Delaware deer hunting: zones, wildlife areas and 2026-27 seasons
Delaware hunters took 16,746 deer in the 2025-26 season by DNREC's count, 11,907 of them antlerless, down from a record 18,823 the season before. The 2026 general firearm season runs November 13 to 22, and Zones 11, 14 and 16 carry chronic wasting disease rules this year.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: DNREC Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard; DNREC: 2025-26 deer harvest totals. Seasons: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC).
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When are Delaware's 2026-27 deer seasons?
| Season | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archery and crossbow | September 1 to January 31 | Statewide |
| Youth and non-ambulatory hunt | September 26 and 27; November 7 to 8 | Statewide |
| Special antlerless | October 2 to 4, 23 to 25 and 30 to 31; December 12 to 20 | Antlerless only, but archers may take antlered deer |
| Muzzleloader | October 9 to 18; January 25 to 31 | Statewide |
| General firearm (shotgun) | November 13 to 22; January 16 to 24 | CWD check-in for Zones 11, 14 and 16 in November |
| Handgun and straight-walled pistol-caliber rifle | January 2 to 10 | Closed in Zones 1A and 1B |
Sources: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC); DNREC Chronic Wasting Disease hunting guide addendum, 2026/27.
How many deer does each zone give up?
The most deer in 2025-26 came from Zone 7 (1,397), Zone 11 (1,381) and Zone 8 (1,286). Across the state 2,507 of the 16,745 deer in the zone table came off public land.
| Zone | County | Deer, 2025-26 | Antlered | Public land deer | Deer, 2024-25 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1A | New Castle | 919 | 312 | 236 | 1,056 | 7.8% |
| Zone 1B | New Castle | 372 | 136 | 172 | 422 | 10.1% |
| Zone 2 | New Castle | 1,004 | 326 | 225 | 1,146 | 9% |
| Zone 3 | New Castle | 654 | 183 | 178 | 743 | 27.4% |
| Zone 4 | Kent | 821 | 242 | 69 | 995 | 5.4% |
| Zone 5 | Kent | 639 | 208 | 146 | 718 | 32.3% |
| Zone 6 | Kent | 1,198 | 327 | 159 | 1,365 | 7.1% |
| Zone 7 | Kent | 1,397 | 409 | 53 | 1,609 | 2.1% |
| Zone 8 | Kent | 1,286 | 345 | 82 | 1,438 | 3.6% |
| Zone 9 | Sussex | 819 | 266 | 227 | 848 | 27.3% |
| Zone 10 | Sussex | 875 | 254 | 22 | 876 | 2.1% |
| Zone 11 | Sussex | 1,381 | 417 | 294 | 1,567 | 14.4% |
| Zone 12 | Sussex | 924 | 238 | 114 | 1,149 | 9% |
| Zone 13 | Sussex | 1,004 | 220 | 103 | 976 | 9.1% |
| Zone 14 | Sussex | 875 | 237 | 190 | 843 | 12.3% |
| Zone 15 | Sussex | 766 | 194 | 59 | 971 | 3.8% |
| Zone 16 | Sussex | 1,098 | 340 | 65 | 1,237 | 6.5% |
| Zone 17 | Sussex | 713 | 185 | 113 | 864 | 7% |
Source: DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data). Public land share measured by FilledTag from DNREC managed lands (FirstMap) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land.
How many deer does each county give up?
| County | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | 5,451 | 6,094 | 4,582 | 5,235 |
| New Castle County | 2,700 | 3,010 | 2,398 | 2,627 |
| Sussex County | 8,594 | 9,550 | 7,561 | 8,986 |
Source: DNREC deer harvest by county (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data). DNREC's county table and its zone table differ by 169 deer for 2024-25; the zone table matches the 18,823 DNREC announced.
How much of Delaware is public hunting ground?
10.9% of Delaware's area inside its zone lines is state or federal land: state wildlife area 67,819 acres, state park 26,335 acres, national wildlife refuge 24,708 acres, state forest 20,600 acres and National Park Service 889 acres. Vehicles on wildlife areas need a Conservation Access Pass.
Wildlife areas with their own page
- Assawoman Wildlife Area, 3,261 acres
- Augustine Wildlife Area, 3,322 acres
- Blackiston Wildlife Area, 2,385 acres
- C&D Canal Conservation Area, 4,816 acres
- Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area, 5,368 acres
- Eagles Nest Wildlife Area, 1,777 acres
- Little Creek Wildlife Area, 4,257 acres
- Midlands Wildlife Area, 5,334 acres
- Milford Neck Wildlife Area, 5,100 acres
- Nanticoke Wildlife Area, 4,820 acres
- Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area, 4,742 acres
- Old Furnace Wildlife Area, 2,149 acres
- Tappahanna Wildlife Area, 460 acres
- Ted Harvey Conservation Area, 3,371 acres
- Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, 6,464 acres
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in Delaware in 2026?
Archery and crossbow run September 1 to January 31; muzzleloader October 9 to 18 and January 25 to 31; the general firearm (shotgun) season November 13 to 22 and January 16 to 24; special antlerless days in October and December 12 to 20; handgun January 2 to 10, closed in Zones 1A and 1B (2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC)).
How many deer were taken in Delaware in 2025-26?
DNREC announced 16,746 deer for 2025-26, 4,839 antlered and 11,907 antlerless, 11% fewer than the record 18,823 of 2024-25; Sussex County led with 8,594 (DNREC: 2025-26 deer harvest totals). Its zone table adds up to 16,745, with Zone 7 the highest at 1,397.
Where is chronic wasting disease in Delaware?
DNREC found CWD in deer from Wildlife Management Zone 14 and made Zones 11, 14 and 16 a CWD Management Zone for 2026/27: no baiting, mandatory check-in of deer taken there November 13 to 22, and bagged disposal of carcass parts (DNREC Chronic Wasting Disease hunting guide addendum, 2026/27).
How many deer can you take in Delaware?
Two antlered deer in a license year by all methods together. Antlerless deer have no limit, provided the hunter holds an antlerless tag for each one before taking it.
Can you hunt on Sunday in Delaware?
Yes. For 2026-27 Sunday hunting is open for all game species, on private land with permission and on designated public lands.
Get a Delaware hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Delaware are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Delaware included.
Where these numbers come from
- Seasons: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC); DNREC Chronic Wasting Disease hunting guide addendum, 2026/27.
- Harvest: DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data); DNREC deer harvest by county (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data); DNREC: 2025-26 deer harvest totals.
- Zones: DNREC Wildlife Management Zones. Public land: DNREC managed lands (FirstMap) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land.
FilledTag is not part of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. DNREC's hunting pages are the final word on every rule.