Deer Hunting

Hunting Hours
One half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.

Licensing and Stamp Requirements
A Regular Hunting License, Junior Hunting License, Senior Hunting License or Nonresident Hunting License is required to hunt deer with a firearm.  In addition to a hunting license, bow deer hunters must purchase a Bow Stamp and muzzleloader deer hunters must purchase a Muzzleloader Stamp.  Hunters entitled to hunt without a license do not need to purchase Bow, Muzzleloader, or Bonus Antlered Deer Stamps.  Hunters with a Senior Lifetime License do not need to purchase Bow or Muzzleloader Stamps but must purchase Bonus Antlered Deer Stamps to take bonus antlered deer.

Bonus Antlered Deer Stamps
A Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp is required by all license holders to take a second antlered deer for each deer management region and season.  For example, a deer hunter must purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp before attempting to take a second antlered deer with a firearm in Region D.  Bonus Stamps are not required to take antlerless deer.

Daily Limit
Only one deer may be taken per day in Deer Management Region A to include Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington (Zone 2) Counties.  In all other counties, there is no restriction that applies to the number of deer that may be taken per day within the season bag limits.

Deer Tagging and Checking Requirements
A field tag must be filled out and attached to the deer before moving it from the place of kill.  Field tags are provided with this publication.  In cases where a hunter does not need a hunting license or stamp or is in need of field tags, the hunter must make a tag which includes the hunter's name, license number (if applicable), date, county and Deer Management Region where the deer is taken.  The carcass may be field dressed but the head and hide may not be removed nor the meat cut into parts until the animal has been checked at a checking station.  All deer harvested must be taken to a designated checking station by the hunter harvesting the deer in the county where killed, or in an adjacent county, before the deer is taken out of the county, or adjacent county, and within 24 hours after the kill.  If no checking stations are open in the county of harvest or adjacent county, a hunter may call the Natural Resources Police (NRP) to receive verbal approval to check the deer in another county.   The call must be made and the deer checked in within 24 hours of the kill.  A possession tag will be provided to a hunter when they check their deer at a Deer and Turkey Checking Station.  This possession tag is proof that they legally acquired the deer, and any meat, head, hide, or antlers, from the deer.  The possession tag must be kept with the meat and any deer parts until they are consumed or disposed of properly.  The taxidermy portion of the possession tag must remain with any mounted taxidermy specimen.

Dogs
Dogs cannot be used to hunt deer except trained tracking dogs may be used to find dead, wounded or injured deer.  The dog handler must maintain physical control of the tracking dog at all times and only the hunter and dog handler may carry a firearm or bow while tracking the deer.  Prior to tracking the deer, the hunter must notify by telephone or in person the local regional Natural Resources Police office.  If the nearest regional office is unavailable, the hunter must notify the DNR Communications Center.  The hunter may dispatch the deer only during legal shooting hours and by means legal for the current hunting season.

Deer in Water
Deer may not be hunted while they are swimming or taking refuge in water.

Fallow Deer
Fallow deer may be taken in place of white-tailed deer during each of the seasons.  Fallow deer have escaped from captivity and are found in a few isolated areas in Maryland.

Sika Deer
Sika deer season dates are the same as white-tailed deer season dates with two exceptions.  Sika deer may not be hunted with a muzzleloader during the October 23-25 segment of the white-tailed deer early muzzleloader season.  In addition, sika deer may not be hunted with a firearm during the January 9 and 10 firearm season.  Sika deer bag limits are independent of the white-tailed deer bag limits.  Sika deer may be hunted only in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties.

Baiting Deer
Baiting deer is legal, except on state-owned or state-controlled properties.

Antlered Deer Definition
An antlered white-tailed deer is a deer with two or more points to one antler, or a deer with one antler three or more inches long, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.  An antlered sika deer is a sika deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.

Deer Seasons & Bag Limits
Maryland has four "Deer Management Regions."  Independent deer bag limits have been established for each region.  The number of deer that a hunter can take in one region will not affect the hunter's bag limit in another region. 

Sunday Hunting
A person may hunt white-tailed or sika deer on Sunday November 2, 2003 and Sunday November 30, 2003 on private land in Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Talbot, and Washington Counties.