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Sunday Hunting



State law now allows Sunday hunting for all game animals during established hunting seasons, on private lands with landowner permission, and on designated publicly owned lands.

Hunting Seasons

Delaware’s deer, waterfowl, furbearer, small game and gamebird seasons fall between the start of September and the end of the following February, except for the spring turkey season, which occurs in April and early May. Hunting on Sundays is allowed using those methods that are legal for the hunting seasons in effect on each Sunday.

All hunting seasons are listed in the Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Hunting Hours

Sunday deer hunting is permitted during the regular hunting hours of one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

Sunday hunting during regular waterfowl, furbearer and gamebird seasons is permitted one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

For raccoon and opossum, hours are one hour after sunset until midnight during the October, December, and January Shotgun deer seasons, the January Handgun and Straight-walled Pistol Caliber Rifle deer season and the January Muzzleloader deer season.

Public Lands Open to Sunday Hunting

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, based on public input and the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish, provides Sunday deer hunting opportunities on all state wildlife areas during the regular deer hunting seasons.

All state wildlife areas are open for Sunday hunting during archery/crossbow deer hunting seasons. Portions of the wildlife areas listed below are closed to Sunday deer hunting using firearms on all or certain Sundays. Sunday deer hunting information is included on the maps below and on the online wildlife area maps.

Sunday hunting for waterfowl and gamebirds is available on state wildlife areas, dependent on species and season. Specific Sunday waterfowl and gamebird hunting information for each wildlife area is included on the state wildlife area maps.


New Castle County


Kent County


Sussex County

Copies of these maps, and additional information, are available from the Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912.




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