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Delaware Deer Forecast: Quality Buck Hunting is 'Comparable to Midwest'

Don't let the state's size make you think there's diminished deer hunting.

Delaware Deer Forecast: Quality Buck Hunting is 'Comparable to Midwest'
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This whitetail hunting forecast for the state of Delaware is part of Game & Fish’s “Great States" project identifying the best deer-hunting states in the country. Read more: America's Top Whitetail States


Small in Size, Big in Deer Opportunities

Delaware has one of the longest seasons for deer haunting in America, spanning 154 days over five months. That number is the fourth-highest total in the U.S.

The second smallest state in the union, at less than 2,500 square miles, doesn’t have a big footprint in the whitetail world, but it makes up for it with quality bucks, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control says: "The number of quality bucks harvested per square mile in Delaware is comparable to the Midwest and other areas considered prime deer hunting regions."

The largest bucks taken by hunters in Delaware history are: Nontypical, Keith Lee (2005, 208 4/8); Typical, Herbert Milan (1978, 185 4/8). Both of those bucks were taken in Sussex County to the south, which has historically been a top deer producer in the state. All of the state’s Boone and Crockett bucks have come from Sussex, New Castle and Kent counties.

DID YOU KNOW?

THE FIRST WHITETAIL HUNT

Delaware banned whitetail hunting 1841 to 1954 due to low deer population. The first hunting season in 1954—a three-day either-sex hunt—harvested 505 deer.

Delaware hunters harvest around 16,000 whitetails each season. The 2020-21 season had a record harvest of 17,265 deer.

Roughly 10 percent of land in Delaware is owned by the state and open to public hunters. Hunters can harvest two antlered deer per season.

With the state’s small size, and significant urban and suburban areas, bowhunting is a popular method of take, as is shotgun (no leads smaller than 20 gauge).

IT’S A FACT

LONG BOW SEASON

Delaware bowhunters enjoy one of the longest seasons in the county. The season runs Sept. 1 2024-Jan. 31, 2025.

State law allows for Sunday deer hunting at many state wildlife areas (there are 19 WMAs) throughout the hunting season. Check for regulations.

Delaware has an active Hunters Again Hunger program that collects donated venison. Click for locations.

Get more info: Detailed information on hunting seasons and rules can be found here.

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