Maryland Waterfowl Blind Site Licensing Process Now Available

Online Lottery, Virtual Appointments To License Blind Sites

Photo by Jake McPherson, Ducks Unlimited. Used with Permission.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now offering an online-only process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2021-2022 waterfowl blind site license. From now through July 26 at 11:59 p.m., hunters may enter the lottery for the opening days of blind site licensing through the department’s Compass portal. 

Hunters can register to be entered into a random lottery for a county of their choice. Landowners who would like to license their own property may also enter the same lottery.

Lottery entrants will be asked to provide a current email address and phone number where they can be reached in the event of any connection problems. 

There is no charge to enter the lottery. Hunters must be Maryland residents and must have purchased either a 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 Maryland hunting license prior to their appointment to license sites.

Winners of the lottery will be posted on the department’s website and will be notified by email with the time and date for a virtual online meeting. These virtual meetings will begin August 3 and continue during normal business hours. In some counties, appointments will take place on multiple business days.  

Additional information and important instructions are available on the department’s website. Lottery entrants and other interested individuals should check this site often for updates. 

After the opening days, licensing for all counties will occur by appointment only.  Customers may begin making appointments through the department’s website on August 18 for virtual meetings that will begin August 23. Customers who schedule an appointment will receive an email that includes a link to communicate with DNR staff at the appropriate date and time. 

Preview maps of shoreline licensed by waterfront landowners will be available on the department’s website.