Delaware Repeals Adult-Supervision Requirement for Teen Hunters and Shooters

On August 17, 2026, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 427 (HS 1 for HB 427) into law, repealing the requirement that 16- and 17-year-olds be directly supervised by an adult when hunting or target shooting with a firearm, BB gun, or other projectile weapon. The bill was sponsored by Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, Rep. William Carson, and Sen. Brian Pettyjohn.

 

The removal of the supervision requirement doesn’t mean anything goes. To hunt or target shoot unsupervised, a 16- or 17-year-old still needs permission from a parent or guardian and must have completed a hunter education course. To hunt (as opposed to target practice), a valid Delaware hunting license is also required.

 

The timing lines up well with Delaware’s 2026-27 gray squirrel season, which runs September 15, 2026 through February 28, 2027 according to the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife’s hunting guide. It’s a great first opportunity for a newly independent teen hunter to head afield on their own, or for an experienced adult to bring a young shooter along and show them the ropes.

 

This is exactly the kind of legislative win that keeps our sport growing. ASA thanks the Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and Governor Meyer for backing the next generation of hunters and shooters, and we’ll keep tracking wins like this across the country.

 

Read more from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation: https://congressionalsportsmen.org/news/delaware-enacts-legislation-to-expand-hunting-and-shooting-sports-opportunities-for-young-sportsmen-and-women/