Delaware Turkey Tags Hit All-Time Excessive

Judging by the demand for turkey tags, Delaware has confirmed itself to be critical turkey nation. The numbers from DNREC paint a transparent image: A record-breaking 834 hunters utilized for the 2025 spring season lottery, with 544 turkey tags up for grabs. That’s the best turnout since Delaware began this program in 1991.

The demand shouldn’t come as a shock for anybody who’s hung out in these woods. What began with simply 34 birds introduced in from Pennsylvania, Vermont, and New Jersey again in ’84 has grown into one thing particular. Right now, greater than 6,000 turkeys roam Delaware’s woodlands, and the looking simply retains getting higher.

Jerry Connelly, secretary for the Delaware State Chapter of the Nationwide Wild Turkey Federation, has watched this transformation unfold. “The wild turkey had disappeared from Delaware across the early 1900s,” he remembers. “However with fundraising, analysis, habitat work, and plenty of hours of volunteer work all through the nation, we’ve seen one thing exceptional occur. Nothing is extra thrilling to a turkey hunter than having a gobbler reply to the decision, come into the decoy, and placed on a present.”

Pat Emory, director of the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, sees this as extra than simply numbers. “Turkey looking in Delaware continues to develop in reputation, protecting tempo with the abundance of birds we now have all through the state,” he explains. “It’s noteworthy that turkey season is Delaware’s solely looking season that happens within the spring – and there are loads of looking alternatives for wild turkeys on the 68,000 acres managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife.”

The 2025 season, operating April 12 by means of Might 10, brings one thing new to the desk. For the primary time, hunters can have a crack at each Bombay Hook and Prime Hook Nationwide Wildlife Refuges. These 40 federal land permits disappeared shortly – telling you all the pieces it’s good to know in regards to the high quality of looking nowadays.

Jeff Hague from the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Affiliation shares that enthusiasm: “We now have a extremely good turkey inhabitants for the reason that reintroduction, and these seasons have produced loads of high quality birds.” He credit the limitless alternatives and powerful partnerships between the Nationwide Wild Turkey Federation, DNREC, and the Delaware Division of Agriculture for this success. Phrase appears to be getting out, as hunters from 20 totally different states tried to get in on this yr’s motion.

Officers say most permits went to the locals, with 488 going to Delaware residents and 56 to out-of-state hunters. Blackiston Wildlife Space close to Clayton topped the listing for reputation, with Norman G. Wilder, Cedar Swamp, and Tappahanna Wildlife Areas following shut behind.

With birds in all three counties, substantial inhabitants numbers, and permits getting more durable to come back by every year, Delaware’s spring turkey looking is on stable floor. And if these numbers point out what’s forward, the 2026 spring season could possibly be one for the report books.

Those that have utilized for the 2025 Spring Season Lottery can test to see for those who have been drawn for a allow by clicking right here.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award profitable out of doors journalist that resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly out of doors column for the Slidell Unbiased Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith e mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com