Hunters Can Apply for Opportunities in Late November The Maryland Department of Natural Resources presents opportunities for Canada goose hunting on Deep Creek Lake and waterfowl hunting at Broadford Lake, both in Garrett County, on Nov. 25, 26, and 27. Hunters can participate in these hunts by permit and reservation only, during select days of Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 5 and 6, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. True fall weather is on the way! Garrett County is anticipating nighttime temperatures dipping into the 3os this weekend, reports Melissa Nash, forester and project manager. With the change in temperature comes Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Sept. 28 and 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “As we officially welcome fall this week, the cool nights and sunny days are making for a beautiful start to a colorful display in Garrett County,” reports Melissa Nash, Garrett County forest Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the last weekend of summer, Sept. 21 and 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Having melted down almost daily through a typically hot and humid — and exceptionally wet — Maryland summer, you just might be looking forward to the official Read the Rest…
Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today joined Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, as well as parks staff and state and local elected officials, for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of Wolf Den Run State Park, the newest state park in Maryland.
Registration Deadline Sept. 13 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is holding a free trapper education class Sept. 21 at the Casselman Valley Sportsman Club in Grantsville. The class runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Application Deadline Aug. 31; Drawing Sept. 3 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the 2019 black bear hunt lottery. Successful applicants will receive a permit valid for the five-day hunting season, taking place Oct. 21-25 in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. The department will issue 800 hunting permits this Read the Rest…
First Year of $3 Million Fund Will Address All State-Owned Lakes The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will undertake restoration projects at lakes throughout Maryland under the new State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund, which provides $1 million for each of the next three years to improve state-owned lakes. Governor Hogan approved the total $3 Read the Rest…
Marylanders Urged to Keep Bears Wild After a long winter slumber, black bears are now emerging from their dens, and human residents of Maryland’s bear country should take steps to keep both species separate and safe. Adult and newborn bears will emerge hungry and seeking natural food sources, but many of their preferred foods — Read the Rest…
Orders for Backyard Buffer Program Due March 29 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering free tree seedlings to landowners who have a creek, drainage ditch, stream or other waterway on or near their property through the Backyard Buffers program. Trees and shrubs planted along waterways help improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients, lowering Read the Rest…
Garrett County Youth Awarded Grand Prize The judging is complete for the annual fifth-grade Arbor Day poster contest sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Three schools in Maryland that are home to the top winners will benefit with tree plantings this spring. The contest is judged annually by a panel of forestry experts and Read the Rest…
Season Yields 73 Birds Hunters reported taking 73 wild turkeys during Maryland’s 2019 winter turkey season, which was open Jan. 17-19 statewide. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, turkeys were harvested in 22 of the 23 counties, with Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties reporting the highest numbers.
Information Meeting Set for Jan. 26 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold a second informational open house for Wolf Den Run State Park from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 26 at Greenbrier State Park, 21843 National Pike, Boonsboro. Maryland Park Service staff will provide a brief presentation about the park slated to open this year, plus answer questions Read the Rest…
Effort Finds Native Species in Casselman River System After years of stream restoration, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently discovered native brook trout returning to once uninhabitable streams. Partnering with the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Youghiogheny River Watershed Association, crews have been working diligently over the past few decades to restore Read the Rest…
Increased Public Access Is Coming Your Way One of my top priorities is to make sure all Marylanders have access to the enjoyment of nature and the great outdoors. To that end, I’m pleased to say that 2018 has been a banner year for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. A proud accomplishment of this Read the Rest…
Cold winds are blowing and minds are beginning to drift from fishing, but there will still be days where the outdoors call us away from the holiday rush. For those times, there are plenty of good fishing opportunities to be found from the streams and lakes of western Maryland to the offshore waters of the Read the Rest…
Harvest Tempered by Unusually Warm and Wet Weather The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that hunters harvested 18,805 deer during the early portion of the archery and muzzleloader seasons. The harvest was a 16 percent decline from last year’s official harvest of 22,250, which was largely attributable to abnormally warm and wet weather that caused Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 3 and 4, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. There is hope for Maryland leaf peepers after all. This is the weekend to take in some brilliant autumnal colors.
Young Hunters Can Learn Sporting Skills and Traditions The Maryland Department of Natural Resources encourages experienced deer hunters to introduce youth to the time-honored cultural and sporting tradition this month during two Junior Deer Hunting Days. The hunt will be held Nov. 10 on private and designated public land in all counties, and Nov. 11 Read the Rest…
135 Bears Harvested in Four Counties Favorable weather conditions helped bear hunters enjoy success during Maryland’s 15th annual black bear hunt. Official results reported by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources show that 135 hunters harvested a bear during the five-day hunt held in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties. Several large bears were taken throughout the Read the Rest…
Hunting Available in Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the fall turkey hunting season will open Oct. 27 and continue through Nov. 4 in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties with a bag limit of one turkey per hunter. The fall season was extended to include an additional day, Sunday, Read the Rest…
Popular Season Coincides with Changing Fall Weather The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the first segment of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer season opens statewide Oct. 18. This is one of many deer hunting opportunities offered in the state and typically coincides with pleasant fall weather. The early muzzleloader season runs from Oct. 18-20 in Read the Rest…
Plastic Container Successfully Removed from ‘Buckethead’ After a three day pursuit, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service, with assistance from the Maryland Natural Resources Police, successfully tranquilized a 100-pound male black bear cub to remove a plastic jar that was stuck around its head. The rescued cub, affectionately known as “Buckethead,” was Read the Rest…
Permit and Reservations Available for Nov. 19-21 Hunt The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces opportunities to hunt resident Canada goose and waterfowl in Garrett County for the third consecutive year. Hunters can apply to use three blind sites on Deep Creek Lake and four blind sites at Broadford Lake Nov. 19-21, 2018.
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 13 and 14, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Garrett County Forester Melissa Nash reports that most of the maples turned brown early and are already bare. “We did get some color last week, but most of those Read the Rest…
Residents Reminded to Take Common-Sense Precautions The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds residents and visitors that black bears are beginning a period of increased feeding activity in preparation for winter hibernation or torpor. Black bears in Maryland are concentrated in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties. During this time, bears may become more attracted to human-provided food Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. What a difference a week makes! In Western Maryland, autumn began with a slow start; however, the most recent field reports are encouraging. Garrett County Forester Melissa Nash says Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first full weekend of fall, Sept. 29 and 30, 2018, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. As September comes to a close, it appears the rain will diminish and we’ll have some partly cloudy to sunny days to look forward to Read the Rest…
49 Fire Departments in 17 Counties Receive $104,099 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the 2018 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 49 volunteer fire departments. The projects, distributed throughout 17 counties, aim to assist volunteer fire companies and departments enhance wildland fire protection in rural areas and communities. The Maryland Forest Service awarded $104,099 in Read the Rest…
Share Your Thoughts Oct. 20 in Kitzmiller The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational open house for Wolf Den Run State Park from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 20 at Kitzmiller Elementary School. Maryland Park Service staff will be available to answer questions about the new state park and provide comments Read the Rest…
Acres Added to Merkle Natural Resources Management Area and New Germany State Park The Board of Public Works today approved two Maryland Department of Natural Resources items that seek to expand two existing state parks, one in Southern Maryland and the other in Western Maryland. Program Open Space funds will go toward the purchase of Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first weekend of fall, Sept. 22 and 23, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Soon the landscape will explode with vibrant colors of orange, red and yellow. Kids will be jumping into leaf piles you just raked and we’ll all “fall” Read the Rest…
A Wicomico County man who billed himself as “OCSharkHunter” on social media was charged Sunday with guiding fishing trips without a license. Nicholas Ager, 43, of Willards, was cited after a two-month investigation of complaints about offers of paid shark fishing excursions on Assateague Island. Maryland Natural Resources Police officers were able to identify Ager Read the Rest…
Hunting Skills Training in Garrett County Sept. 28-30 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering a unique opportunity for a dozen women to take to the field Sept. 28-30 for a fun weekend of sporting clays, a shotgun skills clinic and an optional upland bird hunt. The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, run in partnership with Calibered Read the Rest…
Pennsylvania Man Charged with Drunken Boating A Glen Burnie man was arrested on multiple counts of burglary and theft from marinas and private piers after a joint investigation by the Maryland Natural Resources Police and Anne Arundel County Police. Daniel Francisco Bohle, 19, was charged with 40 counts, including felony and misdemeanor theft and burglary, destruction Read the Rest…
Registration Required by Sept. 14 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is holding a trapper education course from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 22, 2018, at the Casselman Valley Sportsman’s Club in Garrett County (8751 National Pike, Grantsville). Anyone interested in trapping furbearers, under the authority of a Furbearer Permit, must first obtain a Certificate of Read the Rest…
A Bright Future for Conservation For many Marylanders, August means last-minute vacations, season-ending camps, and – of course – the dreaded yet wonderful back-to-school preparations. At the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, class has been in session all summer long for our next generation of environmental advocates and stewards. Three recent ceremonies capped off a season Read the Rest…
Hagerstown Woman Charged with Burglary at Greenbrier State Park A Cambridge man faces fines in excess of $10,000 on charges he illegally killed six white-tailed bucks in a single evening. Acting on complaints of gunfire in the area July 16, Maryland Natural Resources Police officers found Bryan Edward Nabb Sr., 53, in a field with a Read the Rest…
Apply by Aug. 31, Drawing Sept. 4 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for this year’s black bear hunting lottery. Successful applicants will receive a permit valid for the five-day hunting season, taking place Oct. 22-26 in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties. The department will issue 800 hunting permits that Read the Rest…
Volunteers, Staff Battle Botanical Bullies Teams of young women joined forces with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Conservation Corps to remove more 700 pounds of invasive plants from New Germany State Park. These volunteers, members of the Washington, D.C. Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, devoted much of June Read the Rest…
Visitors Will Enjoy Art, Food and Fun July 14-15 Deep Creek Lake State Park hosts its nineteenth annual Art in the Park festival July 14 and 15. Visitors to the park’s beach area can enjoy food, entertainment and educational activities while more than 45 artists display and sell their work. Sponsored by the Western Garrett County Read the Rest…
Sensor Will Provide Better Data on Earthquake Activity The Maryland Geological Survey installed a new seismometer on the Garrett College campus in McHenry. The state-of-the-art sensor uses a suspended weight to detect vibrations in the Earth and feeds that signal into a nationwide monitoring system. Since 2002, the Maryland Geological Survey has maintained a single Read the Rest…
A Delaware man was charged this week with multiple offenses stemming from an incident at a Chestertown marina and restaurant. Joshua Lorenz Richardson, 30, of Newark, received citations for operating a vessel while impaired, negligent operation and failing to obtain an annual certificate of number after Maryland Natural Resources Police officers stopped him near Fairlee Read the Rest…
Department Co-Sponsors Annual Skills Program Nearly three dozen Maryland Forest Service firefighters have received certification through the 2018 Mid-Atlantic Wildfire Training Academy, held recently in Garrett County. More than 180 students participated in the academy, which was hosted at Garrett College by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources along with Mid-Atlantic Forest Fire Compact and the U.S. Forest Service. Read the Rest…
Memorial Day weekend is now behind us – an important pause to remember and reflect on those who gave their lives for the freedoms and rights that we all enjoy. It also means the “summer” season has begun. The fishing rodeo season is in full swing. For those not initiated, these are free youth fishing Read the Rest…
Eyes on Deep Creek Lake Provides Current and Historic Data The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released a new online resource to help residents and visitors of Deep Creek Lake stay up to date on water quality data and information. Eyes on Deep Creek Lake is a new interactive feature on the department’s Eyes on the Bay page, Read the Rest…
Five Counties Report Record Harvests The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that hunters reported harvesting 3,861 wild turkeys during the 2018 regular spring and junior hunt turkey seasons. This year’s harvest was 8 percent lower than the record 2017 harvest, but well above the 10-year average of 3,406. “Turkey populations continue to grow in a Read the Rest…
Projects Funded Statewide for Better Boating Access, Navigation and Safety The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $12.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to enhance and improve public boating access, facilities and navigation throughout the state. This critical Fiscal Year 2019 funding will go toward 57 projects in 18 counties, from Garrett to Wicomico counties as well Read the Rest…