August 26, 2026

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced the Delaware hunting season for deer, Canada goose and mourning dove will open on Tuesday, September 1, marking the start of the overall 2026-27 hunting season. For a complete list of season dates and regulations for all species throughout the rest of the season, refer to the annual Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Recent legislative and regulatory changes present new opportunities for the 2026-27 hunting season, including:

• Sunday hunting to be open for all game species

• Expanded muzzleloader specifications

• Expanded straight-walled pistol-caliber rifles

• Eliminating the minimum age requirement for the special Delaware youth hunts by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, and

• Legislation that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to hunt and conduct target practice without direct supervision, as long as they have permission from a parent or guardian and have completed basic hunter education.

See the full announcement here.