Record Number of Applicants for DE’s Spring Turkey Season Hunting Permits

Image courtesy Dave Nelson – Ocean ViewÂ
Last month’s 2025 lottery for State Wildlife Area Spring Turkey Season hunting permits drew the largest applicant pool since the first lottery in 1991. There were 544 permits available for 834 valid applications submitted by hunters for the upcoming season at all of the state’s 19 state wildlife ares – and Bombay Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges. Permits cover one of four week-long season segments. The season begins April 12 and ends on May 10.
Additional information from DNREC:
Of the record number of applications, 744 were submitted by Delaware residents. The 90 non-residents who applied represented 20 states – testimony to the First State’s growing reputation as a hunting destination for taking a wild turkey. Of the permits awarded via the lottery, 488 permits (89.7%) went to resident hunters, with 56 permits (10.3%) going to non-resident hunters representing 15 states.
For this season’s lottery, Blackiston Wildlife Area near Clayton was the most popular turkey hunting venue selected by permit applicants, followed by Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area near Petersburg in Kent County; Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area near Townsend; and the Tappahanna Wildlife Area near Hartly. This year’s lottery also marked the first time that the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife offered permits for Bombay Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. All 40 of the available permits for those locations were issued.
Also new in conjunction with the 2025 lottery, applicants may now view the results of the lottery online to learn if they were selected – by going to de.gov/turkeyhunting and checking their hunting license number against the lottery results. All awarded applicants also will be issued a permit letter by mail by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife over the next several weeks.
All Delaware turkey hunters are also reminded that DNREC has implemented new turkey harvest reporting procedures for 2025. Hunters must complete their turkey harvest report card prior to moving their bird from where it was harvested. All first-time turkey hunters in Delaware ages 13 or older are required to successfully complete a DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife-approved turkey education course. Hunters who have completed the course receive a Turkey Harvest Report Card when they purchase their license or obtain their License Exempt Number (LEN). Any hunter who completed this course but failed to receive a Turkey Harvest Report Card should contact the Hunter Education Program at 302-735-3601 ext. 1. Hunters who have successfully harvested a turkey this year must register it within 24 hours via the Digital DNREC portal or by calling 1-855-DEL-HUNT (1-855-335-4868). Registration requires successful hunters to report beard and spur length for their bird and to voluntarily provide the turkey’s weight if available.
For more information about hunting on State Wildlife Areas, wild turkey hunting in Delaware or the annual turkey hunting permit lottery, visit de.gov/hunting.