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Maryland Deer Harvest Up 10% in 2022 Firearm Season

Hunters Take 29,124 Deer During Two-Week Season

Photo of deer in the woods

Photo by Ranger Elena Gilroy, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that hunters harvested 29,124 deer during the two-week firearms season from Nov. 26 through Dec. 10. The firearms season harvest was 10% higher than last year’s official count of 26,584. 

“The firearm season remains our most popular hunting season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. “We’d like to thank those hunters who participated this year and contributed to helping manage Maryland’s healthy deer population.”

Hunters reported taking 12,003 antlered deer during the two-week season, up 14% from last year’s official total of 10,498. The antlerless harvest increased 6% from 16,086 last year to 17,121 this year. Sika deer represented 450 of the total antlered harvest and 527 of the total antlerless harvest.

An outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties continued to cause a decrease in the harvest there this year. EHD occurs annually in Maryland deer and does not have long-lasting effects for the deer population, nor is it harmful to humans.

More than 2,500 deer were taken on the two Sundays during the season, representing 9% of the total harvest. Deer hunting on Sunday is currently permitted on select Sundays in 20 of 23 counties.

Hunters in Region A — Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington counties — reported taking 2,639 antlered and 1,539 antlerless deer (up 18% and 44%, respectively). In the remainder of the state, hunters reported taking 9,364 antlered and 15,582 antlerless deer (up 13% and 4%, respectively).

Modern firearms deer season opens again on Friday, January 6 in deer management region B.

Maryland Reported Harvest for the Two-Week Firearm Season
  Antlered Antlerless Total
County 2021-22 2022-23 % Change 2021-22 2022-23 % Change 2021-22 2022-23 % Change
Allegany 892 967 8.4 409

638

56.0

1,301

1,605

23.4

Anne Arundel 179

193

7.8

289

268

-7.3

468

461

-1.5

Baltimore 377

493

30.8

763

751

-1.6

1,140

1,244

9.1

Calvert 162

173

6.8

274

298

8.8

436

471

8.0

Caroline 376

403

7.2

775

984

27.0

1,151

1,387

20.5

Carroll 808

1,033

27.8

1,155

1,484

28.5

1,963

2,517

28.2

Cecil 385

420

9.1

782

742

-5.1

1,167

1,162

-0.4

Charles 247

380

53.8

363

478

31.7

610

858

40.7

Dorchester                  
whitetail 313

353

12.8

637

632

-0.8

950

985

3.7

sika 354

395

11.6

445

468

5.2

799

863

8.0

Frederick 1,084

1,255

15.8

1,403

1,665

18.7

2,487

2,920

17.4

Garrett 1,052

1,301

23.7

552

736

33.3

1,604

2,037

27.0

Harford 295

370

25.4

657

664

1.1

952

1,034

8.6

Howard 188

213

13.3

293

305

4.1

481

518

7.7

Kent 329

358

8.8

909

920

1.2

1,238

1,278

3.2

Montgomery 281

384

36.7

470

510

8.5

751

894

19.0

Prince George’s 164

188

14.6

274

277

1.1

438

465

6.2

Queen Anne’s 370

416

12.4

841

827

-1.7

1,211

1,243

2.6

St. Mary’s 175

260

48.6

282

338

19.9

457

598

30.9

Somerset                  
whitetail 313

291

-7.0

696

608

-12.6

1,009

899

-10.9

sika 7

6

*

4

6

*

11

12

*

Talbot 240

298

24.2

704

650

-7.7

944

948

0.4

Washington 856

1,013

18.3

792

941

18.8

1,648

1,954

18.6

Wicomico  

 

 

           
whitetail 444

368

-17.1

1,021

833

-18.4

1,465

1,201

-18.0

sika 43

48

*

48

51

*

91

99

*

Worcester  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

whitetail 560

423

-24.5

1,246

1,045

-16.1

1,806

1,468

-18.7

sika 4

1

*

2

2

*

6

3

*

Total 10,498

12,003

14.3

16,086

17,121

6.4

26,584

29,124

9.6

*Small sample size

 


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