Are you AWARE?
Delaware -(Ammoland.com)- With the holidays come days off from work and school, and DNRECโs Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind wildlife area visitors โ especially those with brand-new ATVs or dirt bikes โ that driving any motor vehicles off established roadways on state wildlife areas is illegal and damaging to wildlife habitat.
โOff-roading is very destructive to areas reserved for wildlife conservation and harmful to some of our more fragile species. In addition, Division staff have to replant vegetation, repair ruts and clean up after these activities,โ said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. โIf you want to take that new ATV out for a ride, itโs best to do it on your own property or on private property with the ownerโs prior permission.โ
Thereโs another good reason to keep ATVs and other unregistered vehicles on private lands: it is illegal in Delaware to operate unregistered motor vehicles on public roadways โ including state, county and established wildlife area roads. โATVs and other vehicles without a license plate are prohibited in state wildlife areas, both off-road and on established roadways, and violators who are caught will be cited,โ Sgt. McDerby said.
Hunters who find new firearms under the tree are reminded that target practice is prohibited on state wildlife areas. However, the state-owned Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center and Public Shooting Range, located at 1205 River Road, New Castle, is an excellent place to try them out. Operated by DNRECโs Division of Fish & Wildlife, the Ommelanden Center is dedicated to providing Delaware hunters with required hunter education courses and training opportunities.
Ommelandenโs range is open year round for public use for a small fee from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and from 12:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The facility is closed on state holidays, including Christmas and New Yearโs. The range includes 25- and 50-meter rifle and pistol ranges, skeet and trap fields and a practice archery field. For more information, call 302-323-5333, or visit Ommelanden Range.
