On Dec. 8, 2025, DNREC Secretary Gregory Patterson signed Secretary’s Order No. 2025-F-0037, approving changes to the Delaware Wildlife regulations (7 DE Admin. Code 3900).

The order is published in the January 2026 edition of the Delaware Register of Regulations. It makes the following changes:

Section 3.6 – The Special Shotgun Season for Youth Hunters for waterfowl no longer has a minimum age of 10. Young hunters participating in the hunt must be less than 16 years old.

Section 4.6 – Crows may now only be hunted on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as opposed to previous seasons when they could only be hunted on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Section 4.13.3 – Gray Fox harvest reporting is no longer required.

Section 5.4.1 – Turkey season will now end on the fifth Sunday following the opening Saturday.  The 2026 season will now be April 11 – May 10.

Section 5.5 – The Special Turkey Season for Youth and Disabled Hunters will be on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the regular spring season and will be available to all individuals under 16 years of age (April 4 and 5, 2026). Hunters 13 to 15 years of age are reminded that they must have a junior hunting license and have satisfactorily completed an approved turkey education course.

Section 7.5.1.3 – The Special Deer Season for Youth and Disabled Hunters no longer has a minimum age of 10. Young hunters participating in the hunt must be less than 16 years old.

Section 8.1.1 – Motorized electric carts, wagons, or wheelbarrows may be used to transport materials on lands administered by the Division, provided they are not ridden or used to transport any person. Anyone using such equipment must walk while using them.

Motorized electric carts include carts, wagons, or wheelbarrows that are motorized and electric, do not include e-bikes or golf carts, and they may not be gas powered.

Section 20.1 – The text related to a gamebird breeders permit was corrected, such that a gamebird breeders permit is needed if 26 or more domestically raised quail, chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge and pheasants are to be released into the wild.

Section 20.3 – Only quail need the location of the release to be approved by the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Section 23.1.1.3 – Coyote hunting season is now open all year and coyote harvest reporting is no longer required.

Related Topics:  hunting, outdoors, regulation, regultions fish and wildlife, wildlife