The state of Delaware hosts the hunting of migratory waterfowl each year. The state offers goose hunters a variety of species to allow for a challenging hunt. The most popular hunted in Delaware are the Canada, snow, Ross's, speckled belly and blue.
There are two types of snow geese in Delaware. The greater snow goose is larger than the lesser snow goose; however, there are no color differences between them. The female bird also has the same coloring and is smaller. In Delaware, hunters will normally see the greater snow goose as well as Canada and Ross's geese.
Greater snow geese migrates through the Atlantic flyways as they travel from their Arctic breeding grounds. The Atlantic flyway is a narrow passage through eastern Canada and along the northeast coastal lands of the United States. Fall migration begins in September, taking the birds south from their summer nesting grounds in the arctic south. The spring migration ends about the end of February taking the birds back north to the arctic nesting grounds. These migrating birds feed on roots and marsh grass and are found in large flocks feeding in agricultural fields.
The Delaware snow goose hunting season runs from October through the end of January with a 15 daily bag limit. A conservation order allows the snow goose hunting season to be reopened in February after all other waterfowl hunting is closed. The conservation order does not provide for a hunting limit.
Delaware hunting license year starts in July and ends the following June. A snow goose or waterfowl hunter must possess a valid hunting license with a waterfowl stamp and Harvest Information Program (HIP) number during the regular hunting season. During the conservation order hunting in February, the hunter must also obtain a conservation order permit. License, waterfowl stamp, HIP numbers and conservation order permits can be obtained online at the Delaware Fish and Wildlife website.
Delaware parks and wildlife refuge areas allow hunting as a tool for wildlife management. A hunter who hunts on state park and refuge lands must hold a valid state hunting license and register for the state parks hunting program. The hunting registration must be carried with a valid hunting license when on parklands. The state park and refuge ranger offices have registration forms, rules and hunting maps that the hunter will need before hunting on state parklands.
Goose hunting is similar to most other waterfowl hunting. A hunter will need camouflaged clothing, warm, waterproof boots, waterfowl blinds, 12-gauge shotguns and 3.5-inch, nontoxic shells. Goose decoys and goose calls are different among the species; therefore, specialized snow goose decoy equipment is required for the hunting of the greater snow goose.
Hunters cannot use baiting to hunt waterfowl. Baiting is hunting with the aid of bait or feed thrown over the area in which to lure the geese into the hunting area. A hunter is not allowed to use live decoys when hunting. Also, hunters cannot hunt waterfowl that have been stirred up into concentrated flocks by motorized vehicles or boats.
