An Act To Amend Title 7 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Regulations And Prohibitions Concerning Game And Fish.
Summary
HB278 amends Delaware’s Title 7 game and fish laws to update several hunting definitions and rules. The bill expands and clarifies the list of game animals, revises standards for muzzle-loading rifles and pistols used during primitive weapon season, and broadens the circumstances under which handguns and rifles may be used to hunt deer. It also adds an explicit prohibition on the remote operation of hunting weapons through software or internet-connected devices.
The bill further revises Delaware’s Sunday hunting restrictions by replacing the prior structure with a broader allowance for Sunday hunting of game birds and game animals when it occurs within established seasons, on private lands at the landowner’s discretion, on designated public lands, or through deer depredation programs. It also updates raccoon and opossum provisions, including trapping and hunting rules, geographic allowances, and the use of a .22 caliber rimfire pistol for those species.
Impact
HB278 changes multiple sections of Title 7 governing wildlife management, hunting methods, and seasonal restrictions. It lowers certain firearm caliber thresholds, expands straight-wall handgun and rifle eligibility for deer hunting, and authorizes additional use of those firearms during a separate January season, during shotgun deer seasons, and in deer depredation programs. It also modernizes the law by banning remote-controlled hunting weapons and revises Sunday hunting and raccoon/opossum provisions, affecting hunters, landowners, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and wildlife enforcement.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received in the House, passing third reading by a wide margin of 38-1. The sponsor list is bipartisan, indicating cross-party support for the measure. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern points to broad agreement that the hunting regulations should be updated.
Contention
The main points of contention appear to center on expanding hunting opportunities and firearm options, especially the move from shotgun-only deer hunting in some contexts to allowing handguns and rifles with straight-wall ammunition, and the relaxation of Sunday hunting restrictions. These changes may raise concerns among wildlife advocates, animal welfare opponents, or those wary of broader firearm use in hunting, while supporters likely view them as modernization, increased access, and alignment with current hunting practices. The bill’s near-unanimous House vote suggests any objections were limited.