Delaware · Rabbit · 2026–27 Edition
Delaware Rabbit Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail Rabbit | Statewide | Nov 23 – Feb 28 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 4 |
|---|---|
| Possession | 8 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (November 23, 2026) 06:24 — 17:12
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for upland game including rabbit — confirmed directly for rabbit/upland game (not just inherited as a fallback) via Delaware's small-game regulations. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Delaware sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Rabbit hunters in Delaware need a Delaware hunting license — Rabbit season stays open during all of Delaware's firearm deer seasons (Nov. 13-22, 2026; Dec. 12-20, 2026 special antlerless; Jan. 16-24, 2027) — no closure — but hunters must wear at least 400 sq. in. of hunter orange on head, chest, and back during any deer firearms season. No Sunday hunting for rabbit.
Delaware hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Delaware — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does rabbit season start in Delaware?
The 2026–27 opener is November 23, 2026. See the table above for the full window.
When does rabbit season end in Delaware?
The 2026–27 closing date is February 28, 2027.
Is there a closed season on rabbit in Delaware?
Yes — see the dates above. Outside that window, taking rabbit is closed in Delaware.
How many rabbits can you shoot in Delaware per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 4. Possession — 8. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting rabbit in Delaware?
On opening day (November 23, 2026) legal light runs 06:24 to 17:12. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for upland game including rabbit — confirmed directly for rabbit/upland game (not just inherited as a fallback) via Delaware's small-game regulations. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Delaware sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt rabbits on my own land in Delaware without a license?
Delaware residents who own or live on a farm of 20 or more acres, plus immediate family living there, may hunt, fish, and trap it without a license. Deer tags and other harvest requirements still apply.
Verified · Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-14
Publisher's note. DNREC's own hunting pages (dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/hunting/ and its seasons/ subpage) are navigation hubs that point to the Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide but don't render the actual season-date text to automated fetch, so this file uses eRegulations.com's mirror of that same DNREC-published guide, which does render as readable text: cottontail rabbit 'November 23 – February 28', daily bag '4 rabbits per day', possession '8 rabbits'. Checked directly for a firearms-deer-season closure (per the batch's general Northeast pattern) via eRegulations' Delaware deer-seasons page: rabbit season does NOT close during deer firearms season — instead, 'Rabbit hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material displayed on head, chest, and back when hunting during any deer firearms season.' Delaware's 2026 General Firearm deer season runs Nov. 13-22, 2026 and Jan. 16-24, 2027, with a Special Antlerless season Dec. 12-20, 2026 — rabbit hunting stays open throughout all of these, with the added orange-clothing requirement. Shooting hours for 'upland game (except raccoons, opossums and frogs)' are confirmed directly as '1/2 hr. before sunrise to 1/2 hr. after sunset', matching (and confirming, not just falling back to) Delaware's general state rule already on file. Rabbits cannot be hunted on Sundays in Delaware (per the same source).