Natural Resources News
Secretary’s Message: Investment in Outdoor Recreation Pays Back Dividends Now and for the Future
Attendees listen during the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit 2025 in Baltimore City. Maryland DNR photo.
In the last week of October, Maryland’s outdoor recreation community gathered in Baltimore for our second annual Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit.
Bringing together the partners that comprise and support Maryland’s outdoor recreation community – local and state government, environmental organizations, educators, outfitters, and other businesses – is essential. The science is clear: time in nature benefits our physical and mental health.
Of equal importance is that the economic impact of outdoor recreation nationwide is considerable, and Maryland is poised to take in a sizable share. The most recent data shows that outdoor recreation in Maryland generates $9.4 billion and supports 81,615 jobs – 2.8% of all employees in the state. This month, we anticipate new data coming in that will update the outdoor recreation economic trends in Maryland including job growth, total dollars and more. Read more…
Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season Resumes December 20
Sika deer, photo by Earl Blansfield, submitted to the 2020 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
The second half of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season will be open Dec. 20 through Jan. 3, 2026. The first half of the split season was held in October. Hunters may use muzzleloading firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this time. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – December 3
Darwin Hayward traveled far off the Ocean City shores to the deepwater canyons to catch this blueline tilefish. Photo courtesy of Darwin Hayward
Maryland anglers are adjusting to the colder weather and water temperatures and enjoying good fishing when the weather allows
Board of Public Works Approves $3.75 Million for Park Improvement and Land Conservation in Six Maryland Counties
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Rural Legacy, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Permanent Easement programs
The Gunpowder Rural Legacy Area in Baltimore County protects significant river frontage, which also protect the drinking water source for the Baltimore metropolitan area, including Pretty Boy and Loch Raven reservoirs.
The Board of Public Works today approved $3.75 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreation and land conservation in Baltimore, Cecil, Charles, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and St. Mary’s counties.
About $192,000 in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for a new restroom to be constructed in Queen Anne’s County’s White Marsh Park. This county park in Centreville is highly active throughout the year and includes one of the state’s only public agroforestry gardens.
Additionally, the Board approved more than $3.4 million in Rural Legacy funding for five conservation easement acquisitions that protect a total of more than 600 acres of land across Maryland: Read more…
Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Conditions Near Average for 2025
Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University showed that 2025 seasonal hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—was slightly above average in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia.
Hypoxia was below average in May and early June, then higher than average in late June through early August, before returning to below average in late August and September. Hypoxia was likely underestimated in September due to a number of unsampled stations in Maryland’s lower Bay. October hypoxia volumes were low but above average for the month, perhaps due to sampling occurring in the first week of October, which is earlier than normal. On average, the 2025 seasonal volume was the 11th largest out of 41 years assessed.
Governor Moore and Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Approve Revised Agreement to Protect Jobs, the Environment, and Coastal Communities
Members of the the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Executive Council, chaired by Maryland Governor Wes Moore, voted to approve the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Photo by Joe Andrucyk, Office of the Governor.
Governor Wes Moore on Dec. 2 led the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Executive Council in approving the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which includes goals that will improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, increase access to nature, and support livelihoods that depend on this nationally treasured resource. The revised agreement supports the environmental and economic future of the Chesapeake Bay, which in Maryland alone generates $3.2 billion and 58,000 jobs a year in tourism and supports the 3,300 jobs in the state’s seafood industry that nets $600 million annually.
“Today we made a commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and a commitment to the people of Maryland and our neighboring states,” said Gov. Moore. “The revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement will make our rivers and streams cleaner. It will bolster Maryland’s seafood, tourism, and recreational businesses. Most importantly, it will ensure we protect the precious heirloom that is the Chesapeake Bay so we can pass it down to the next generations in a better condition than we received it.”
Representatives from the Chesapeake Bay’s six watershed states—Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, and New York—as well as from the EPA, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and Washington, D.C., reached consensus on the new agreement earlier this year, following more than two years of work with scientific advisors, community representatives, and Chesapeake Bay advocates. That work included a robust public feedback period that led to significant changes to the draft agreement, which strengthened the document’s overall environmental goals and outcomes. Read more…
DNR Scientists Chart Future for Freshwater Mussel Restoration in Maryland
Pilot project will guide development of a restoration plan at an exciting period for mussel efforts in the state
Maryland DNR biologist Matt Ashton hold several eastern elliptio mussels, as natural resources technician Mike Dhillon places mussels in quadrants as part of a pilot restoration project. Photo by Joe Zimmermann/Maryland DNR
On a chilly fall morning, as fog drifted over the Potomac River, scientists with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources hauled three concrete balls out of the water.
Inside each of these 25-pound, thick-walled bowls was a chamber containing several small shells—a group of year-old freshwater mussels. Their concrete shelters, or silos, allowed the juvenile eastern elliptio mussels to grow undisturbed, consuming suspended particles carried by the river. Of 368 mussels placed in the silos for the summer, 358 survived.
“That’s rock solid,” Matt Ashton, a DNR mussel biologist, said of the survival rate. “We can say across the entire area we studied, there was nothing affecting survival this summer.”
After measuring the mussels, Ashton and his team waded back into the Potomac and carefully placed each bivalve back into the riverbed, making a divot with a finger in the soft bottom and planting the shell in the sediment. The next test for the mussels would be surviving the winter in the river on their own, without the protection of the silos.
These diminutive mollusks, most of them smaller than a fingernail, could contribute to the next decade of mussel restoration in the state. The silos are part of a pilot project that will guide DNR’s development of a large-scale mussel restoration plan for the upper Potomac River, with the goal to bring back species that are as important for water quality in freshwater as oysters are for saltwater. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – November 26
Cooper Goff puts his back into it as he battles a large blue catfish in the Conowingo Dam Pool while his father offers encouragement. Photo by Jason Zhensheng Li
Colder weather is upon us but there are wonderful fishing opportunities for anglers who dress warmly.
Maryland Adds Two New Master Anglers to Growing Recognition Program
Reisterstown and Forest Hill anglers complete 10-species milestone
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has recognized Darwin Hayward of Reisterstown and Vincent Tucciarella of Forest Hill for catching 10 different species of trophy-size fish to earn the FishMaryland Master Angler milestone.
These two anglers bring the total number of Master Anglers in the program, now in its sixth year, to 28.
FishMaryland is Maryland’s recreational fishing award program, which promotes year-round recreational fishing and affordable, accessible, diverse, and high-quality fishing opportunities. More information on the Master Angler Milestone Award and the FishMaryland program is available on the program’s website. Read more…
Bohemia River Living Shoreline Project Protects Parkland in Cecil County
The project showcases how shoreline protection can benefit freshwater areas
Hundreds of marsh plants help to reinforce the coast of great Bohemia Creek as part of the living shoreline at Bohemia River State Park. Photo by Joe Zimmermann/DNR
On the edge of Great Bohemia Creek, where in past years rushing water, boat wakes, and storm runoff undercut the riverbanks, a variety of natural shoreline protections now buffer the land at Bohemia River State Park.
Marshes planted with grasses are reinforced with log structures and vegetated rock sills. Further inland, live stakes and tree plantings add another layer of shoreline fortification.
For state park staff, this living shoreline not only provides a buffer for the park but it also showcases different techniques for shoreline projects for freshwater areas. Read more…
Natural Resources Police Toy Drive Underway for 2025 Holiday Season
Donations for NRP’s annual toy drive will be accepted at five Maryland Walmart retail locations and online through an Amazon gift registry.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is conducting its annual “Boatload of Toys” holiday gift drive at several locations across the state in advance of the 2025 holiday season. NRP officers are collecting donations of new, unopened toys for local children in need. The program is part of the national United States Marine Toys for Tots initiative. Read more…
Maryland Canada Goose Hunting Seasons Resume for 2025-26
Atlantic Population Canada goose season begins Dec. 19
Photo by Jan Master, submitted to the Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Maryland’s Atlantic Population (Migratory) Canada goose hunting season opens Friday, Dec. 19. The season contains two segments, Dec. 19 through Jan. 3, 2026, and again from Jan. 14 through Jan. 31, 2026. Late southern and late western resident goose hunting split seasons run from late November into March 2026. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – November 19
Robert Bennett III recently caught this beautifully colored rainbow trout in the North Branch Potomac River, Barnum area. Photo by Robert Bennett III
Warm days of early fall are well behind us and the leaves have fallen, but there is still a lot of good fishing to be had in the Chesapeake Bay and freshwater areas.
Board of Public Works Approves $3.3 Million for Recreation and Land Conservation in Baltimore City and Eight Maryland Counties
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Community Parks and Playgrounds, Greenspace Equity, Rural Legacy programs
Worcester County will acquire an easement on 78 acres in the Dividing Creek Rural Legacy Area. The easement will protect prime farmland and 1,200 feet of forested buffer along a tributary of Nassawango Creek, which flows into the Pocomoke River. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.
The Board of Public Works today approved nearly $3.3 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreation and land conservation in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, St. Mary’s, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester counties.
About $700,000 in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for six projects including several in Frederick County. The County will use the funds to further the development of a community center at Othello Regional Park, purchase land for a new park in downtown Emmitsburg, restore a fishing pond at Woodsboro Regional Park, replace a pavilion roof at Middletown Memorial Park, and install electricity at Middletown Heritage Park which will allow for holiday and fountain lighting.
The Board also approved $230,000 in Community Parks and Playgrounds funding for the installation of LED field lights in Wicomico County’s Gene Lowe Park. The Community Parks and Playgrounds program provides funding to municipal governments to restore existing parks and create new park and recreational facilities throughout the state.
Another $35,000 was approved for three Greenspace Equity Program appraisal funding grants. The grants will help reduce the barrier of upfront costs for qualified land trusts and local governments with limited funds available to spend on appraisals for potential acquisition projects in overburdened and/or underserved communities. Baltimore Green Space in Baltimore City received a grant, as did the City of Takoma Park and the Town of Poolesville, both in Montgomery County. Read more…
Maryland Park Service Graduates Ranger School Class of 2025
The Maryland Park Service Ranger School Class of 2025, along with deans and instructors, at Savage Highlands State Park. Photo by Ranger Samantha Dixon/ Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Maryland Park Service graduated 20 new State Park Rangers following four weeks of job training. Maryland Ranger School this year was held at the future Savage Highlands State Park in Garrett County, which is scheduled to open to the public in 2026. The rangers were honored in a ceremony held Nov. 11 at the Eastern Garrett County Volunteer Fire Hall in Frostburg.
This year’s class is the 15th to complete the intensive training program since the Maryland Park Service’s modern ranger school program was established in 2009. Read more…
Maryland Fall Foliage Recap for 2025 Season
Yellow hickory leaves. Photo by Melissa Nash.
Maryland State Park rangers and foresters found color this fall in the leaves, mushrooms, fruits, and flowers of Maryland, even a seasonal drought tamping down some of autumn’s glory.
Here is a look back at some of the most impressive photos from this year’s Maryland Fall Foliage reports.
While the opportunities to go leaf-peep may be fading, opportunities to enjoy the Maryland outdoors – fishing, hunting, hitting the trails, or watching the skies – are boundless in the second half of autumn and beginning of winter. Visit mdoutdoors.maryland.gov to purchase or renew your license. Read more…
Controlled Burn Planned for Dan’s Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Mid-November
Allegany County residents and travelers should not be alarmed by smoke
Maryland Department of Natural Resources wildland firefighter setting a fire line before a prescribed burn. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct a controlled burn on Dan’s Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Allegany County in mid-November as weather and other conditions allow. The fire will create smoke. It will be a low, controlled flame targeting underbrush and ground cover debris. Anyone who sees smoke in the area southwest of Rawlings should be aware this is not a forest fire.
There are no homes or other structures nearby the controlled burn site. Trained wildland firefighters will establish firelines before the burn, and will ensure the burn is completed safely and efficiently.
The purpose of the burn is to improve habitat for wildlife and to restore stands of fire-dependent plant species such as pitch pine and table mountain pine. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – November 12
This angler enjoyed a calm evening and beautiful sunset recently before the winds arrived. Photo by Travis Long
The colder weather of late fall and early winter is knocking on our door. A cold front has swept across Maryland this week, so anglers will need to bundle up.
Maryland’s Deer Firearms Season Opens Nov. 29
Popular deer hunting season provides quality time outdoors with friends and family
Photo by Duane Tucker, submitted to 2016 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Maryland’s two-week firearms hunting season for sika and white-tailed deer opens Saturday, Nov. 29 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 13.
The two-week season includes the opportunity to hunt on certain Sundays in all but three counties, affording hunters more weekend opportunities to hunt and contribute to managing Maryland’s deer population. Read more…
Maryland State Tree Nursery Accepting Orders for Spring 2026 Planting
Seedlings grow at John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery in Caroline County. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery is accepting orders for spring tree plantings at nursery.dnr.maryland.gov. More than 31 tree and shrub species remain available for purchase this year. Read more…
Natural Resources Police Issue Citations in 2025 Black Bear Hunt
Maryland black bear, photo by Mitch Adolph, submitted to the 2023 Maryland DNR photo contest.
Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) took action to stop illegal hunting during the state’s annual black bear hunt, held Oct. 20-25 in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. Officers cited several individuals for one or more violations including hunting without a license or without a black bear permit, illegally targeting bears over bait, and hunting with rifles while prohibited from possessing firearms. Read more…
Maryland Reports 2025 Early Deer Season Results
Deer hunting opportunities still abound for the rest of the year
Photo by Reinhardt Sahmel, submitted to the 2017 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Maryland hunters harvested 18,930 deer during the early portion of the 2025 archery and muzzleloader seasons. The harvest was an 8.1% decrease from last year’s official harvest of 20,592 deer for the same period.
The annual deer harvest fluctuates from year to year for a number of reasons, including hunter effort, weather conditions, availability of natural foods like acorns, disease outbreaks, and current population size of the herd. Read more…
Maryland Fall Foliage Report for Nov. 6
Leaves in western Maryland are well past peak, as are leaves in central Maryland. Lots of crunching underfoot.
On the Eastern Shore, leaves are at their peak, with some vivid hues on display along fields and roads. Sweet gums and black cherry trees are turning orange and yellow; shrubs like lowbush blueberry are turning light green and yellow. Staghorn sumac is showing off vibrant reds.
This is our last weekly report for the year – thanks to the foresters and rangers who offered field reports, and to the public who submitted photos!
We hope you tune in again in 2026!
A view along the Black Marsh Trail at North Point State Park. Photo by Christopher Szumlanski.
Maryland Fishing Report – November 5
Striped bass, photo by Travis Long
Late fall is definitely arriving, with frost showing up in the mornings, leaves falling, and anglers bundling up when fishing. Sneakers are being replaced with knee boots and warm hats and coats prevail and gloves are soon to follow. The sunny days of fall offer fun opportunities for a day of fishing.
Sec. Josh Kurtz and Dr. Bill Dennison: Revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Reaffirms Partnership and Protects the Bay’s Future
Photo by Wendy Crowe, submitted to the 2017 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Last month, Maryland representatives joined officials from around the Mid-Atlantic region to put forth a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement that includes firm timelines, required pollution reductions, and ambitious, yet reachable goals for improving the health of the Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principals’ Staff Committee approved the revised Agreement at its Oct. 28 meeting to build on the successes of the 2014 Agreement and recalibrate our plans based on what we have learned in the previous decade. The Bay Program’s Executive Council–led by Governor Wes Moore and composed of governors from Bay watershed states–is expected to meet in Maryland in December to formally approve the Agreement.
This voluntary Agreement is an important commitment to the people of Maryland and the future of the Chesapeake Bay. It represents the region’s shared vision to improve wildlife populations, reduce water pollutants, and restore habitat to improve Chesapeake Bay health, residents’ quality of life, and economic opportunities. Read more…
Board of Public Works Approves $3.1 Million for Parkland, Improvements, and Land Conservation in Five Maryland Counties
Board also approves dedication of Howard Heritage Trail at Freedman’s State Historical Park
Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw visits the Howard family cemetery in what will be Freedman’s State Historical Park; the Board of Public Works approved the naming of the Howard Heritage Trail that will connect historic sites there. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.
The Board of Public Works today approved more than $3.1 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and a land trust for parkland, recreational improvements, and land conservation in Anne Arundel, Howard, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Worcester Counties.
Additionally, the Board approved the renaming of the Howard Heritage Trail at the soon-to-open Freedman’s State Historical Park in Montgomery County in honor of the Howard family. Gov. Wes Moore, chairing the Board meeting, gave special thanks for the trail renaming and recognized the park that will serve as a testament to the remarkable achievements of Enoch George Howard and his family. Howard emancipated himself and his family from slavery in the mid-1800s after earning money through his agricultural ingenuity along the Patuxent River in modern-day Montgomery County. He established a Black school, purchased the land where he was formerly enslaved, and helped develop a freed Black community in the area. Once open, Freedman’s State Historical Park will share details of his family’s story and the lasting legacy they left in Maryland. Read more…
Maryland’s Tern Raft Celebrates Five Successful Years of Hosting Nesting Waterbirds
More than 1,100 tern chicks have fledged from the artificial coastal bay island
A royal tern adult and chick on Maryland’s tern raft. Photo by Kim Abplanalp/Maryland Coastal Bays Program
Maryland’s tern raft hosted hundreds of terns again this year—including nesting pairs of two different state-listed-endangered species—and saw more than 350 tern chicks fledge during the island habitat’s fifth year in operation.
The wooden-framed artificial island has floated in Chincoteague Bay in Worcester County since 2021 and serves as a breeding habitat for colonial nesting waterbirds that are listed as endangered in Maryland. The populations of these waterbirds in the state drastically declined by as much as 95% since the 1980s due to habitat loss caused by sea level rise.
Through five seasons, the breeding platform has provided safe habitat for more than 1,100 common tern nests, with more than 1,100 tern chicks fledging from the site, making it the most productive breeding site for terns in the state.
In 2025, for the first time, royal terns also nested on the tern raft. From 29 nests, eight royal tern chicks fledged. Read more…
A Hunter’s Story: Waiting for The Right Moment
Octogenarian hunter bags his first deer after years on the hunt
Ken Hibbs seated in a hunting stand on his property. Photo by Bob Sadzinski, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
At 89 years old, Ken Hibbs was moving slower than he once did, but that twinkle in his eye when he spoke about going into the woods during the early muzzleloader deer season was still there.
Mr. Ken, as I call him, owned his family farm where he let me hunt for many years, but he had never gone hunting on the land himself. A former missionary, his outings were for the simple joy of watching sunsets and driving his truck around the farm.
This all changed when we met more than a decade ago. My passion for deer hunting is in my innermost spirit, and the more stories I told him after hunting his property – of the woods, of the cunning deer, and the quiet wait – the more his curiosity was piqued.
One day, I asked him the simple question, “Do you want to go hunting with me?” He replied quietly, almost reverently: “That would be nice.” Read more…
Tuckahoe State Park Celebrates Golden Jubilee with Dedication of Trail to Region’s Black History
Trails named in honor of Anna Murray Douglass and Sandtown community
Guests tour the newly renamed Sandtown Trail after its Nov. 1 dedication. Photo by Rachael Pacella, Maryland DNR.
The Maryland Park Service today marked the 50th anniversary of Tuckahoe State Park and celebrated the contributions of abolitionist Anna Murray Douglass and the Sandtown community, dedicating more than five miles of trail inside Tuckahoe State Park to these cornerstones of Black Maryland history.
As the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reflects on a half-century at Tuckahoe, Maryland leaders are recognizing and acknowledging individuals and communities that may have been overlooked in the past. A 3.07-mile trail, initially built in 2016, will now be known as Anna’s Trail, and a 2.82-mile trail that opened earlier this year is named for the former Sandtown community, a free Black community that began in the late 19th century. Read more…
Maryland Outdoor Equity Mini Grants Fund 11 Recreation Projects for 2025
Paddleboarders on a Live Water Foundation excursion. Live Water Foundation’s mission is to provide equitable access to the water and paddling sports. The foundation received a Maryland Outdoor Recreation equity mini grant last year for a veteran-focused program.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Outdoor Equity Mini Grant program is doubling its impact in 2025, providing $65,000 to projects that are introducing more Marylanders to camping, mountain biking, outdoor education, and nature-based wellness. Projects chosen by DNR’s Office of Outdoor Recreation for funding include an initiative to introduce mountain biking to women in recovery from substance-use disorders, a nature-based recreation project on an Eastern Shore farm, establishment of an Outdoor Leadership Program for Black women in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region, and much more. Read more…
Maryland Fall Foliage Report for Oct. 30
Fall Foliage Map Oct. 30
As cool temperatures set in, fall foliage is at its peak in Maryland – and past peak in Garrett County, where fallen leaves offer crisp contrast to the grays and greens of rocky trails.
Trees along the Catoctin Mountain range have continued to change through the past week. The region is currently at peak color, with most trees seeing at least moderate change at this point, although species and location play into this. Wind and precipitation have continued to bring leaves down.
Howard, Montgomery, Carroll, Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil counties are at peak.
The Eastern Shore is near peak, with foresters reporting fiery reds, deep purples, and bright oranges.
Maryland Fishing Report – October 29
You can rest assured that young Mark Figgins has a big smile on his face behind this big largemouth bass that he holds up for a picture before releasing it. Photo by Mark Figgins
The fall months offer comfortable temperatures for plenty of outdoor fun and the scenery of the changing foliage is icing on the cake. It is a wonderful time to share good times fishing together.
Maryland DNR Reintroduces Brook Trout to Once-Vacant Streams
Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologists relocate native brook trout into a stream. Maryland DNR photo.
In early fall, as the leaves on the trees in Maryland’s western counties signal their seasonal transition, brook trout prepare for a change as well as their spawning season will begin soon. During this time, males’ colors become more brilliant, and females create underwater nests called redds where they will lay their eggs.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists have a plan for a different type of change of scenery for a group of these native fish. They will carefully collect and move adult brook trout to a different stream where DNR and its partners are working to bring back local populations from zero.
Brook trout are Maryland’s only native salmonid. Despite their name, they are a type of char. Because they require cold, pristinely clean water to survive, brook trout are an indicator species for environmental conditions. Their habitat has been heavily impacted by urbanization and land development, and they are listed as a species of greatest conservation need in Maryland. Read more…
Maryland Hunters Harvest 89 Black Bears for 2025 Season
During the annual black bear hunt, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources operates three check-in stations for all harvested bears. Maryland DNR photo.
Maryland hunters harvested 89 black bears during the state’s 22nd annual black bear hunt held Oct. 20-25 in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. The 2025 harvest was slightly lower than the 5-year average of 100 bears.
The 2025 harvest consisted of 44 male and 45 female bears. The total harvest from each county was 62 from Garrett County, 12 from Allegany County, 8 from Frederick County, and 7 from Washington County. The largest bear harvested had a live weight of 534 pounds and was taken in Frederick County. Five additional bears (4 male and 1 female) were harvested between August 15 and October 27 by farmers with agricultural damage permits. Read more…
Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Conditions Improved in Late August and September
Hypoxia volumes decreased in late summer from earlier highs
Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University showed an above average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early August, that then decreased to below average in late August and September.
Early August hypoxia remained consistent with late July with a volume of 1.85 cubic miles. and the tenth-highest early August volume in the past 38 years sampled. Anoxia – waters with less than 0.2 mg/l oxygen – was more than double the average at a volume of 0.54 cubic miles.
Hypoxia volumes decreased in late August to just below average, and anoxia also decreased to 0.06 cubic miles, one-third of average observed volumes.
September saw a further decrease in hypoxia volumes to less than half the average volume, and no anoxia was present; however, mechanical issues during the Sept. 15-17 cruise resulted in some missing data in the mainstem Bay around the Maryland/Virginia state line. Read more…
Youth, Veteran, and Military Waterfowl Hunting Days Scheduled for 2025-26 Season
Photo by Brandon Kessler, used with permission by Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland’s youth hunters, veterans, and military personnel will be afforded a unique opportunity to experience the tradition of waterfowl hunting on two special hunt days: Nov. 1, 2025 and Feb. 7, 2026. Read more…
Maryland Fall Foliage Report for Oct. 23
Much of Maryland is experiencing midpoint, near-peak, or peak foliage. Dry conditions and crisp temperatures are expected this weekend throughout the state, ushering in ideal conditions for fall foliage.
The National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory for Washington County Thursday evening.
DNR Scientists Publish Research on Largemouth Bass Habitat, Blue Catfish Movement
Scientists examine blue catfish caught harvested by electrofishing during cooperative monitoring work with commercial harvesters .Photo by Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff.
Two recent studies by Maryland Department of Natural Resources scientists – one about underwater grass habitat and another on a major invasive threat – highlight how research findings can inform fisheries management.
A study led by DNR biologist Dr. Joseph W. Love, published in Ecological Modelling (May 2024), modeled the effects of habitat and catch-and-release mortality on largemouth bass populations. Another study by Dr. Love and coauthors Branson D. Williams, Tim Groves, Ross Williams, and Mary Groves examined the movement of blue catfish and was published in Estuaries and Coasts (May 2025). Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – October 22
Photo by Keith Lockwood
Despite the strong autumn winds we’ve been experiencing lately, anglers can find a lee shore or perhaps a tucked away quiet piece of water to enjoy fishing and the fall foliage. This is a wonderful month to enjoy the outdoors, so don’t miss it.
The 2025 striped bass young of the year survey results have been released and although they show an improvement over the past couple years, it’s still below the long-term survey average.
Board of Public Works Approves $3.8 Million for Outdoor Recreation and Land Conservation in 12 Maryland Counties
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Greenspace Equity, Rural Legacy, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Permanent Easement programs
Funds were approved for Carroll County to replace a boathouse at Piney Run Park. Photo by Mark Bennett, submitted to the 2020 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest.
The Board of Public Works today approved more than $3.8 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments for outdoor recreational improvements and land conservation in Anne Arundel, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. Read more…
Natural Heritage Program Spotlight: Bat Study at Soldiers Delight
By Sadie Rozics
When choosing my undergraduate thesis project at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, I knew I wanted to collaborate with an organization in my home state of Maryland so that my work could be mutually beneficial and hands-on, giving back to my community.
After connecting with Natural Heritage Program staff, we collaborated to select a project, conducting acoustic surveys at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area to investigate the presence of bat species and their habitat use.
Soldiers Delight, near where I grew up in Baltimore County, is renowned for its rare serpentine ecosystem, which hosts unique plants and geology. Despite its rare habitat, it had never been surveyed for bats before, and we hoped that my project could help gather data for their summer surveys and inform future conservation efforts. Read more…
Wild Acres In Action: A Beautiful Backyard Pond
An historic house with a unique backyard in Chestertown, Kent County
Randall Cleaver first reached out to Wild Acres in October of 2023; he and wife Ashley Flory just purchased a historic house with a unique backyard in Chestertown, Kent County. He wanted to install a meadow and backyard pond, and he knew that planting native will always mean the hardiest plants and the most wildlife attraction potential. Like many clever Wild Acres readers, he had already done some homework, but we sent him links to our website with step-by-step instructions and recommended native plants for ponds.
Recently we received a correspondence from Randall Cleaver about his exciting success. Read more…
Native Plant Profile: Favored Fruit Trees
By Katy Gorsuch
Pawpaw harvest; photo by Francis Smith, Maryland Forest Service
In the ongoing human quest to connect to the land and to ourselves, many of us turn to food gardening. Getting your hands dirty as a way to figuratively and literally “touch grass” is as old as humanity itself, but what can you do to help our native wildlife at the same time?
Native fruits to the rescue!
We’ve written before about native plants as sources for human food, but here’s a topic extension featuring our favorite Maryland fruit trees. Read more…
Celebrating Stillness: Low Mobility Wildlife Appreciation
Chicamacomico Sunset by William Whaley
Maryland’s outdoor recreation opportunities are vast and diverse – biking, hiking, climbing, swimming, boating – too many pursuits to list! Most of these pastimes require a certain degree of athleticism or at least ample mobility to enjoy. And the rewards of deep treks into the woods or paddling into remote marshes include some spectacular wildlife sightings.
But here at Wild Acres we know a secret: wildlife appreciation is often just as amazing (or even more rewarding) when you stay still! If hunting, fishing, and chasing birds aren’t your things, here are some suggestions of other ways to celebrate stillness in nature: Read more…
Maryland Fall Foliage Report for October 16, 2025 – Western Maryland Reaches Peak
Fall Foliage Map Oct. 16
As we hit mid-October, our foresters are reporting past-peak conditions at high elevations, while farther east leaves are still only starting to change.
Garrett County is experiencing peak foliage this week, with brilliant yellow leaves on shagbark and pignut hickory trees.
Maryland Fishing Report – October 15
Justin Lynch was fishing in the lower Chesapeake Bay recently when he caught and released this large red drum. Photo courtesy of Justin Lynch
Fair skies abound this week as the recent Nor’easter is just a memory. There is plenty of good fishing to be found this week as mild temperatures and sunny weather have moved in across the state.
Chesapeake Bay 2025 Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey Results
Slight improvement documented, but spawning success is still below average
A juvenile striped bass caught and released by a survey crew in the Nanticoke River. Photo by Joe Zimmermann, Maryland DNR.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) 2025 juvenile striped bass survey recorded a young-of-year index of 4.0. This is an improvement over recent years, but still well below the long-term survey average of 11. This marks the seventh consecutive year of low spawning success for striped bass. The annual survey tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in Chesapeake Bay. Read more…
Anne Arundel County Angler Breaks State Record for Pompano Dolphinfish, Earns Master Angler Award in Same Week
James L. Frazetti Jr. landed a record-setting fish one day and caught his 10th award-eligible fish the next
Maryland Master Angler James Frazetti Jr. holds his state record pompano dolphinfish. Photo courtesy James Frazetti
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has officially recognized James L. Frazetti Jr. of Crownsville with a state record for a 7-pound, 8-ounce pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) and also as recipient of a FishMaryland Master Angler Award.
Frazetti is a saltwater and offshore fishing specialist who says fishing the blue water offshore is his favorite type of angling. The award-winning catches were made just one day apart in early October.
Frazetti was fishing with friends aboard the charter boat Talk’n Trash, based out of Ocean City. The 58-foot Gillikin custom Carolina offshore sportfishing boat is captained by Chris Little and mate Jake Bialk.
The crew had been trolling for tuna near the offshore canyons when they noticed a school of small dolphinfish (mahi-mahi). They were trolling lures when they boated a 32.5-inch fish that looked a little different. The pompano dolphinfish is very similar to the common dolphinfish, and the two species are often found together in schools. They are highly migratory, ranging from tropical to subtropical waters in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Read more…
Greenspace Equity Grants Available for Communities to Provide Outdoor Access for All Marylanders
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting grant proposals for the FY 2027 Greenspace Equity Program, which provides funding to land trusts, nongovernmental organizations, and local governments to acquire and/or develop public greenspaces in overburdened and underserved communities.
The goal of the Greenspace Equity Program is to preserve, create, and improve public greenspaces that enhance the public health and livability of overburdened and underserved communities. The 22 projects funded earlier this year ranged from the Eastern Shore to Western Maryland and included an acquisition, community gardens, community woodlands, trails, urban farms, community gathering open spaces, parks, and green networks. Read more…
Machine Learning Makes Wildlife Data Analysis Less of a Trek
Biologists Megan Zagorski and Jenny Saville in the field at Washington Monument State Park, located on South Mountain.
A field of quartzite boulders extends along South Mountain, the surface sun-baked and lichen-coated, but beneath, Maryland’s tiniest, rarest bats may be roosting in the dark hollows and cracks between rocks, each crevice a potential tiny shelter.
As bats emerge from the rocks at night to feast on insects, biologists are filling up their plate with data. A microphone perched above the boulders captures the echolocation calls of bats, and from that audio researchers can determine which of Maryland’s 10 bat species are present.