Delaware’s General Firearms Deer Hunting Season To Open 10-Day Run Friday, Nov. 13

Some Delaware deer hunters go for big bucks such as this one, others go afield for venison, but whatever their intent, the odds are good that many hunters will be harvesting a white-tailed deer during the state’s general firearms season that begins its 10-day run Friday, Nov. 3. Typically, 40% of all deer taken during Delaware’s five-month deer season are harvested during the general firearms season. /U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service photo

DNREC Reminds Hunters of Mandatory CWD Check Stations for Deer Taken in Wildlife Zones 11, 14 and 16

The November general firearms season, Delaware’s most popular and bountiful deer hunting season, opens this year on Friday, Nov. 13 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 22.  While Delaware’s statewide deer hunting season spans five months, from Sept. 1 through Jan. 31, this 10-day season typically accounts for about 40% of the state’s deer harvest.

Due to the detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Delaware for the first time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has established a Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone (CMZ) for the 2026-27 season. The CMZ includes Wildlife Management Zones 11, 14 and 16.

Anyone who harvests a deer in the CMZ during this year’s general firearm season must check it with DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife staff at one of three Sussex County locations:

• Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s Jones Crossroad Landfill (28560 Landfill Lane, Georgetown, DE 19947)
• Gumboro Community Center (36849 Millsboro Highway, Millsboro, DE 19966). (Hunters, please note: The community center replaces another deer check station in Gumboro that was announced earlier.)
• Redden State Forest’s Jester Tract large parking lot (Redden Road, Kings Crossroads, DE 19947)

Check stations will be open the entirety of the November general firearm season from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.  This will be the only time of the year when hunters are required to bring deer they’ve harvested to DNREC biologists for sampling.

“Since the deer harvest rate is high during the general firearm season, it gives us an opportunity to efficiently collect a lot of CWD samples within a relatively short period of time,” said Joe Rogerson, DNREC Wildlife Section Administrator. “After the hunting season, we will be using the information from all of our sampling efforts to assess CWD distribution and prevalence in the state, while also soliciting feedback from hunters, landowners and the public to help guide our CWD management efforts for the 2027-28 hunting season and beyond.”

Hunters are also reminded to have their deer registration, including the newly implemented QR code, readily available when visiting a CWD check station. The QR code will allow staff to quickly access registration information, streamline the sampling process and reduce waiting times. Hunters may present their registration electronically or as a printed copy. Hunters can still have their deer sampled if they do not have their QR code.

Hunters outside of the CMZ interested in having their deer tested can drop deer heads in a designated chest freezer at any Delaware Hunters against Hunger location. Instructions are clearly labeled at the donation sites. Additionally, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife staff will be at the following deer processors during the general firearm season:

• Dutch Neck Deer Processing (1210 Dutch Neck Road, Middletown, DE 19709)
• Miller’s Butcher Shop (577 Morgans Choice Road, Camden, DE 19934)
• Johnson’s Deer Cutting (21404 Burton Road, Milton, DE 19968)

If DNREC staff are present at a processor’s operation when a hunter brings in their deer, the hunter will be asked to voluntarily donate the head of their deer for sampling or will be asked to take a voluntary sample kit to their taxidermist if their deer is meant to become a trophy mount.

Any deer harvested within the CMZ and moved to other parts of the state must either be transported to a taxidermist, deer processor, or be disposed of after processing in an extra thick plastic bag either at a landfill or with normal household trash.

To learn more about CWD and the state’s response plan, or to find test results visit the de.gov/cwd webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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