Migratory Bird Seasons & Bag Limits

Ducks (Regular Season)

Oct 21 - Oct 29

6

18

Nov 21 - Nov 26

Dec 9 - Jan 31

September Teal

Sep 10 - Sep 28

6

18

Limited to the designated teal zone south of the C&D Canal to Lewes, and east of Routes 13, 113/113A, and 1. Bag limit may include any combination of blue-winged and/or green-winged teal

Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Youth must be age 10-15.

Oct 15 and Feb 4

See duck bag limits

See duck possession limits

Daily bag limits as listed below apply for ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, gallinules, Canada geese, snow geese, brant, and swans. Limits are described by each species.

Daily Bag Limits and Possession Limits

The daily limit of 6 ducks (excluding mergansers and coots) may include, in any combination, up to: 2 mallards (1 hen); 2 black ducks; 1 pintail; 2 canvasback, 3 wood ducks; 2 redheads; 1 scaup, 6 teal; 6 shovelers; 6 gadwall; 6 wigeon; 6 goldeneye; 6 ring-necked ducks; 6 bufflehead; 6 ruddy ducks; 1 mottled duck; 1 fulvous whistling-duck; 4 total sea ducks (no more than 3 scoters; 3 eiders (1 hen); 3 long-tailed ducks). The possession limit is 3 times the daily limit. The season on harlequin ducks remains closed.

Sea Ducks*

Scoters, Eiders, and Long-tailed ducks

New this year: Same as Duck Season

See duck bag limits

See duck possession limits

* New this year: There is no longer a special sea duck zone with it’s own separate season dates or daily bag and possession limits. The season dates for sea ducks are the same as the Regular Duck Season and the Daily Bag and Possession Limits are included as part of the regular daily bag and possession limits. The shooting of crippled waterfowl from a motorboat under power will be permitted in the area not less than 800 yards (1/2) mile seaward from the Delaware Bay shore or the Atlantic Ocean shore beginning at an east-west line between Port Mahon and the Elbow Cross Navigation Light, south to the Delaware-Maryland line.

Coot

Same as Duck Season

15

45

Mergansers**

Same as Duck Season

5

15

** Daily bag limit may include no more than 2 hooded mergansers (6 in possession)

Canada Goose (Resident)

Sep 1 - Sep 24

15

45

Canada Goose (Migratory)

Including White-fronted geese

Nov 23 - Nov 26

1

3

Dec 24 - Jan 23

Brant

Nov. 21 - Nov. 26

2

6

Dec. 12 - Jan. 31

Snow Goose

Including Ross’ goose

Oct 1 - Jan 31 and Feb. 4

25

No limit

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge open Mon., Wed., and Fri. with permission of Refuge Manager.

Snow Goose Conservation Order

Feb 1 - Feb 3

Feb 6 - Apr 7

No bag or possession limits

During the Conservation Order (CO) unplugged shotguns and electronic calls may be used to harvest snow geese. Shooting hours have been extended to ½ hour after sunset and daily bag and possession limits have been eliminated. Hunters who wish to participate in the CO must register for a free, annual permit, available by visiting https://de.gov/DigitalDNREC (after Jan 1st). Participants are required to re-visit this website after the CO has closed to report their harvest to the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

The Snow Snow Goose Conservation Order will be closed on Saturday, February 4, 2023 which is the second youth waterfowl day and will reopen on Monday, February 6, 2023. Snow geese, including Ross’ geese, may be harvested on Saturday, February 4, 2023 within the regular season framework. No liberal methods allowed during the Conservation Order may be allowed this day and a daily bag limit of 25 applies.

Tundra Swan (By special permit ONLY)

Nov. 11 - Jan. 31

1 per season

1 per season

Mute Swan

Legal to take during any open waterfowl season

No limit

No limit

(Closed during the Snow Goose Conservation Order)

Trumpeter Swan

Closed Season

0 - Closed Season

0 - Closed Season

Mourning Dove

Sep 1 - Oct 3¹

15

45

Nov 21 - Jan 31

¹ During the month of September, all hunters must use non-toxic shot when dove hunting on State Wildlife Areas.

King and Clapper Rails

² Singly or in combination of the two species

Sep 3 - Nov 23

10²

30

Sora and Virginia Rails

³ Singly or in combination of the two species

Sep 3 - Nov 23

25³

75

Woodcock

Nov 21 - Nov 26

3

9

Dec 2 - Jan 16

Common Snipe

Sep 9 - Nov 26

8

24

Dec 2 - Jan 16

Moorhens and Gallinules

Sep 3 - Nov 23

15

45

Crow

⁴ Thurs., Fri., and Sat. only

July 1, 2022 - Mar 25, 2023⁴ and
Jun 22 - 24 and 29, and 30, 2023

No Limit

No Limit