Island & Sanctuary Farms 2009 Wildlife and Hunting Report by Lou DeAntonio During last years hunting season approximately 100 wild ducks were harvested. The species include, Mallards, Green and Blue Winged Teal, Pintails, Blacks, Widgeon, Shovelers, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads and Wood ducks. Goose hunting resulted in a take of approximately 75 birds of this total 25 were snow geese and the 50 remaining were Canada’s. The snow geese were taken primarily by pass shooting in the mornings, while the Canada’s were taken out of the field blinds using decoy spreads. Snow Geese at Prime Hook Refugee number in the multiple hundreds of thousands. Dove hunting resulted in an opening day bag of approximately 300 birds. The balance of the season supplied another 140 or so doves. There is a good supply of dove that “winter over” on the farm and provide good table fare when you want it.

Birds of Island & Sanctuary Farms (Photos courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

65 Wood Duck nesting boxes are maintained throughout the property. Egg shell counts reveal an average brood per house of 6 ducklings. This relates to a total annual hatch for wild Wood Ducks of almost 400 birds.

Deer hunting on the property is extremely good. The state record for a whitetail by weight was taken on the Sanctuary farm. We manage for trophy bucks and each year take an average of 2 quality bucks (typical whitetails that score 145 or better Boone and Crocket). We also average 3 management bucks (whitetails that exhibit an antler deformity, or inferior antler growth for its age) per year on the Sanctuary farm. Our whitetail herd is hard to survey because so many whitetails migrate onto the Sanctuary from the Prime Hook Refuge next door. I estimate roughly 200 animals on a constant basis. It is not uncommon to see 75 animals out feeding simultaneously between 3 deer stands. We harvest about 15 doe annually to maintain a good ratio of Doe to Bucks.

Other wildlife includes many Red Fox. We take 10 or so per year by hunting.

Bobwhite quail are native here, coveys total 4 or 5 and total approximately 60 birds. We only hunt the quail 1 day a year with dogs. We kill only cocks when possible and our bag is only 10 birds or so annually. If the fox were controlled more I know that the quail population would increase dramatically. I have also seen river otter in the fish ponds that I stock with large mouth bass, bluegill and hybrid bass. Muskrats and raccoons are also on the marshes, we don’t trap or hunt any of these species.

The hunting on the property was done mainly on Fridays and Saturdays. The early duck season and last two weeks of season accounted for most of the ducks. Easy bag limits on wood ducks with up to 5 hunters on Friday and Saturday for the 2 week early season. Late season was also good with cold weather providing varied species shooting.

The flooded impoundment (about 6 acres) is treated as a refuge with hunting only done in the evenings. I estimate resident daily duck populations averaging about 2000 birds. In short, the bag numbers shown took place on weekends during the several split seasons that Delaware has. I never exceed 5 hunters at the lodge for water fowling. Also please note that these numbers do not include the 6 river duck blinds. I currently lease that hunting out to a local hunting club. I could contact them to get their bag limits to add to ours if necessary.

Download Island & Sanctuary Farms 2009 Wildlife and Hunting Report (PDF)