Delaware Hunter Education Study Guide 2026

Who needs hunter education

Under Delaware law, anyone born after January 1, 1967, must complete a Basic Hunter Education Course before getting a hunting license or a youth hunting license. DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife runs the program through its Office of Hunter Education.

Delaware graduates enter their Hunter Safety Number when buying a license online, and verification can take up to five business days. If your card has not been verified yet, such as a card from another state, you will be asked to upload a copy when you buy a license online.

Delaware courses are recognized in all states and Canadian provinces.

How the course works

Rule	Details
Minimum age	No certification under 10; students under 12 must come with a responsible adult
Live course	Free, in classrooms around the state; pre-registration required
Online course	From an approved vendor, then a two-hour, in-person field day
Live firing	Required by state law for every basic student, including firing a shotgun

The live firing rule has applied since January 1, 2010. Before firing, you must sign a liability waiver. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian signs it, and the signature must be notarized.

The course covers safety, ethics, firearm types, safe gun handling, marksmanship, wildlife management and identification, and survival. Your card can be printed online a few days after the course. DNREC advises finishing at least one month before you plan to hunt.

Every field carry keeps the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Two-hand (ready) carry, muzzle up and ahead.
Elbow carry, break-action gun open over the forearm.
Shoulder carry, muzzle up and behind.
Sling carry, gun on the back, muzzle up.
Trail carry, muzzle ahead and down.

Other required courses

Turkey hunter education: hunters 13 or older must complete a Delaware-approved turkey course before hunting turkeys. Completion is noted on your license.
Trapper education: required to buy a trapping license for anyone born after January 1, 1978.
Bowhunter education (IBEP): offered, but not a Delaware requirement. Many other states require it.

Advanced classes, such as muzzleloading and handgun hunting for deer, are also offered.

If you hunt from a tree stand, DNREC points to a free online tree stand safety course that takes about 15 minutes. The Young Waterfowlers Program introduces youths ages 12 to 16 to waterfowl hunting. Seats in all classes are limited, so register early through Digital DNREC.

Licenses and young hunters

Hunters who are exempt from buying a license must still get a free License Exempt Number (LEN) each year. Residents who own or live on a farm of 20 acres or more may hunt it without a license, along with their immediate family who live there.

Age	Delaware rule
Under 13	No license, but a LEN and direct supervision by a licensed adult at least 21
13 to 15	Must buy a junior license; must be under direct supervision
16 and older	Rules on hunting without supervision depend on age and weapon, and recent law changes are being challenged in court; check the current guide

Direct supervision means the supervisor is at least 21 and always within 30 yards and in direct line of sight of the young hunter.

Hunter orange and safe distances

Whenever it is lawful to take deer with a firearm, hunters (except migratory bird hunters) must show hunter orange on the head, chest and back totaling at least 400 square inches. If you are fully hidden in a ground blind, place 400 square inches of orange within 10 feet outside the blind, at least 3 feet off the ground.

Hunter orange on the head, chest and back makes you easy to see.

A hunter orange hat.
A hunter orange vest covering the chest and back.
A hunter in camouflage only, who is hard to see.

Weapons, bait and Sundays

Crossbows for deer need at least a 125-pound pull weight and a mechanical safety, and must never be carried cocked in a vehicle. Vertical bows need at least a 30-pound pull. Approved deer handguns must be carried openly, not concealed. Baiting for deer is allowed only on privately owned land. Sunday deer hunting is legal on private land if the landowner allows it, and on public lands chosen by the Division.

Stay 100 yards from an occupied structure unless you have permission (50 yards for archery deer hunters).
Do not fire from or within 15 yards of a public road, or across one.
No loaded firearm or cocked crossbow in or on a motor vehicle.
No hunting from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, with a few exceptions.
Get the landowner's permission before hunting private land, posted or not.

After the shot

Before moving or field dressing the animal, punch your Harvest Report Card and write the date in permanent ink.
Register the deer or turkey within 24 hours, online or by phone.
Write the 12-digit registration number on your card.
Use a possession tag if you leave the animal or drop it off at a processor.

Do not cut up the meat or remove any part other than the internal organs before you register. Carry your Harvest Report Card and your license or LEN card while you hunt deer or turkeys. Give your registration number to any butcher or taxidermist as proof. For antlered deer, you report the antler spread and the number of points at least one inch long.

Migratory bird hunters also need a HIP number. License-exempt hunters get one for free.

Key terms

The 16 words and rules to know for this test. Read the list or study them as flashcards: flip each card, then mark it "Know it" or "Still learning".

January 1, 1967: Anyone born after this date must complete a Basic Hunter Education Course before getting a Delaware hunting or youth license.
Office of Hunter Education: Part of DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife. It runs Delaware's hunter education program.
Hunter Safety Number: The number Delaware graduates enter when buying a license online. Verification can take up to five business days.
Minimum certification age: No one under 10 can be certified. Students under 12 must come with a responsible adult.
Online course field day: After an approved online course, students attend a two-hour, in-person field day to finish.
Live firing: Required by state law since January 1, 2010 for every basic student, including firing a shotgun, after signing a waiver.
Turkey hunter education: A Delaware-approved course that hunters 13 or older must complete before hunting turkeys.
Trapper education: Required to buy a trapping license for anyone born after January 1, 1978.
Bowhunter education (IBEP): Offered in Delaware but not required there. Many other states do require it.
License Exempt Number (LEN): A free number that hunters exempt from buying a license must still get each year.
Direct supervision: The supervisor is at least 21 and always within 30 yards and in direct line of sight of the young hunter.
Hunter orange: During firearm deer seasons, show at least 400 square inches of orange on the head, chest and back.
Crossbow rules: Deer crossbows need at least a 125-pound pull and a mechanical safety, and must never be carried cocked in a vehicle.
Safety distances: Stay 100 yards from an occupied structure without permission, or 50 yards for archery. Do not fire within 15 yards of a public road.
Harvest Report Card: Punch it and write the date in permanent ink before moving or field dressing a deer or turkey.
Harvest registration: Register a deer or turkey within 24 hours, online or by phone, and write the 12-digit number on your card.