« Newer Entries Older Entries »
Great Fall Weather and Expanded Hunt Zone Aids Hunters Favorable weather conditions and increased hunting opportunities in western Maryland enabled hunters to achieve a record harvest in the 2016 Maryland Black Bear Hunt as the season came to a close Oct. 27, with a record 167 bears reported to mandatory check-in stations. The harvest total Read the Rest…
Bear baiting, and oyster and striped bass poaching cases highlighted enforcement actions taken this week by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Hunting Limited to Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the Fall Turkey Hunting Season will open Oct. 29 and continue through Nov. 5 in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties with a bag limit of one turkey per hunter.
Dedication Ceremony Held at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recognized the lifelong contributions of Honorary Ranger William “Howard” Skinner Oct. 21 with a dedication ceremony at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area.
Department of Natural Resources Certifies Bush River Yacht Club Bush River Yacht Club has now been declared the newest Maryland Clean Marina by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The maritime establishment adopted practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, met all environmental requirements and passed a site inspection before earning the designation.
Authentic Wye Oak Seedlings Available Tired of mowing? Consider converting part of your grasslands to woodlands with trees from the John S. Ayton State Forest Tree Nursery, managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. New this year are Beautyberry Shrub seedlings – Maryland native plants – which beautify landscapes and improve habitat, as well Read the Rest…
Two men were arrested for deer poaching activities in separate cases in Kent and Washington counties by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers.
Hunters Reminded to Practice Tree Stand Safety The first segment of Maryland’s Muzzleloader Deer Season opens statewide Oct. 20. It is one of several deer hunting opportunities offered in the state and typically occurs during some of the finest fall weather. The early muzzleloader season runs from Oct. 20-22 in Deer Management Regions A and B. Region Read the Rest…
Department of Natural Resources to Construct Project in Savage River State Forest The Board of Public Works unanimously approved today the construction of several projects within Savage River State Forest, including the development of the state’s first modern off-road vehicle trail. The trail will include the first-ever campsite designed to support off-highway vehicle riders. Other features Read the Rest…
Enhanced Funding Helps Preserve and Protect 4,615 Acres The Board of Public Works unanimously adopted a Maryland Department of Natural Resources recommendation today to approve 15 Rural Legacy Program grants, totaling $17,663,385, to permanently preserve approximately 4,615 acres of working farms, forests and open space across the state, from Garrett to Wicomico County.
County, State Partnership Provides New Bowhunting Opportunity A new partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and St. Mary’s County will now permit deer hunting at Myrtle Point Park. Approximately 141 acres of the 192-acre park in California, Md. will be open to regulated archery activity, effective immediately.
Results Follow Very Successful Spawning Year in 2015 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the 2016 young-of-the-year striped bass index, a measure of bass spawning success in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay is 2.2, well below the 63-year average of 11.7. The index represents the average number of less than 1 year old Read the Rest…
25,000 Trout to be Released in October The Maryland Department of Natural Resources began stocking brown, golden and rainbow trout in select creeks, lakes and rivers this week as part of its annual fall trout stocking activities. Approximately 25,000 trout will be stocked by the end of October.
Management Area Expanded; Baiting Rules Relaxed The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that chronic wasting disease regulations were updated earlier this year after five white-tailed deer tested positive for the disease in Allegany County. One of the deer was harvested near Cumberland, approximately 10 miles west of all previous cases. It was the Read the Rest…
Two men who killed eight deer in a single evening in Baltimore and Howard counties have been charged with 73 counts of illegal hunting by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. John Dimingo Gallano IV, 20, of Pasadena, and Christopher Michael Johnson, 20, of Halethorpe, were charged last Friday after a year-long investigation.
Cooling temperatures, colorful foliage and unpredictable wildlife ─ all signs that the fall season is upon us. As such, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges motorists to stay alert for deer and other wildlife this time of year as these animals seek out food supplies and mates.
Deer and striped bass poaching cases on the Eastern Shore and a crabbing case in St. Mary’s County were among the incidents handled last week by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers.
The 2016-2017 public oyster harvest season kicks off Oct. 1 and runs through March 31. The opening month is reserved for divers and watermen using shaft and patent tongs. “Although blue crabs are fat and plentiful this time of year, it is oysters on the half shell that traditionally bring Marylanders together in the fall and winter months,” Read the Rest…
Today, officials from the National Wildlife Federation, the state of Maryland and Queen Anne’s County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Conquest Preserve Living Shoreline Project on the banks of the Chester River.
Deer and striped bass poaching cases were among the incidents handled over the weekend by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers.
12 Maryland Counties Awarded Grants The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the recipients of the 2016 Volunteer Fire Assistance Program grants, which provide financial and technical assistance to rural volunteer fire departments and their communities. This year, the department awarded $89,025 to 39 volunteer fire departments in 12 Maryland counties.
Sometimes, the good guys arrive on four paws. Maybe they’re asked to find a hiker, lost and cold, in the woods. Perhaps, it’s to look for a weapon used in a crime and tossed into an overgrown field. Or it could be to zero-in on wildlife illegally shot by a poacher and hidden away from Read the Rest…
As fall creeps in and the growing season fades, the Maryland Forest Service still has one thing in mind: planting trees. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, the Forest Service continually partners with the community in its mission of getting trees in the ground. Whether on public or private land, shovels are always in Read the Rest…
It sounds like a case made for Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine, but unlike a cartoon, there is a very real danger facing Maryland bats each winter: Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the cause of the fatal white-nose syndrome. This cold-loving fungus attacks bats while they hibernate by growing on and into their skin. As a result, Read the Rest…
Simply put, waterfalls are nothing more than rivers flowing over rocks but that doesn’t stop them from being among the most wondrous sights our natural world has to offer. You may think the only way to enjoy such areas beyond social media is to travel to faraway states, but I’m here to show you the Read the Rest…
A tide of good news on Chesapeake Bay health has been rolling in over the past couple of years. Anecdotal accounts, backed-up by scientific monitoring programs of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and its partners, have observed promising improvements in water quality, aquatic habitats and the abundance of crabs and oysters. The question on Read the Rest…
From the remains of Native American settlements to development undertaken by Europeans, it is difficult to find a part of Maryland that does not possess a unique story to tell. As the largest single public landowner, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources manages a huge portfolio of historically significant properties full of important archeological, architectural Read the Rest…
Have you ever grumbled about the minimum size requirement, especially after you threw back that sixth undersized fish of the day? Have you ever wondered who makes these rules, why or how? Fisheries management, like much of what we do at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, can be considered a balancing act between two Read the Rest…
A large crowd enjoys a hot day on the beach. A small family strolls down to the shore. A group of friends prepares for a day of fishing and boating bliss. All of a sudden something washes ashore. It’s the stuff of evening news headlines and social media click-bait. But for the department’s Marine Mammal Read the Rest…
Living in a coastal region has its perks, along with its own potential downsides. You can never predict exactly what may happen during hurricane season, but you can always prepare for it and handle worst case scenarios in a way that will the least impact on your loved ones, your assets and your day-to-day life.
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers handled striped bass poaching violations, arrested a man for indecent exposure and charged a boater with impaired operation in some recent cases.
Managed Deer Hunt Begins Oct. 20 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will provide public deer hunting opportunities, as part of a managed deer hunting program, in the Belt Woods Natural Environment Area during the 2016-2017 hunting seasons.
Process Provides Opportunity to Trap on Public Lands The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting bids for the 2016-2017 furbearer trapping season for public lands on the Eastern Shore.
Alcohol use, inattention and excessive speed led to the fatal boat accident on Whitehall Creek in Annapolis July 31, a Maryland Natural Resources Police investigation determined. The accident killed Paul Christopher Dettor, 49, of Annapolis, and injured two passengers.
The Hances Point Yacht Club in North East is the newest Maryland Clean Marina certified by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Cecil County facility earned the recognition after adopting practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, meeting all environmental and regulatory requirements, and passing a mandatory site inspection.
Fan Favorite Winner to be Chosen on Facebook The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the winners of the 2016 Natural Resources Photo Contest, with the grand prize going to Mitch Adolph of Lutherville for his excellent action photo of sparring egrets on Assateague Island.
Natural Resources Police Handle Poaching Violations and Others Maryland Natural Resources Police officers handled oyster, striped bass and crab poaching violations and arrested a man on drug and stolen vehicle charges in recent cases.
Wildlife Management Area Now Open for Deer Hunting The Parker’s Creek Wildlife Management Area in Calvert County will open for deer hunting this fall season. Those interested in hunting the area must possess a free Southern Region Seasonal Permit, complete a free Hunter Orientation and Shooting Qualification session and must make daily reservations.
Department of Natural Resources Certifies Harbor East in the Inner Harbor The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has certified Harbor East Marina in Baltimore as the latest Maryland Clean Marina. The facility earned the recognition after adopting best management practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, meeting all environmental and regulatory requirements, and passing a site inspection.
To Provide Potomac River Nursery Habitat The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and National Harbor have formed a taskforce to construct and place 80 small concrete reef balls in Smoots Bay in the Potomac River to help improve the fishery.
Even though Tropical Storm Hermine kept many boaters off the water this Labor Day weekend, the Maryland Natural Resources Police were busy inspecting anglers and crabbers, checking dove and waterfowl hunters and patrolling our state parks and waters.
Sika Deer Hunting Now Permitted in All Counties Archery hunting for white-tailed deer and sika deer opens statewide Sept. 9, and continues through Jan. 31, 2017. The bag limit for white-tailed bucks is one per weapon season. Maryland hunters in Region B have the option to take one additional bonus buck after purchasing a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp Read the Rest…
Family Friendly Event Set for Sept. 24 Anglers, conservationists, hunters and others interested in the great outdoors are invited to take part in the 10th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration, hosted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This free, family friendly event will take place Sept. 24, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (rain Read the Rest…
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers handled recreational crabbing and fishing violations, and charged a boater with unsafe operation in some recent cases.
Maryland Environmental Trust Protects Portion of Belmont Manor and Historic Park The Maryland Environmental Trust has permanently conserved a portion of Belmont Manor and Historic Park near Elkridge. Howard County, which owns the park, conveyed a conservation easement on a 36-acre section of the 69-acre property, which will protect the scenic rural landscape surrounding the historic manor Read the Rest…
Mourning Dove Season Opens Sept. 1 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced the 2016-2017 early migratory game bird hunting seasons. Bag limits, season dates and shooting hours can be found in the 2016-2017 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping.
Two Anne Arundel County men were charged on Aug. 19 with multiple violations in connection with a fist fight that occurred last month aboard a boat on the Choptank River, the Maryland Natural Resources Police reported.
Natural Resources Surveys Western Maryland Streams The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently joined the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service in a survey of Hunting Creek and Owens Creek in Frederick County to follow up on the 2015 discovery of Dermocystidium, a single-celled parasite effecting Blue Ridge sculpin fish, in Blue Blazes Creek Read the Rest…
Program Preserves and Revitalizes Maryland’s Maritime Communities The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has awarded three municipalities: the City of Cambridge, the Town of Oxford and the Town of St. Michaels, with financial and technical assistance through the Working Waterfronts Program, a state initiative that aids in the preservation and revitalization of current and historic Read the Rest…
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers investigated a boat explosion and a jet ski accident, arrested a motorist carrying drugs and loaded guns, and charged an unlicensed fishing guide in recent cases.
