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Maryland Hunters Harvest 72,642 Deer for 2023-2024 Season

More than 10% were harvested on Sundays

Photo of antlerless deer in the woods

Photo by Debbie Blair, submitted to Maryland DNR Photo Contest.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported that deer hunters harvested 72,642 deer during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, from Sept. 8, 2023 through Feb. 3, 2024.

The statewide harvest included 30,025 antlered and 38,511 antlerless white-tailed deer, and 1,912 antlered and 2,194 antlerless sika deer. The harvest was 5% lower than the 2022-2023 total of 76,687 deer.

“Maryland hunters enjoyed another successful season and managed to put some venison in their freezers,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “Deer hunting is essential for managing the state’s deer population and assists with reducing agricultural damage and deer-vehicle collisions.”

Hunters harvested 7,074 deer on Sundays, comprising 10% of the total harvest. Hunting deer on Sunday is only permitted during certain weeks in 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties.

The harvest in deer management Region A (Western Maryland) decreased 4%, from 9,552 deer last year to 9,169 this year. Hunters in the western counties reported 5,678 antlered and 3,491 antlerless deer.

Hunters in Region B — the remainder of the state — harvested 63,473 deer, down 6% from 67,135 deer harvested last year. A total of 26,259 antlered and 37,214 antlerless deer were reported in this region.

Frederick County had the highest reported harvest again this year, with 6,549 deer reported. Carroll County followed with 5,729 deer, and Garrett County was third with 5,108. Baltimore and Washington counties rounded out the top five with 4,550 and 4,418 deer, respectively.

Maryland Reported Antlered and Antlerless Deer Harvest 
for the 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 Hunting Seasons
  Antlered Antlerless Total
County 2023-24 2022-23 % Change 2023-24 2022-23 % Change 2023-24 2022-23 % Change
Allegany 1,824

1,925

-5.2 1,128

1,474

-23.5 2,952

3,399

-13.2
Anne Arundel 750

800

-6.3 974

1,083

-10.1 1,724

1,883

-8.4
Baltimore 1,899

1,856

2.3 2,651

2,990

-11.3 4,550

4,846

-6.1
Calvert 584

599

-2.5 817

879

-7.1 1,401

1,478

-5.2
Caroline                  
    whitetail 910

933

-2.5 1,666

1,967

-15.3 2,576

2,900

-11.2
    sika 0

0

* 1

1

* 1

1

*
Carroll 2,470

2,351

5.1 3,259

3,434

-5.1 5,729

5,785

-1
Cecil 1,177

1,230

-4.3 1,844

2,122

-13.1 3,021

3,352

-9.9
Charles 1,050

1,136

-7.6 1,383

1,439

-3.9 2,433

2,575

-5.5
Dorchester                  
    whitetail 739

749

-1.3 1,138

1,318

-13.7 1,877

2,067

-9.2
    sika 1,678

1,701

-1.4 1,965

2,017

-2.6 3,643

3,718

-2
Frederick 2,943

2,892

1.8 3,606

4,043

-10.8 6,549

6,935

-5.6
Garrett 3,152

3,113

1.3 1,956

1,876

4.3 5,108

4,989

2.4
Harford 1,147

1,233

-7 1,923

2,160

-11 3,070

3,393

-9.5
Howard 795

748

6.3 1,259

1,361

-7.5 2,054

2,109

-2.6
Kent 1,200

1,044

14.9 1,673

2,090

-20 2,873

3,134

-8.3
Montgomery 1,316

1,262

4.3 2,046

2,171

-5.8 3,362

3,433

-2.1
Prince George’s 649

715

-9.2 778

932

-16.5 1,427

1,647

-13.4
Queen Anne’s 1,028

1,083

-5.1 1,789

1,999

-10.5 2,817

3,082

-8.6
St. Mary’s 869

860

1 1,116

1,130

-1.2 1,985

1,990

-0.3
Somerset                  
    whitetail 632 592 6.8 1,058 1,213 -12.8 1,690 1,805 -6.4
    sika 18 25 * 15 12 * 33 37 *
Talbot 719 722 -0.4 1,209 1,284 -5.8 1,928 2,006 -3.9
Washington 2,273 2,221 2.3 2,145 2,379 -9.8 4,418 4,600 -4
Wicomico                  
    whitetail 921 778 18.4 1,494 1,664 -10.2 2,415 2,442 -1.1
    sika 167 142 * 161 147 * 328 289 *
Worcester                  
    whitetail 978 840 16.4 1,599 1,864 -14.2 2,577 2,704 -4.7
    sika 49 40 * 52 48 * 101 88 *
Total 31,937 31,590 1.1 40,705 45,097 -9.7 72,642 76,687 -5.3
*Small sample size

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