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Waterfowl Hunt Map
Bombay Hook National
Wildlife Refuge offers the following regulated hunts:
Waterfowl Hunting
South Waterfowl Area
Youth Waterfowl Hunt
Snow Goose Area
South Upland Area
West Waterfowl Area
Waterfowl hunting will be allowed on Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge subject to all applicable State and Federal regulations and the following special conditions:
General Requirements
The use or possession of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances is prohibited.
Firearms in vehicles/boats must be unloaded and completely cased or dismantled. Shooting outside of an assigned blind is prohibited except in active pursuit of crippled waterfowl. It is unlawful to shoot from a boat in active pursuit of a cripple, unless the motor has been completely shut off, and its progress therefrom has ceased.
The taking of wildlife other than the permitted species is prohibited.
Hunters must posses a valid state hunting license. Hunters under 13 years, over 65, or permanently disabled are exempt. Hunters 15 years and under must be accompanied by a licensed hunter at least 18 years of age. Non-hunting adults are allowed only to accompany a permitted juvenile.
All hunters except those using the South Upland Area are required to obtain a daily permit prior to hunting.
Waterfowl hunters are required to have both a State and federal waterfowl stamp, according to State and federal regulations.
Hunters, when requested by Federal or State enforcement officers, must display for inspection all permits, game, hunting equipment, and ammunition.
Waterfowl Hunting
General
Federally approved non-toxic shot is required of all waterfowl hunters. No person shall use or have in possession lead shot shells.
Only waterfowl and coot may be taken while hunting on the South Waterfowl Area. Only snow geese may be taken on the Snow Goose Area.
Hunt areas may be closed completely or in part, without notice when wind, icy road conditions, etc. make entry onto hunt areas hazardous.
Hunting is permitted only from government blinds, except in the Snow Goose Area and the South Upland Hunting Area.
The possession of an uncased gun or shooting outside of an assigned blind is prohibited except in active pursuit of crippled waterfowl. In such cases a hunter may only fire at crippled birds.
Use or possession of handguns is prohibited.
No decoys are provided.
There will be no hunting on Christmas Day.
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South Waterfowl Area
Hunting is allowed only during duck season on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Permits will be issued at the Little Creek Management Area check station by a ticket-lottery system 2 hours before legal shooting time. Hunters arriving after 7:00 a.m. will be issued permits on a first-come, first-served basis until 1:00 p.m. at the Little Creek Management Area Check Station. A fee of $5.00 per hunter will be charged in advance of permit issuance.
No more than 3 hunters may occupy a blind. Blinds will be allocated to only one party per day.
A boat is necessary to reach all blinds. Permit holders must use designated launching sites to launch their boats (see map). Federal and State boating regulations apply.
Hunters must leave the area and deposit permits in the receptacle at Port Mahon prior to one hour after sunset each hunting day.
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Youth Waterfowl Hunt
A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian will be conducted on the South Waterfowl Area on the fourth Saturday in October. The refuge will follow the criteria established by the State of Delaware for hunter/guardian ages, safety qualifications, etc. Permits will be issued at the Little Creek Management Area check station by ticket-lottery system 2 hours before legal shooting time. If there are permits remaining after the lottery drawing, they will be issued until 1:00 p.m. at the Little Creek Management Area Check Station. All other regulations for the South Waterfowl Area apply to the youth hunt, except that no fee will be charged.
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Snow Goose Area
Hunting will be during the Delaware snow goose season on days when the area is indicated open by the Refuge Manager.
Permits will be available at the Refuge Headquarters Building on a first-come, first-served basis until 3:00 p.m. Permits are self-service and will be located in the permit box next to the mail box. A maximum of 30 parties of up to 4 individuals will be permitted at any one time.
Delaware and Maryland have a reciprocal agreement for hunting snow geese.
Maryland hunters can hunt snow geese in Delaware with their Maryland hunting license provided they have a Delaware duck stamp, a Federal Duck Stamp, a Delaware H.I.P. number and are in compliance with the Delaware Hunter Safety laws. This agreement only applies to residents of Maryland and Delaware.
No blinds are provided. Blinds must be temporary in nature, and removed at the conclusion of the day’s hunt. No hunting is permitted within 300 yards of the dike roads, 500 yards of Sluice Ditch, 100 yards of the bay shore or 500 yards of Leipsic River.
A boat is necessary to reach all blinds. Permit holders must use designated launching sites to launch their boats (see map). Federal and State boating regulations apply.
Only snow geese may be taken.
No fee will be charged.
Permits must be returned to the permit box at headquarters before leaving the refuge.
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South Upland Hunting Area
(Davey Crockett Tract)
Area is open to waterfowl hunting in accordance with applicable State and federal seasons.
No waterfowl hunting allowed during firearm deer season.
Use or possession of handguns is prohibited.
No fee will be charged.
No refuge permits are required.
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West Waterfowl Area
The West Waterfowl Area is open to Canada goose, duck, and snow goose hunting in accordance with applicable State and federal seasons. A fee of $5.00 per hunter will be charged in advance of permit issuance.
Hunting is allowed until noon. Hunters must be out of the area by 1:00 p.m.
Hunting will be during the Delaware Canada goose season on days when the area is indicated open by the Refuge Manager.
All Federal and State hunting regulations apply. A valid State of Delaware hunting license, unless exempt from Delaware hunting license requirements, and a refuge permit are required to hunt on the refuge during firearms seasons. Reciprocal licenses are not sufficient to hunt in the West Waterfowl Area.
Permits will be issued at refuge headquarters one hour before legal shooting time by a ticket lottery system. Hunters arriving after the lottery will be issued permits on a first-come, first-served basis until 9:00 a.m. A maximum of eleven parties of up to four individuals will be permitted at any one time. One of the blinds is available for hunters with a permanent disability. Priority for that blind will be given to parties with at least one permanently disabled hunter. This blind will be issued to the general pool of hunters at the morning drawing if no permanently disabled hunters are present.
Blinds will be allocated to only one party per day. Hunting must occur from assigned blinds only. Shooting is not permitted from outside the blinds.
Permits must be returned to a permit box at the Fischer Tract or Dutch Neck Road before leaving the refuge.
All vehicle travel is restricted to maintained gravel roads. Vehicles may not be used on lanes between fields. Vehicles may not be driven across fields unless it is necessary drop off a disabled hunter at the disabled hunt blind.
Parking areas are provided at the shed at the Fischer Tract and on Dutch Neck Road as indicated on the hunt maps. We do not recommend parking on Route 9.
No decoys are provided.
Use or possession of handguns is prohibited.
For Further Information Contact:
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge Manager
2591 Whitehall Neck Road
Smyrna, DE 19977-9764
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
July 2009
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Waterfowl Hunt Map
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