The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced Monday the opening of additional hunting and trapping seasons in December.

A special antlerless deer season is set to open Dec. 10 and will extend through Dec. 18, while multiple furbearer-trapping seasons will begin Thursday. Duck, Canada goose, woodcock, snipe and other hunting seasons also open during the month.

Archery and crossbow hunters are not allowed to harvest antlered deer during the antlerless season. Deer hunting is permitted on Sundays through Jan. 31, 2023. Additional information is available here.

All harvested deer must be registered within 24 hours here or by calling 855-DEL-HUNT.

Hunters who wish to donate venison to those in need are encouraged to participate in Delaware Hunters Against Hunger. Field-dressed deer may be donated at participating butchers or at self-serve coolers maintained by the Division of Fish & Wildlife. Learn more here.

Donated deer will be processed free of charge, and the meat will be distributed to charitable organizations. Last year, hunters donated over 24,000 pounds of venison that provided more than 97,000 meals.

Hunting seasons opening in December are:

• Beaver (private lands only) — Thursday through Mar. 19.
• Woodcock and common snipe — Friday through Jan. 16.
• Ducks (including sea ducks), coots and mergansers — Dec. 9 through Jan. 31. There is no longer a special sea duck zone with separate dates or daily bag and possession limits. Sea duck-hunting dates are now the same as regular duck-hunting dates, with similar limits.
• Deer (special antlerless) — Dec. 10-18.
• Brant — Dec. 12 through Jan. 31.
• Canada goose — Dec. 24 through Jan. 23.

Trapping seasons opening in December are:

• Red fox and coyote — Thursday through March 10.
• Beaver — Thursday through March 20.
• Muskrat, mink, otter, raccoon, opossum and nutria (New Castle County) — Thursday through March 10 (through March 20 on embanked meadows).
• Muskrat, mink, otter, raccoon, opossum and nutria (Kent and Sussex counties) — Dec. 15 through March 15.

Continuing Delaware hunting seasons include:

• Bobwhite quail — through Jan. 7.
• Mourning dove — through Jan. 31.
• Deer archery and crossbow — through Jan. 31.
• Tundra swan (by special permit only) — through Jan. 31.
• Snow goose — through Jan. 31 and Feb. 4.
• Ring-necked pheasant (male only) — through Feb. 4.
• Gray squirrel — through Feb. 4.
• Red fox (hunt only) — through Feb. 28.
• Coyote (hunt only) — through Feb. 28.
• Cottontail rabbit — through Feb. 28.
• Raccoon and opossum (hunt only) — through Feb. 28.
• Crows — through March 25 and June 22-24 and 29-30 (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only).
• Groundhog — through June 30.

The Division of Fish & Wildlife offers many hunting opportunities on state wildlife areas. Maps and rules are available here.