DNREC Announces 2025-2026 Deer Harvest Totals & Info About New Interactive Game Harvest Dashboard

State of Delaware - The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced the statewide deer harvest totals for the 2025-2026 hunting season. A new interactive Game Harvest Dashboard was also launched by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. This dashboard allows the public to view Delaware's big game data in greater detail.

A total of 16,746 deer were harvested by hunters during the recent season. This total includes 11,907 antlerless deer and 4,839 antlered deer. The harvest represents an 11% decrease from the record 18,823 deer harvested during the 2024-2025 season. However, it remains one of the five highest harvests since the modern deer hunting season began in 1954.

"The slight decline in harvest compared to last season is likely influenced by several factors," said DNREC Deer Biologist Sam Millman. "Reduced hunter participation, weather conditions during key portions of the season, and high acorn production across much of the state likely affected deer movement and hunter success."

The state is divided into 18 deer management zones by DNREC. New Castle County includes Zones 1A, 1B, 2, and 3. Kent County includes Zones 4 through 8. Sussex County contains Zones 9 through 17. These zones cross county lines to follow habitat features instead of political boundaries. This structure allows biologists to evaluate deer density and harvest trends regionally.

Sussex County recorded the highest harvest for the 2025-2026 season with 8,594 deer reported. A strong harvest of 1,397 deer was reported in Zone 7 in Kent County. On state-managed lands, the Midlands Wildlife Area near Laurel reported the highest harvest with 168 deer.

The new online Deer and Wild Turkey Harvest Dashboard was created to improve data transparency. It features an intuitive, map-based interface. Users can explore harvest trends by season, county, and wildlife management zone.

"This year's deer harvest reflects the dynamic nature of conservation management and hunter participation," Millman said. "The new dashboard gives the public a powerful tool to explore harvest data and better understand how regulated hunting and wildlife conservation support healthy deer and turkey populations in Delaware."

The dashboard will be updated annually. Additional features will be added over time. More information about deer hunting is available HERE. Details regarding spring wild turkey hunting can be found at their website.