Maryland Deer Hunters Conclude Successful Fall Firearm Season
Hunters take 28,236 deer during two-week season
Photo by Olivia Wiley, submitted to the 2019 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that hunters harvested 28,236 deer during the two-week firearm season from Nov. 25 through Dec. 9. The firearms season harvest was 3% lower than last year’s official count of 29,160 deer.
“Firearm hunting for deer continues to be our most popular season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “The season enables many hunters to put much needed venison in the freezer and it helps significantly with managing the state’s deer population.”
Hunters reported taking 12,002 antlered deer during the two-week season, which was similar to last year’s official total of 12,018. The antlerless harvest decreased 5% from 17,142 last year to 16,234 this year. Sika deer represented 501 of the total antlered harvest and 589 of the total antlerless harvest and was up 12% overall.
More than 2,700 deer were taken on the two Sundays during the season, representing nearly 10% of the total harvest. Deer hunting on Sunday is currently permitted on select Sundays in 20 of 23 counties.
Hunters in Region A — Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington counties — reported taking 2,564 antlered and 1,414 antlerless deer (down 3% and 8%, respectively). In the remainder of the state, hunters reported taking 9,438 antlered and 14,820 antlerless deer. The antlered harvest increased 1% while the antlerless harvest decreased 5%.
Modern firearm deer season opens again on January 5, 2024, in deer management region B. Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season will reopen Dec. 16 and run through Dec. 30.
Maryland Reported Harvest for the Two-Week Firearm Season
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
County
2022
2023
% Change
2022
2023
% Change
2022
2023
% Change
Allegany
968
856
-11.6
638
485
-24.0
1,606
1,341
-16.5
Anne Arundel
193
202
4.7
268
224
-16.4
461
426
-7.6
Baltimore
493
443
-10.1
753
733
-2.7
1,246
1,176
-5.6
Calvert
173
185
6.9
299
303
1.3
472
488
3.4
Caroline
403
397
-1.5
986
846
-14.2
1,389
1,243
-10.5
Carroll
1,035
1,063
2.7
1,484
1,462
-1.5
2,519
2,525
0.2
Cecil
420
406
-3.3
743
715
-3.8
1,163
1,121
-3.6
Charles
381
360
-5.5
479
505
5.4
860
865
0.6
Dorchester
whitetail
356
341
-4.2
632
625
-1.1
988
966
-2.2
sika
395
430
8.9
469
531
13.2
864
961
11.2
Frederick
1,257
1,218
-3.1
1,667
1,590
-4.6
2,924
2,808
-4.0
Garrett
1,301
1,405
8.0
736
805
9.4
2,037
2,210
8.5
Harford
371
328
-11.6
667
590
-11.5
1,038
918
-11.6
Howard
213
175
-17.8
305
321
5.2
518
496
-4.2
Kent
358
465
29.9
921
774
-16.0
1,279
1,239
-3.1
Montgomery
385
308
-20.0
513
451
-12.1
898
759
-15.5
Prince George’s
189
184
-2.6
278
233
-16.2
467
417
-10.7
Queen Anne’s
417
413
-1.0
828
820
-1.0
1,245
1,233
-1.0
St. Mary’s
261
255
-2.3
339
381
12.4
600
636
6.0
Somerset
whitetail
291
300
3.1
608
561
-7.7
899
861
-4.2
sika
6
8
*
6
5
*
12
13
*
Talbot
298
279
-6.4
649
657
1.2
947
936
-1.2
Washington
1,014
979
-3.5
941
872
-7.3
1,955
1,851
-5.3
Wicomico
whitetail
368
434
17.9
833
804
-3.5
1,201
1,238
3.1
sika
48
62
*
51
53
*
99
115
*
Worcester
whitetail
423
505
19.4
1,047
888
-15.2
1,470
1,393
-5.2
sika
1
1
*
2
0
*
3
1
*
Total
12,018
12,002
-0.1
17,142
16,234
-5.3
29,160
28,236
-3.2
*Small sample size
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