delaware hunting license. To obtain a CAP, hunters will need the registration card for the vehicle to which the pass will be assigned.
Delaware hunting licenses and CAPs can be purchased online at de.gov/huntinglicense or from hunting license agents statewide. Hunters obtaining a License Exempt Number (LEN) are reminded that they should create a profile using the DNREC ePermitting portal or obtain a LEN at a hunting license agent if they have not already done so.

Additional information on hunting seasons and state wildlife areas is available in the Hunting & Trapping Guide or by calling the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912. Information on hunting licenses and the Conservation Access Pass is available at de.gov/huntinglicense or by calling the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Recreational Licensing office at 302-739-9918.

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. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Youth waterfowl days set for Oct. 20 and Feb. 9, youth deer hunting weekend set for Nov. 3 and 4

DOVER – To promote youth hunting participation and recruitment, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife has expanded and designated special youth hunting days on both public and private lands statewide. Youth hunters ages 10 through 15 can enjoy youth waterfowl hunting days on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 and Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. Expanded deer hunting opportunities are provided for youth hunters by adding a Sunday to the traditional Saturday youth deer hunting day, for a full weekend of youth deer hunting days on Nov. 3 and 4. The special deer hunting days are also open to adult non-ambulatory disabled hunters, but the youth waterfowl hunting days are open only to youth ages 10 through 15.

Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult companion age 21 or older who possesses a valid Delaware hunting license or a License Exempt Number (LEN). Only the youth hunter may possess a firearm when participating in these special hunting days, and they must be of sufficient physical size and strength to safely handle a firearm. Youth hunters age 13 through 15 must purchase a Delaware junior hunting license, have completed a hunter education course, and possess their hunter education card. Adult companions must also possess a Delaware waterfowl (duck) stamp, unless exempted, and a federal migratory bird stamp for youth waterfowl hunting days. Waterfowl hunters under the age of 16 are not required to purchase a Delaware waterfowl (duck) stamp or a federal migratory bird stamp. Youth hunters age 10 through 12 must possess a LEN and may take a hunter education course.

If participating in youth hunting days on state wildlife areas where deer stands and waterfowl blinds are assigned through a daily lottery, youth hunters and accompanying adults do not need to purchase a deer stand/waterfowl blind permit. A deer stand permit or waterfowl blind permit is required to hunt these areas during all other deer and waterfowl seasons. The same waiver of the deer stand/waterfowl blind permit also applies for non-ambulatory disabled hunters during the special deer hunting days.

More information on hunting license and Delaware waterfowl stamp requirements is available at Delaware Licenses. All waterfowl and other migratory game bird (except crow) hunters will need a Federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) number. To register for a LEN or HIP number, hunters can go to Delaware Hunter and Trapper Registration or call toll free 1-855-335-4868.

To purchase a hunting license, either in person or online, hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, must have a basic hunter education safety course card/number. Hunters who took a Delaware hunter education course starting in 2008 can print their hunter education card by going to de.gov/huntersafety. Hunters who took their Delaware hunter education course before 2008 should call the Hunter Education Office at 302-735-3600, ext. 1 to obtain a hunter safety card.

Registered motor vehicles used to access designated wildlife areas owned or managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife are required to display a Conservation Access Pass (CAP). Hunters can opt to receive one free annual CAP with the purchase of any Delaware hunting license. To obtain a free CAP, or to purchase an additional pass, hunters will need the registration card for the vehicle to which the pass will be assigned.

Delaware hunting licenses, Delaware waterfowl stamps, and Conservation Access Passes can be purchased online at Delaware Licenses, at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or from hunting license agents statewide. Federal migratory bird stamps are available at U.S. Post Offices, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges, and online at Federal duck stamps.

For more information on hunting, please see the 2018-2019 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide and Wildlife Area Hunting Maps. Hard copies of guide and newly-updated hunting maps are also available at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office. More information on hunting licenses, season details, and conservation access passes is also available by calling the Wildlife Section office at 302-739-9912.

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

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

Vol. 48, No. 287