DELAWARE - A Delaware Superior Court ruling has struck down a state requirement that hunters between the ages of 18 and 20 be directly supervised by someone 21 or older.
In a press release, Delaware's Department of Natural Resources said Kent County Resident Judge Reneta L. Green-Streett issued the decision on Friday, Aug. 29 in Birney et al. v. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security et al. The court determined that Delaware's constitutional right to keep and bear arms extends to all state residents aged 18 or older. The ruling eliminates a provision in Delaware Code from a 2022 law that stated hunters between 18 and 21 years old would require direct supervision from a person age 21 or older when the state’s hunting seasons open Monday, Sept. 1.
Delaware's Department of Natural Resources will be adjusting the online version of the 2025-26 state Hunting and Trapping Guide to clarify the changes that those between the ages of 18 and 21 can hunt without being under the direct supervision of a person aged 21 or older. The requirements for hunters under 18 years old remain.
Photo: Delaware Department of Natural Resources