Let’s delve into Maryland’s hunting calendar, explore the array of game species, and uncover the top outdoor destinations. Ready to embark on this journey?
Important Resources
Maryland Hunting Season
| White-Tailed Deer | Method | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Antlered | Statewide | Archery | 8 September–18 October Sunday 22 October 23 November 24 December 11–15 December 31 Sunday 1 January 1 January 4 January 8 January 31 January 5–7 (Region A) |
| Muzzleloader | October 19–21; December 16–December 30 | ||
| Firearms | November 25–Dec. 9, January 5–Jan. 6 (only in Region B), Sunday, January 7 (only in Region B) | ||
| Antlerless | Region A | Archery | September 8–October 18; Sunday, October 22; October 23–November 24; December 11–December 15; Sunday, December 31; January 1–January 31; February 1–February 3 (Primitive Hunt Days) |
| Muzzleloader | Public Lands under DNR: October 19–21 and December 30; All Other Lands: October 19–21 and December 28–December 30 | ||
| Firearms | All Other Lands: December 2, December 8–December 9; DNR Public Lands: December 2, December 9. | ||
| Junior | Statewide on November 11 and Certain counties on the following Sunday, November 12 | ||
| Region B | Archery | Primitive Hunt Days: September 8–October 18, Sunday, October 22, October 23–November 24, December 11–December 15, Sunday, December 31, January 1–January 4, January 8–January 31, February 1–February 3 | |
| Muzzleloader | October 19–21, October 23–28, Sunday, December 17, December 18–23, Sunday, December 24, and December 25–30 | ||
| Firearms | November 25, Sunday, November 26, November 27–Dec. 2, Sunday, December 3, December 4–9, January 5–6, Sunday, January 7. | ||
| Junior | Statewide on November 11 and Certain counties on the following Sunday, November 12 | ||
| Sika Deer Seasons | Archery | Primitive Hunt Days: September 8–October 18, Sunday, October 22, October 23–November 24, December 11–December 15, Sunday, December 31, January 1–January 4, January 8–January 31, February 1–February 3 | |
| Muzzleloader | Antlered or Antlerless: October 19–21 and December 16–30; Only Antlerless (Region B): October 23–October 28 | ||
| Firearms | Sunday, January 7, Nov. 25–Dec. 9, Jan. 5–Jan. 6, | ||
| Junior | Statewide on November 11 and Certain counties on the following Sunday, November 12 |
Bag Restrictions:
Firearm Season:
- One antlered deer per firearm season statewide for sustainable management.
Region B Special Condition:
- Region B hunters may take a third antlered deer under specific conditions.
Region A:
- Harvest one antlerless deer per weapon season for sustainable hunting.
Junior Hunters in Region A:
- Allowed one antlered and one antlerless deer.
Region B Bag Limits (Archery, Muzzleloader, Firearms):
- 15 antlerless deer (combined) with unlimited in Suburban Deer Management Zone.
- 10 antlered deer for both muzzleloader and firearms.
Junior Hunters in Region B:
- Permitted to take three deer, including one antlered.
Sika Deer Hunting:
- One antlered deer allowed every three seasons.
Junior Sika Deer Hunters:
- Allowed one antlered and one antlerless deer.
Bear
| Permit Required | 23-Oct - 27-Oct | Allegany, Frederick, Garrett & Washington counties only. A bag and possession limit of 1 per day with no more than 1 per permitted bear hunting team |
Turkey
| Junior | In certain counties | 14-Apr | One daily bearded turkey |
| Statewide | Jan 18–20 | ||
| Spring | April 18–May 23 | Two bearded turkeys in a season, one per day | |
| Fall | Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties | Oct 28–Nov 5 | There is a combined bag restriction of one turkey per sex during the fall and winter seasons. |
| Winter | Statewide | Jan 18–20 | There is a combined bag restriction of one turkey per sex during the fall and winter seasons. |
Furbearer
Coyote
Firearms, Archery, & Airgun Hunting | 1-Aug - 31-Jul | There is no limit |
| There is no limit | ||
| Trapping Only | 1-Nov - 1-Feb | In the region of the State WEST of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay |
| 15-Nov - 15-Feb | ||
Bobcat
| CLOSED SEASON | All counties |
Fox
| Red and Gray Fox- Trapping, Firearms, Archery, & Airgun Hunting | 1-Nov - 1-Feb | Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, and Washington counties. There is no Limit |
| 1-Nov - 1-Feb | ||
| 15-Nov - 15-Feb | Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties.There is no Limit | |
| 15-Nov - 15-Feb | ||
| 1-Aug - 31-Jul | Charles and Dorchester counties.There is no Limit | |
| 1-Aug - 31-Jul |
Muskrat and Mink
| Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard and Washington counties | 15-Nov - 15-Feb | There is no Limit |
| Baltimore, Cecil, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset and Worcester counties | 15-Dec - 15-Mar | |
| Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Dorchester, Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Talbot and Wicomico counties | 2-Jan - 15-Mar |
Otter
| In Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties | 15-Dec - 15-Mar | A bag limit of 2 per day and possession limit of 2 per season |
| A bag limit of 10 per day and possession limit of 10 per season | ||
| 1-Dec - 15-Mar | A bag limit of 1 per day and possession limit of 1 per season |
Raccoon and Opossum
| Raccoon and Opossum Firearms, Archery, Airgun & Dog Hunting | 14-Oct - 15-Mar | There is no Limit |
| In the region of the State WEST of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay | 1-Nov - 15-Mar | |
| (In the region of the State EAST of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay | 15-Nov - 15-Mar |
Rabbit
| Cottontail | 5-Nov - 28-Feb | Statewide. There is a bag limit of 4 daily and possession limit of 8 |
| Eastern Cottontail (falconry) | 1-Nov - 31-Mar |
Skunk
| Regular | 1-Nov - 15-Mar | All counties and there is no limit |
Firearms, Archery, & Airgun Hunting |
Squirrel
| Gray & Eastern Fox Squirrel | 3-Sep - 28-Feb | A bag limit of 6 per day. A possession limit of 12. |
| 2-Sep - 28-Feb | ||
| Gray, Eastern Fox, Red or Piney (falconry) | 1-Sep - 31-Mar | |
| Red or Piney | 3-Sep - 28-Feb | There is no limit |
| 2-Sep - 28-Feb |
Long- Tailed Weasel
Firearms, Archery, & Airgun Hunting | 1-Aug - 31-Jul | There is no limit |
| There is no limit | ||
| Trapping Only | 1-Nov - 1-Feb | In the region of the State WEST of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay |
| 15-Nov - 15-Feb | ||
Upland birds
Pheasant
| Regular | 4-Nov - 28-Feb | Statewide. A bag limit of 2 per day and possession limit of 4, either sex |
| Falconry | 1-Nov - 31-Mar |
Quail
| Regular | 4-Nov - 15-Jan | There is a bag limit of 6 daily and possession limit of 12 |
| Falconry | 1-Nov - 31-Mar | There is a bag limit of 4 daily and possession limit of 8 |
Grouse
| Regular | 1-Nov - 15-Mar | All counties and there is no limit |
Firearms, Archery, & Airgun Hunting |
Migratory and Waterfowl
Dove
| Bag | Possession | |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 1–Oct 14 | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 21–Nov 24 | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 16–Jan 10 | 15 | 45 |
Rail
| Sept 1–Nov 21 |
Snipe
| Sept 29–Jan 31 | 8 and 24 as bag and possession limit |
Duck
| Eastern Zone | Oct 14–Oct 21, Nov |
| 11–Nov 24 | |
| Dec 15–Jan 31 | |
| Western Zone: | Sept 30–Oct 14 |
| Nov 18–Nov 24 | |
| Dec 15–Jan 31 | |
| Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck and Eiders) | 4-Nov-23 |
| 3-Feb-24 |
Teal
| September Teal | Sept 16–30 | 6 and 18 bag and possession limit |
Brant
| Bag | Possession | |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 28–Jan 31 | 1 | 3 |
Goose
| Conservation Order | Light Goose | Nov. 27–Dec. 9 | No limit |
| Feb. 1–Feb. 2 | |||
| Feb. 5–Apr. 15 | |||
| Statewide | Oct. 2–Nov. 24, Dec | Bag of 25 and No Possession | |
| 11–Jan. 31, Feb. 3 | |||
| Late Resident | Canada Goose | Nov. 18–Nov. 24 | Bag of 5 and 15 Possession |
| Dec. 11–Mar. 5 | |||
| Migratory (Atlantic Population) | Nov. 21–Nov. 24 | Bag of 2 and 6 Possession | |
| Dec. 15–Jan. 31 | |||
| Early Resident | Eastern Zone - Sept. 1–15, | Bag of 8 and 24 Possession | |
| Western Zone - Sept. 1–25 |
Woodcock
| Oct 21–Nov 24 | 3 and 9 as bag and possession |
| Jan 11–Jan 27 | 3 and 9 as bag and possession |
Youth, Veteran and Military Waterfowl Days
| Nov 4, 2023 and Feb 3, 2024 |
Falconry, Extended (Statewide)
| Mourning Doves | Jan 12–Jan 31 | Three per day, possession limit of nine |
| Rails | Nov 22–Jan 3 | |
| Woodcock | Oct 1–Oct 20, Jan 29–Mar 9 | |
| Ducks | Feb 1–Mar 9 | |
| Brant | Feb 1–Mar 9 | |
| Light Geese | Feb 23–Mar 9 |
Hunting Location
Though Maryland is home to a relatively small amount of public hunting area, it is spread out evenly throughout the state. It’s easy to go on a private outdoor trip.
Wildlife-protected areas.
The Wildlife & Heritage Service manages Maryland’s 64 WMAs. Combined, these lands come to around 128,000 acres. Nineteen of twenty-three counties have WMAs.
State-owned and operated parks
Some of state parks even encourage it. Roughly four thousand acres of territory may be found here. Each state park has its own games, season, and regulations.
MD hunting Calendar PDF Download
License Fees
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Contacts
Address
Wildlife & Heritage Service Headquarters
580 Taylor Ave.,
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone Number
1-877-620-8DNR (8367) (Within the State)
410-260-8DNR (8367) (From Outside State)
FAQ
How much is Maryland hunting license?
Residence and age determine hunting license prices. Nonresidents fees are $130.00 for 16–64, $65.00 for 65+, and $32.50 for under-16 with written authorization. Residents pay $24.50 for ages 16–64, $10.50 for under-16s with permission, and $5.00 for 65+.
Where can I hunt Duck in Maryland?
Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic coast are prime hunting grounds. Although majority of the Chesapeake’s coastline is privately owned, pursuers do have access to a few great wilderness management areas.
Both Fishing Bay and Taylors Island WMAs allow public waterfowl. See Sea Duck Zones for duck locations at sea. Generally, stay 800 yards from the shore.
What animals can be legally hunted in Maryland?
Deer, turkey, ducks, geese, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and small game species are common. Antlerless deer seasons manage female deer populations in particular places.
Who can hunt without a license in Maryland?
Hunting licenses are not required for certain residents. This covers locals and nonresidents who hunt on their property and nonresidents who own contiguous farmland in Virginia and Maryland but live in Virginia. Active-duty military members stationed in the state do not require a license if they have official leave orders.
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