Assawoman Wildlife Area: hunting, deer stands, parking and map
Assawoman Wildlife Area is 3,261 acres of Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife land in Sussex County, inside Wildlife Management Zone 17 and 15. DNREC's maps show 107 deer stands (4 for hunters with disabilities), 3 archery zones, 27 waterfowl blinds or blind sites and 2 dove fields and 20 parking lots with 93 spaces. Hunters took 107 deer on state wildlife areas in Zone 17 in 2025-26, of 713 in the zone.
Data updated October 2026. Area, stands and parking: DNREC's FirstMap layers. Zone harvest: DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data). Seasons: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC).
State wildlife areaState forestState parkMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Assawoman Wildlife AreaDNREC parkingZone lineHighway
| Size | 3,261 acres (DNREC) |
|---|---|
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 17, Zone 15 |
| County | Sussex |
| Deer stands (DNREC) | 107, 4 of them for hunters with disabilities |
| Waterfowl blinds and blind sites | 27 |
| Dove fields | 2 |
| Parking | 20 lots, 93 spaces; 19 need a Conservation Access Pass |
| Tracts named on DNREC's maps | Miller Neck Tract, Muddy Neck Tract, Piney Point Tract and Okie Preserve Poplar Thicket Farm |
| Nearest towns | South Bethany (next to it), Ocean View (next to it) and Bethany Beach (next to it) |
Where do you park at Assawoman Wildlife Area?
DNREC maps 20 parking lots on Assawoman Wildlife Area; the 12 largest:
| Lot | Tract | Surface | Spaces | Conservation Access Pass | Latitude, longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miller Neck Tract | Stone | 20 | Yes | 38.49845, -75.09557 |
| 2 | Miller Neck Tract | Stone | 15 | No | 38.48571, -75.07737 |
| 3 | Okie Preserve Poplar Thicket Farm | Stone | 10 | Yes | 38.61903, -75.11815 |
| 4 | Miller Neck Tract | Turf | 6 | Yes | 38.49569, -75.10005 |
| 5 | Miller Neck Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.50115, -75.09736 |
| 6 | Piney Point Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.57323, -75.19531 |
| 7 | Piney Point Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.57660, -75.20133 |
| 8 | Muddy Neck Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.52001, -75.09739 |
| 9 | Muddy Neck Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.51818, -75.07830 |
| 10 | Muddy Neck Tract | Stone | 4 | Yes | 38.51371, -75.09371 |
| 11 | Muddy Neck Tract | Turf | 3 | Yes | 38.51756, -75.08036 |
| 12 | Muddy Neck Tract | Stone | 3 | Yes | 38.51150, -75.08310 |
Source: DNREC wildlife area parking (FirstMap).
What stands, blinds and fields does DNREC mark on Assawoman Wildlife Area?
107 deer stands (4 for hunters with disabilities), 3 archery zones, 27 waterfowl blinds or blind sites and 2 dove fields. They are spread over 4 tracts: Miller Neck Tract, Muddy Neck Tract, Piney Point Tract and Okie Preserve Poplar Thicket Farm.
Source: DNREC wildlife area stands, blinds and fields (FirstMap). DNREC Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations has how stands are assigned and used.
How many deer are taken around Assawoman Wildlife Area?
| Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | On state wildlife areas, 2025-26 | Deer, 2024-25 | On state wildlife areas, 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 17 | 713 | 107 | 864 | 12 |
| Zone 15 | 766 | 15 | 971 | 12 |
Source: DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data). DNREC reports wildlife area deer by zone, not by area.
When can you hunt Assawoman Wildlife Area in 2026-27?
Archery and crossbow September 1 to January 31; muzzleloader October 9 to 18 and January 25 to 31; general firearm November 13 to 22 and January 16 to 24; special antlerless days October 2 to 4, 23 to 25 and 30 to 31 and December 12 to 20; handgun January 2 to 10. Wildlife areas may set their own days and rules; DNREC Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations has them.
Source: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC).
How do you get to Assawoman Wildlife Area?
Highways within five miles: DE 1 and US 113. Nearest towns: South Bethany (next to it), Ocean View (next to it), Bethany Beach (next to it) and Fenwick Island (2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Are there deer stands on Assawoman Wildlife Area?
Yes. DNREC's wildlife area layer shows 107 deer stands on Assawoman Wildlife Area, 4 of them set aside for hunters with disabilities, and 3 archery-only zones (DNREC wildlife area stands, blinds and fields (FirstMap)). DNREC Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations has the rules for using them.
Where do you park at Assawoman Wildlife Area?
DNREC maps 20 parking lots with 93 spaces in all; 19 of them need a Conservation Access Pass on the vehicle. The largest is at 38.49845, -75.09557 (20 spaces) (DNREC wildlife area parking (FirstMap)).
What zone is Assawoman Wildlife Area in?
Zone 17 and Zone 15. Hunters took 713 deer in Zone 17 in 2025-26, 113 of them on public land (DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data)).
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 facts come from
- Area and acres: DNREC managed lands (FirstMap). Stands, blinds and fields: DNREC wildlife area stands, blinds and fields (FirstMap). Parking: DNREC wildlife area parking (FirstMap).
- Zone harvest: DNREC deer harvest by zone (Delaware Deer Harvest Information Dashboard data). Seasons: 2026/27 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, deer seasons (DNREC). Rules: DNREC Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations.
- Public land around it: DNREC managed lands (FirstMap) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.