Dec. Brings Several Hunting Seasons To Del.

Several hunting and trapping seasons will start in Delaware during December.

The special antler-less deer hunting season will begin Saturday December 12th. Deer hunting will be permitted on the following two Sundays this year.

Duck hunting season begins December 11th.

DNREC provided this schedule of hunting seasons Monday:

Hunting:

●     Beaver: Dec. 1 to March 20, 2021, private land only

●     Woodcock and common snipe: Dec. 5 to Jan. 19, 2021

●     Ducks, coots and mergansers: Dec. 11 to Jan. 30, 2021

●     Brant: Dec. 11 to Jan. 30, 2021

●     Antlerless deer: Dec. 12 to 20, including Sundays Dec. 13 and 20, 2020*

●     Canada geese (migratory): Dec. 19 to Jan. 18, 2021

*Archery and crossbow hunters may hunt deer during the December antlerless season, but they may NOT harvest antlered deer.

Trapping:

●     Muskrat, mink, otter, raccoon, opossum and nutria:

○     New Castle County: Dec. 1 to March 10, 2021 (March 20 on embanked meadows)

○     Kent and Sussex counties: Dec. 15 to March 15, 2021

●     Red fox and coyote: Dec. 1 to March 10, 2021

●     Beaver: Dec. 1 to March 20, 2021, private land only

Continuing hunting seasons include:

●        Bobwhite quail: through Jan. 2, 2021

●        Mourning dove: through Jan. 30, 2021

●        Sea ducks in the Special Sea Duck Area: through Jan. 30, 2021

●        Tundra swan (by special permit ONLY): through Jan. 30, 2021

●        Snow goose: through Jan. 30, 2021, and Feb. 6, 2021

●        Archery and crossbow deer: through Jan. 31, 2021, including all Sundays

●        Gray squirrel: through Feb. 6, 2021

●        Ring-necked pheasant (male only): through Feb. 6, 2021

●        Coyote (hunt): through Feb. 27, 2021

●        Red fox (hunt): through Feb. 27, 2021

●        Raccoon and opossum (hunt): through Feb. 27, 2021**

●        Cottontail rabbit: through Feb. 27, 2021

●        Crows: through March 27, 2021, and June 24-26, 2021 (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only)

●        Groundhog: through June 30, 2021

**Special hunting hours for raccoon and opossum during the December antlerless, January handgun, January shotgun and January muzzleloader deer seasons are 7:00 PM until midnight (reference the hunting and trapping guide for these deer season dates).

You can find out more about hunting and trapping seasons, license and stamp requirements and other information from the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife.