Delaware Deer Season Opens November 13

Hunters in a new Chronic Wasting Disease management zone must check harvested deer at designated Sussex County stations.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Hunting

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a lone pine at a forest edge with deer tracks in autumn leaves, flat fields beyond, evoking the start of Delaware's deer season. — Delaware's November general firearms deer season opens Friday, November 13, running through November 22, with hunters in three new Chronic Wasting Disease zones required to bring deer to check stations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Delaware's November general firearms deer season opens Friday, November 13, 2026, running through November 22. DNREC has established a Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone covering Wildlife Management Zones 11, 14 and 16 after the disease was detected in the state for the first time.

Why it matters

The 10-day November season typically accounts for about 40% of Delaware's deer harvest, so the management zone rules affect a large share of hunters. Sampling conducted during the season will help officials assess how widely CWD has spread.

Deer harvested in the management zone must be checked at one of three Sussex County stations, open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily during the general firearm season. A new QR code registration system was introduced this year to reduce waiting times.

The players

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC)

Delaware's state environmental agency, whose Division of Fish and Wildlife manages the state's deer population and CWD response.

The details

Hunters in the management zone must bring harvested deer to DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife staff at designated check stations, located at Jones Crossroad Landfill in Georgetown, Gumboro Community Center in Millsboro and Redden State Forest at Kings Crossroads. Hunters outside the zone can drop deer heads in designated chest freezers at Delaware Hunters against Hunger locations.

- September 1, 2026: Statewide deer hunting season opens, running through January 31.
- November 13, 2026: November general firearms deer season opens.
- November 22, 2026: November general firearms deer season closes.

Seasonal Patterns

Delaware's zone-based CWD response follows the mandatory check-station model used in other states after first detections, with sampling results from the 2026 season set to guide management for the 2027-28 hunting season.

Hunters in the Chronic Wasting Disease management zone must plan a trip to one of three Sussex County check stations before leaving the field, which are open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Hunters should register deer using the new QR code to speed up the check-in process.

The takeaway

Hunters who plan to take deer in Wildlife Management Zones 11, 14 or 16 should register early and bring their harvest to a designated check station during the November 13 to 22 season. Following these steps keeps hunters compliant with the new CWD rules.

What happens next

The November general firearms season closes November 22, 2026, after which DNREC will assess CWD sampling data to guide management for the 2027-28 hunting season.