DELAWARE -A new bill introduced in the Delaware House seeks to expand hunting access across the state, particularly on Sundays, while updating game classifications and allowable hunting tools.
House Bill 278, introduced on Tuesday and assigned to the House Natural Resources & Energy Committee, proposes a range of changes to Title 7 of the Delaware Code, which governs the state’s game and fish laws.
The legislation clarifies that Sunday hunting would be allowed for all game animals and game birds, as long as the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has set an established season for them. It also gives private landowners and public agencies the authority to decide whether to allow Sunday hunting on their land or properties.
Supporters say the bill is designed to increase recreational hunting opportunities without imposing burdensome regulations on landowners or conservation agencies. Delaware currently allows Sunday hunting for certain species on private land, but the rules can vary depending on location and game type.
The bill would also simplify the types of handgun ammunition permitted for deer hunting, aligning the regulations with current hunting technology. Additionally, it modernizes rules on the use of other hunting tools to reflect advancements in gear and equipment.
HB 278 would also make changes to Delaware’s list of regulated game animals. European and snowshoe hares would be removed, while skunks and weasels would be added to the list of animals that can be legally hunted.