Maryland Deer Archery Season to Open September 11

Archery hunting for white-tailed deer opens statewide in Maryland on Friday, September 11, 2015 and continues through January 30, 2016.

As a reminder, there is a statewide bag limit for bucks of one per weapon season—bow, muzzleloader and firearm. Hunters in Region B have the option to take one additional bonus buck after purchasing a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp and taking two antlerless deer. The antlerless deer bag limits differ between the two Maryland Deer Management Regions.

An antler point restriction mandates that hunters may not harvest more than two white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that have two or fewer points on each antler present. Any additional antlered deer taken within the legal seasons and bag limits must have at least three points on one antler. Junior Hunting License holders are exempt from the antler point restriction. Hunters in Region A may take only two antlerless deer for the license year.

Sika deer archery season is also open from September 11 through January 30 in Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties. The sika deer archery season bag limit is three deer with no more than one being antlered. An antlered sika is defined as a deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters to check-in deer taken with a long, compound or recurve bow as harvested with a vertical bow. Crossbow hunters should register their deer as taken with a crossbow. This information helps DNR biologists collect information on hunter preferences and follow trends in how deer are harvested.

There are several additional Sundays open to archery hunting in Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties. Several state forests have been added to the public lands designated for Sunday hunting. These, and other regulations, are included in the 2015-2016 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping. Complete bag limits, season dates, registration procedures and hunting regulations are on the DNR website and in this year’s guide.

Hunters should carefully inspect all tree-stands and always wear a full-body safety harness while climbing in or out and while in the stand. DNR strongly recommends using a sliding knot, commonly known as a prussic knot, attached to a line that is secured above the stand that allows the hunter to be safely tethered to the tree as soon as they leave the ground. For more information on tree-stand safety, click here.

Hunters are encouraged to donate any extra deer they may harvest to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. The program enables hunters to take deer to cooperating butchers and processors where they can donate them free of charge. The deer are processed and the venison is made available to local food banks. Last year, the program provided more than 600,000 venison meals to food banks and other feeding efforts.