Access passes for wildlife areas on sale July 1

DNREC's Division of Fish & Wildlife is launching Delaware's new Conservation Access Pass starting Saturday, July 1, when a Conservation Access Pass will be required for any registered motor vehicle used to access Division of Fish & Wildlife state wildlife areas for recreational activities such as birdwatching, wildlife photography, hiking, horseback riding, and hunting.

The annual pass for Delaware-registered vehicles is valid from Saturday, July 1, to Saturday, June 30, 2018, and will cost $32.50. A three-day pass valid for three consecutive days costs $10. For vehicles with out-of-state registration, an annual pass costs $65, and a three-day pass costs $20. The Conservation Access Pass is assigned to a single registered vehicle, but may be transferred to a different vehicle under the same ownership for an additional $10.

Starting July 1, the pass may be purchased online at www.dnrec.gov, at authorized license agents throughout the state or from DNREC's licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building at 89 Kings Highway, Dover. Also starting July 1, Delaware hunters will receive one free annual vehicle pass with the purchase of a hunting license. To purchase a Conservation Access Pass, wildlife area users will need to show the registration card for the vehicle in which they will use the dashboard pass.

Some locations managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife are exempt from the Conservation Access Pass requirement, including the Michael N. Castle Trail on the C&D Conservation Area near Delaware City, and designated boating and fishing access sites listed in the 2017 Delaware Fishing Guide. Educational and shooting range facilities operated by the division also are exempt, including the Little Creek Hunter Education Center, Aquatic Resources Education Center at Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, DuPont Nature Center at Milford Neck Conservation Area and Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center and Public Shooting Range in New Castle.

For more information including a complete list of state wildlife areas that require the pass and locations exempt from the pass requirement, go to www.de.gov/fw or call 302-739-9912. For questions about purchasing the pass, call the division's Recreational Licensing Office at 302-739-9918.