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Public Deer & Small Game Hunting |
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Public Deer & Small Game Hunting |
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Bombay
Hook National
Wildlife Refuge
Public Deer & Small
Game Hunting Leaflet
NO
CHANGES FOR 2008
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge offers the following
regulated hunts:
Headquarters Area Shotgun *
Regular Area/Fischer Tract Shotgun*
Steamboat Landing Shotgun*
Regular Area/Fischer Tract Muzzleloader *
Special Youth Hunt*
Archery
South Upland Area*
* Requires advanced reservations
Deer, turkey, and small game hunting will be allowed on Bombay Hook
National Wildlife Refuge subject to applicable state and federal
regulations and the following special conditions:
General
Requirements
Hunters must possess a valid state hunting license. Persons under
13 years and over 65, or permanently disabled are exempt. Hunters
15 years and under must be accompanied by a licensed hunter.
Non-hunting adults are allowed only to accompany a permitted juvenile
or a hunter with limited mobility. Non-hunting youths 15 and
under may accompany a permitted adult at least 21 years of age on the
same deer stand if the adult signs a statement accepting
responsibility.
Applications can be picked up at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge,
2591 Whitehall Neck Road, Smyrna, DE 19977. Muzzleloader
applications must be postmarked prior to September 15. All other
applications must be postmarked by October 8. Only one
application per hunter, per hunt area will be accepted. Duplicate applications will be cause for
disqualification. Fischer and Steamboat Landing Tract
archery deer hunters are not required to have advanced
reservations. South Upland Area archery hunters must register at
the Little Creek Check Station.
Successful applicants are selected by public lottery. Failure to
appear on the day of the hunt will result in forfeiture of the
reservation. Forfeited reservations and permits not requiring
advanced reservation will be awarded to stand-by hunters by a
ticket-lottery system the day of the hunt.
All hunters including those
using the South Upland Area are required to obtain a daily permit prior
to hunting. The South Upland Area is open to hunting in
accordance with applicable Federal seasons. Permits are available
at the Little Creek Check Station.
Use or possession of alcoholic
beverages during any scheduled hunt is prohibited.
Use or possession of handguns is prohibited.
All hunters should bring necessary equipment to field dress and drag
deer. Refuge staff will not provide such equipment or assist in
tracking and dragging deer. Driving vehicles in Refuge fields is
not permitted.
Hunters, when requested by federal or State enforcement officers must
display for inspection all permits, game, hunting equipment and
ammunition.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
General
Application Fee. All
applications for Regular Area/Fischer Tract, Headquarters Area, and
Steamboat Landing Area firearms deer hunts must be accompanied by a
$3.00 application fee.
No nailed deer stands, platforms, ladders, or blinds, other than those
provided by the government, are permitted. Tree stands must be
portable, temporary in design, and completely removed after use.
Scouting prior to hunt date is encouraged. Please see Refuge
Manager for permission to scout stand.
All firearms hunters must use
assigned stands between the hours of 1/2 hour before sunrise until 9:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m. until 1/2 hour after sunset. Between 9:00 a.m.
and 3:00 p.m. on the Steamboat and Regular/Fischer Tract areas
hunters may leave their stands to hunt or leave the area. On the
Headquarters area all hunting is from stands. If a hunter leaves,
he may return once more during the day and must return prior to 3:00 p.m.
On all other areas, departure from stands prior to 9:00 a.m. or between 3:00 p.m. and
1/2 hour after sunset, other than to retrieve a deer, may result
in loss of future hunt privileges.
It
is unlawful to distribute bait or hunt over bait at Bombay Hook
National Wildlife Refuge.
Use or
possession of handguns is prohibited.
All firearms deer hunters must display a minimum of 400 square inches
of solid
hunter orange on the head, chest, and back while hunting. Orange
camouflage is not compliant.
Only one antlered buck may be
taken on the refuge by a hunter during the entire season (September
through January).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shotgun and Primitive Firearms
Individuals selected by advanced reservation must appear at
headquarters prior to 1 ½ hour
before legal shooting time on the day of the hunt to be issued a
daily permit. A standby ticket-lottery will be held 1 ½ hour before legal
shooting time for all forfeited reservations. An additional
drawing will be held at noon for stand vacancies.
Forty-two (42) hunters will be allowed on the Regular Area and 12 will
be allowed on the Fischer Tract. A total of 53 elevated stands
are provided. One site is designed as a stand for non-ambulatory
hunters.
Shotguns are permitted only during the 1st Friday, Saturday, and
Wednesday of the Delaware November season; the Monday and Thursday of
the Delaware December season; and the Friday of the Delaware January
season.
Primitive firearms are permitted only during the Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday of the Delaware October muzzleloader season.
A fee of $10.00 will be
charged and collected prior to the issuance of a daily permit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permits are issued at headquarters by a ticket-lottery one hour before legal shooting time.
Entrance fee required: $2.00
daily fee.
Hunting is permitted on the first two Fridays of the State
season. Hunting ends each day
at 11:00 a.m.
The maximum number of hunters allowed on the area is 60.
Forty-two (42) elevated deer stands are available for use on a
first-come, first-served basis. Use of stands is optional.
Scouting is permitted on all non-hunt days.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archery
hunting will be permitted on the Fischer Area during all weekdays
(excluding the week of muzzleloader hunt) in October when the State
season is open. The maximum number of hunters allowed on the area
is 12. Daily permits will be issued on a self service basis at the
entrance to the Fischer Area. Permits may not be picked up
earlier than 2:00 a.m. on the day of the hunt. Because of the
added special October antlerless firearms season, archery hunters will
be required to display a minimum of 400 inches of solid hunter
orange on their head, chest and back while hunting. Hunting ends at 11:00 a.m.
Entrance fee required. $2.00
daily fee.
Twelve elevated deer stands are available for use on a first-come,
first-served basis. Use of stands is optional.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Headquarters
Area
Shotgun
Individuals having reservations must appear at headquarters prior to 1-1/2 hours before legal shooting
time on the day of the hunt to be issued a daily permit.
A standby ticket-lottery drawing will be held 1-1/2 hours before legal shooting
time for all forfeited reservations. An additional drawing will
be held at noon for stand vacancies.
Thirty-nine (39) hunters will be allowed on the Headquarters Area and
34 elevated stands are provided. Five sites are designed as
stands permanently disabled hunters. All hunters must confine
hunting to their assigned stand. Permanently disabled hunters may
have an assistant accompany them; however, this assistant may not
possess a firearm or ammunition nor fire a weapon for any reason.
Hunters
will walk to stands from designated parking lots.
Hunting
is permitted only during the Monday and the second Friday of
the November State season, and the Wednesday of the December State
season.
No hunters may possess a loaded weapon while away from their assigned
stand except to pursue a deer that they have crippled. Pursuit of
a wounded animal must begin within 30 minutes and end within one hour
unless authorization to continue the search is given by a refuge
employee.
Persons who successfully kill and retrieve a deer may leave the area at
any time.
A fee of $10.00 will be
charged and collected prior to the issuance of a daily permit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steamboat
Landing Area
Shotgun
Individuals selected by advanced reservations must appear at
headquarters prior to 1-1/2 hours
before legal shooting time on the day of the hunt to be issued a
daily permit.
A standby ticket-lottery will be held 1-1/
2 hours before legal shooting time for all forfeited
reservations. An additional drawing will be held at noon for
stand vacancies.
Seventeen (17) hunters will be allowed on the Steamboat Landing Area
and 17 elevated stands are provided.
Hunting is permitted only during the Monday and the second Friday of
the Delaware November season, the Wednesday of the Delaware December
season, and the first Friday of the Delaware January season.
A fee of $10.00 will be
charged and collected prior to the issuance of a daily permit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archery
Archery hunting will be permitted on the Steamboat Landing Area during
all weekdays in October when the State season is open, except during
muzzleloader season. The maximum number of hunters allowed on the
area is 17. Daily permits will be issued on a self-service basis
at the entrance to the Steamboat Landing Area. Permits may not be
picked up earlier than 2:00 a.m. on the day of the hunt. Hunting ends at 11:00 a.m.
Because of the added special October antlerless firearms season,
archery hunters will be required to display a minimum of 400 inches of solid hunter
orange on their head, chest and back while hunting.
Seventeen (17) elevated deer stands are available for use on a first
come, first-served basis. Use of refuge stands is optional.
Entrance fee required. $2.00
daily fee.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Youth Hunt
A deer hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian will be
conducted on the first Saturday in November on the Steamboat Landing
and Fischer Tracts as well as on nearby State Management Areas.
The
refuge will follow the criteria established by the State of Delaware
for hunter/guardian ages, safety qualifications, etc. Youths
selected
by advanced reservations must appear at Refuge Headquarters two hours
before legal shooting time. A standby ticket-lottery will
be held two
hours before legal shooting time for all forfeited reservations.
No
fee will be charged for either applications or permits.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disabled
Hunters
Hunters with a certified permanent disability are permitted to hunt
from sites or platforms designed to be accessible by wheelchairs.
The
platforms are 6’x6’ with an access ramp and are 24 inches above the
ground. Some sites do not have a platform but have an area where
a
chair may be placed. Hunting from vehicles is not allowed.
Applications for eligibility for these sites are available at the
Refuge and must be completed before the hunt drawing. Disabled
hunters
are strongly
advised to have a non-hunting individual assist them in
retrieving and/or field dressing harvested deer. Refuge staff
cannot
track, drag, or field dress deer.
All Game Hunting
South Upland Hunting Area
(Davey Crockett Tract)
Hunters may take small game in season. Use care to stay on state
and federal lands - do not trespass onto private lands. Small
game hunting closed during the December and January shotgun deer
seasons.
Archery hunters must register for an archery zone at the tagboard at
the Little Creek Checking Station parking lot. Zone availability
is first come, first serve. Except for firearms seasons, hunters
may use state-built stands, hunt from the ground or portable
stands. No permanent stands may be built and all parts of a
portable stand must be removed by the end of the days hunt. No
nailed or screw-in tree steps allowed. Hunters must have valid
state license(s). Non-toxic shot is required except by
turkey/deer hunters.
Archery hunting is closed during the Special Youth Hunt. During
firearms seasons, hunters must register for lottery and hunt only from
state-built stands.
DEER HUNTING WILL NOT BE OPEN DURING
THE SPECIAL OCTOBER ANTLERLESS FIREARMS SEASONS.
Deer hunting during firearm seasons will be by permit only. All
deer hunters will check in at the Little Creek Checking Station before
hunting. For the muzzleloader and shotgun seasons a daily
lottery for unfilled stands will be held 1-1/2 hours before legal
shooting time and at 12:00 Noon. Hunters are advised to arrive at
least 15 minutes prior to the lottery. All permits must be
returned to the checking station at the end of the days hunt. All
hunting from state-built deer stands only except archery. Use or possession of alcohol is
prohibited. Use or possession of handguns is prohited.
No fee will be charged.
For Further Information Contact:
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
2591 Whitehall Neck Road
Smyrna, DE 19977
Telephone: 302/653-9345
1 800/232-5460 TDD: 1/800/232-5470 voice.
Email: fw5rw_bhnwr@fws.gov
Web Page: http://bombayhook.fws.gov
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1 800/344 WILD
http://www.fws.gov
August 2007
