Summary: Governor Carney has signed HB 278, officially repealing Delaware’s outdated Sunday hunting ban and expanding weekend access for families statewide. The new law also modernizes wildlife management by simplifying deer hunting ammunition standards, updating game species lists, and fully protecting private property rights.
Earlier this month, Governor John Carney signed HB 278 into law, taking a major step forward for the First State by repealing the outdated Sunday hunting ban, modernizing equipment regulations, and protecting our outdoor heritage statewide.
HB 278 delivers these critical wins:
- Expands Sunday Hunting: Removes outdated restrictions to permit Sunday hunting for all game animals and game birds during established seasons. This opens up weekend opportunities for families who work or go to school.
- Protects Landowner Rights: Ensures private landowners and public agencies retain full local discretion over hunting access on their properties.
- Modernizes Gear Regulations: Simplifies handgun and rifle ammunition calibers for deer hunting and updates muzzleloader standards to match modern technologies.
- Updates Game Species Lists: Adds skunks and weasels to the regulated game list while removing European and snowshoe hares to improve wildlife management.
This victory belongs to you
The General Assembly passed the bill with an overwhelming bipartisan mandate, including a 38-to-1 vote in the House and a unanimous 19-to-0 vote in the Senate, and your continued outreach ensured it reached the Governor’s desk.
By raising your voice, you have helped expand hunting access, support family recreation, strengthen rural economies, and provide state wildlife managers with the flexible tools necessary for proper conservation stewardship.
Keep the Momentum Going
Our strength lies in our community. Please take 30 seconds to share this incredible news with your family, friends, and hunting buddies. Encourage your fellow sportsmen to join you and the Sportsmen’s Alliance today so we can continue to protect and advance our outdoor legacy.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing, and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square, and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions.
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