How is the Hunting , Fishing and Trapping in Delaware ?

Definitely trap ya a bunch of liberals in Delaware

Funky trapping rules form what my best friend says

All 3 sports are losing out to rabid, rubber stamped over development I'm sad to say... just too many people in this small state. it's being overwhelmed with people from urban areas that don't understand, or care about, the outdoors.
Once you take the open land, farmland, forests and pave it over it will never come back.
Money has become the thing to open doors for permission...
It's sad to see all the places I remember and grew up with become 800 home developments, strip malls, and boat slips that rent for $3-5 K a year.
Farmers and landowners die off, their kids see millions offered for the back 40, and the rest is history.
That being said, I still hunt, fish, and trap... but it sure ain't the same.

Trapping rules eased up maybe 5-6 years ago with a new director and some well informed, energetic trappers helping change the "old stuff"... we owe them... ( Thanks ROB)

There is no "Open Trapping" in Delaware. Every inch of the state is bounded by either needing either written permission from a landowner, or you can lease a tract of land by sealed bid on either state land or federal lands. Unless they changed it this year, the largest body grip trap allowable is a 5" x 5". And as mentioned above, overcrowded even in the winter months, not to mention the army of beach goers from Baltimore and Philidelphia during the summer months. Totally grid-locked traffic in the beach areas everyday all summer long!

Northern tip of DE has lotsof good private land LOADED with red fox, on the Chester County, PA line.
Years ago, several PA trappers stacked them up just as they crossed the DE state line.

It sucks, we are full.

How is it funky? What does your best friend say.

I will say it is funky we can’t use 220’s and 330’s. That is funky.

You’re welcome sir. Still working on a few things.


Yes, land here is hard to come by for hunting. If it isn’t leased, it has a house on it. And a lease will cost you, you will not just get permission to hunt any property. Public is ok for hunting, have to bid on public land for now… once again I am working on that.


Fishing is ok depending on time of year and what you are looking to target.

Correct, you need permission to trespass on property you don’t own. And “written” could be a text from the landowner saying, yes, you can trap.
Hunting just needs permission, doesn’t need to be written.

Yes it’s getting over crowded with all the New Yorkers, New Jersey and Pennsylvania folks moving down here for our low taxes.

Yes, traffic sucks at the beach.

Hunting is decent if you have a spot, we have public land that is decent. What are you looking to hunt and when are you looking to be here?

Fishing can be great, what are you looking to target and what time of year?

Trapping is good, depending on what you want to target.


Coop and I can probably help answer your questions.

Not exactly ringing endorsements Rob.

I mean, we aren’t the biggest state, gotta make sure they want to be here. Lol

I mean, if you want to chase elk, bobcats and black bear. We
Aren’t for you.

Unbelievable how southern Delaware has built up last few years. Ain't slower lower anymore.

That’s the truth.

Oh and you’ll notice that he called it slower lower. Locals know you aren’t from here if you call it lower slower or have those stupid LSD stickers on your car, even if it has DE or MD tags.

Certainly someone in NV. isn't thinking of moving to Delaware? Are you a Biden fan?

Is Delaware the State where you can't trap fox, but you can hunt them with hounds?

Oh yeah, but they come here, they like it, then they tell all their friends and they move here when they retire. To be honest, he is on this site, so we could probably use a few more like him...


As far as being a Biden fan...... You take that back right now... I will say his son Beau was a decent person and I worked with him some in a previous role I had. Very decent person.

No, that's not us. We can trap fox starting November 1st and go until March 10th. We also have a hunting season for them.