DELAWARE, - Delaware hunters set new records for wild turkey and white-tailed deer harvests during the 2024-25 season, DNREC announced Tuesday. This is the first time both records were broken in the same year.
Hunters took 800 turkeys during the spring season, surpassing the previous record of 723 set in 2024. Most were harvested on private land, though a record 170 were taken on public land. Sussex County led with 369 birds, followed by Kent with 338 and New Castle with 93. The highest total by zone came from western Kent, where 105 turkeys were harvested.
The deer season ended Feb. 2 with 18,823 deer harvested, topping the previous record of 17,265 set in 2020-21. The total marked a 29 percent increase over last year’s harvest of 14,451, the lowest in recent years. Sussex County again led with 9,628 deer, followed by Kent with 6,140 and New Castle with 3,055. Zone 7 in southwestern Kent recorded the highest harvest in any zone, with 1,609 deer taken.
One of the oldest deer reported in the state, a doe estimated at 14.5 years old, was also taken during the season. Officials said the data offers insight into herd health and deer longevity.
DNREC said the record numbers reflect strong wildlife populations, favorable habitat conditions and widespread hunter success.