The following refuge units have been opened for hunting and/or fishing, and are listed in alphabetical order with applicable refuge-specific regulations.
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. Hunting of migratory game birds is permitted on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
1. Permits are required for waterfowl hunting except on the South Upland Hunting Area.
2. Hunting of waterfowl and coots is permitted on the South Waterfowl Area, the West Waterfowl Area, and the Young Waterfowlers Area.
3. Only snow geese may be taken on the Snow Goose Area.
4. Hunting is permitted only from designated sites, except on the South Upland Hunting Area and the Snow Goose Area.
5. The maximum number of hunters permitted per blind is as follows:
West Waterfowl Area--4; South Waterfowl Area--3; Young Waterfowlers Area--2.
6. The possession of a loaded shotgun while outside a blind or designated site is not permitted unless actively pursuing crippled birds.
7. Waterfowl hunters may not possess more than 15 shotgun shells per day on the West and Young Waterfowlers Hunt Areas.
B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of upland game on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
1. We allow hunting only on the South Upland Hunting Area.
2. We allow hunting from \1/2\ hour before sunrise to \1/2\ hour after sunset.
3. You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the field.
C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of turkey and deer on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:
1. We require a refuge permit except on the South Upland Hunting Area.
2. Hunting on the Headquarters Deer Hunt Area must be from designated stands only, unless actively tracking or retrieving wounded deer.
3. We require a valid State permit for turkey hunting.
4. During firearms deer season, hunters must wear in a conspicuous manner as an outer layer on the head, chest, and back a minimum of 400 square inches (2,600 cm2) of solid-colored orange clothing or material.
D. Sport Fishing. [Reserved]
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow the hunting of waterfowl, coot, mourning dove, snipe, and woodcock on designated areas of the refuge during designated seasons in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
1. Only hunters aged 16 years and older may apply for or obtain a lottery hunt area permit (Waterfowl Lottery Application; FWS Form 3-2355).
2. You must have in your possession a signed and current refuge hunt permit (signed brochure) and government-issued picture identification on the refuge. All permits are non-transferable. Hunting brochures containing hunting application procedures, permits, seasons, scouting times, methods of hunting, maps depicting areas open to hunting, and the terms and conditions under which we issue hunting permits are available at the refuge office and on the refuge's Web site.
3. Hunting in violation of any Delaware State law is a violation of refuge hunting regulations.
4. We prohibit cutting or damaging vegetation for any purpose. We prohibit the use of natural vegetation for camouflaging a blind (see Sec. 27.51 of this chapter).
5. Hunting blinds, stands, steps and equipment must be portable, and you must remove them at the end of each day.
6. We prohibit practice or target shooting.
7. We prohibit all public entry in designated safety zones.
8. You may not be on the refuge any earlier than 2 hours before the legal morning shooting time.
9. We require all boaters to operate their craft and possess all safety equipment in accordance with Delaware State and U.S. Coast Guard regulations during refuge hunts (see Sec. 27.32 of this chapter). The maximum horsepower (HP) allowed for boat motors is 30 HP. The Slaughter Canal and Headquarters' Canal are slow, no-wake zones. Designated launching sites must be used to launch boats. We prohibit the use of air-thrust and inboard water-thrust boats on all waters within the refuge boundaries.
10. We allow only three individuals per blind site in the lottery hunting areas.
11. We prohibit motor vehicles off of designated routes and parking areas.
12. We allow the use of dogs to assist in hunting and retrieval of harvested game in accordance with State law. We prohibit dog training (see Sec. 27.91 of this chapter).
13. Only nonambulatory hunters may hunt in the Island Farm Unit, where we have provided nonambulatory hunt blinds to accommodate hunters with this need. All disabled hunters must obtain an Interagency Access Pass to receive a hunting permit for the disabled hunting areas. We require wheelchair hunters to have an assistant in the disabled hunting areas and to hunt from a government-provided blind.
14. We allow up to two individuals assisting a disabled hunter to hunt waterfowl with the disabled hunter.
15. Waterfowl hunters must stop hunting at 3 p.m. and leave the refuge by 4 p.m. on hunting days except when snow goose hunting during a snow goose conservation order.
16. We allow the use and possession of only nontoxic shot for hunting (see Sec. 32.2(k)).
B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow the hunting of rabbit, quail, pheasant, and red fox on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
1. We prohibit the hunting of squirrel.
2. We allow red fox hunting only while concurrently hunting deer in areas open to deer hunting. We prohibit hunting by chase. We prohibit hunting with rimfire or centerfire rifles.
3. We allow the use and possession of only nontoxic shot for hunting (see Sec. 32.2(k)), except that while hunting red fox concurrently with deer we allow the use of shot approved for deer hunting in accordance with State and refuge regulations.
4. Hunters must leave the hunting area \1/2\ hour after the legal evening shooting time.
5. Conditions A2 through A13 apply.
C. Big Game Hunting. We allow the hunting of white-tailed deer and turkey on designated areas of the refuge during designated seasons in accordance with State regulations and subject to the following conditions:
1. Only hunters aged 16 years and older may apply for or obtain a lottery hunt area permit (Quota Deer Hunt Application, FWS Form 3-2354; Big/Upland Game Hunt Application, FWS Form 3-2356).
2. We prohibit access by boat from Slaughter Creek on Cods Road.
3. We prohibit the driving or pushing of deer by any means.
4. All deer hunters must be out of the hunting areas 1\1/2\ hours after the legal evening shooting time. All turkey hunters must be out of the hunting areas one hour after the legal closing time for turkey hunting.
5. We prohibit the use or possession of buckshot while hunting. Only slugs may be used for hunting deer.
6. We prohibit assistants for wheelchair hunters from hunting in the disabled hunting area.
7. Any time the State hunting regulations require that hunters display hunter orange, the material must be solid-colored. We prohibit the use of hunter-orange camouflage materials to meet State minimum hunter orange requirements.
8. We allow the use and possession of only nontoxic shot for hunting turkey (see Sec. 32.2(k)).
9. Conditions A2 through A12, and A14 apply.
D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing and crabbing on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:
1. We allow fishing and launching of boats on designated areas as shown on brochures available from the refuge manager.
2. The refuge is open from \1/2\ hour before legal sunrise to \1/2\ hour after legal sunset. All boats must be off the water at legal sunset.
3. Anglers using boats on Turkle and Fleetwood Ponds may propel them manually or with electric motors only.
4. We prohibit the use of air-thrust and inboard water-thrust boats on all waters within the refuge boundaries. We allow a maximum of 30HP on Prime Hook Creek. [58 FR 5064, Jan. 19, 1993, as amended at 58 FR 29074, May 18, 1993; 60 FR 62041, Dec. 4, 1995; 65 FR 30781, May 12, 2000; 65 FR 56401, Sept. 18, 2000; 66 FR 46355, Sept. 4, 2001; 69 FR 54362, Sept. 8, 2004; 74 FR 45681, Sept. 3, 2009; 80 FR 51893, Aug. 26, 2015]