{"id":48984,"date":"2026-11-09T14:24:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T19:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=48984"},"modified":"2026-11-10T11:02:51","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T16:02:51","slug":"marylands-2026-early-deer-season-harvest-surpasses-five-year-average","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/11\/09\/marylands-2026-early-deer-season-harvest-surpasses-five-year-average\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland\u2019s 2026 Early Deer Season Harvest Surpasses Five-Year Average"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Four

Maryland’s sika deer harvest increased 8% from 1,616 deer to 1,746 deer. Photo by by Stephen Aprile, submitted to the 2017 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.<\/p><\/div>\n

Maryland hunters harvested 19,505 deer during the early portion of the 2026 archery and muzzleloader seasons. The harvest was a 3% increase from last year\u2019s official harvest of 18,930 deer for the same period and 5.3% higher than the previous 5-year average of 18,526 deer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland\u2019s early archery and muzzleloader seasons serve as critical tools for managing the statewide deer population alongside the traditional firearms season,\u201d said<\/span> Maryland Department of Natural Resources<\/span><\/a>\u2019\u00a0<\/span>Wildlife and Heritage Service Director, Karina Stonesifer.<\/span> \u201cDiverse hunting opportunities and abundant deer populations across much of the state continue to provide hunters with ample opportunities that lead to a successful harvest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The two-month harvest included 10,671 deer taken during the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>archery season<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and 8,451 harvested during the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>October muzzleloader season<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>The archery harvest increased by 7%, while the muzzleloader harvest decreased 6% compared to the previous year. The sika deer harvest increased 8% from 1,616 deer to 1,746 deer. An additional 383 deer were harvested throughout the state under the authority of managed hunting programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hunters harvested 1,174 deer on Sundays that were open to archery hunting, accounting for 6% of the total archery harvest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Multiple Maryland counties on the eastern shore experienced moderate outbreaks of <\/span>hemorrhagic disease<\/span><\/a> this summer and fall. As a result, localized reductions in white-tailed deer populations may have contributed to lower harvests in those areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below are the total harvests for deer seasons from Sept. 11 through Oct. 31.:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Antlered<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

Antlerless<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

Total<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

%Change<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

%Change<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

%Change<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Allegany<\/td>\n\n

445<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

478<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

294<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

326<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

739<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

804<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Anne Arundel<\/td>\n\n

184<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

257<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

39.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

258<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

273<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

442<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

530<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Baltimore<\/td>\n\n

664<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

706<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

993<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

963<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-3.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,657<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,669<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

0.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Baltimore City<\/td>\n\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

NA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Calvert<\/td>\n\n

172<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

240<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

39.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

204<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

249<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

376<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

489<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

30.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Caroline<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
whitetail<\/em><\/td>\n\n

182<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

189<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

297<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

309<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

479<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

498<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

sika<\/em><\/td>\n\n

1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Carroll<\/td>\n\n

587<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

627<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

804<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

757<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-5.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,391<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,384<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Cecil<\/td>\n\n

406<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

370<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-8.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

510<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

533<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

916<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

903<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-1.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Charles<\/td>\n\n

260<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

407<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

56.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

335<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

365<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

595<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

772<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

29.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Dorchester<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
whitetail<\/em><\/td>\n\n

144<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

113<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-21.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

166<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

140<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-15.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

310<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

253<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-18.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

sika<\/em><\/td>\n\n

789<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

840<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

648<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

643<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,437<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,483<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Frederick<\/td>\n\n

673<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

686<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

870<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

783<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-10.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,543<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,469<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-4.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Garrett<\/td>\n\n

845<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

979<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

15.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

481<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

486<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,326<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,465<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Harford<\/td>\n\n

383<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

434<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

13.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

578<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

649<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

12.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

961<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,083<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

12.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Howard<\/td>\n\n

281<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

271<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-3.6<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

440<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

443<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

0.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

721<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

714<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-1.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Kent<\/td>\n\n

330<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

260<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-21.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

332<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

291<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-12.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

662<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

551<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-16.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Montgomery<\/td>\n\n

334<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

347<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

640<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

542<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-15.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

974<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

889<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-8.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Prince George\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

128<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

211<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

64.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

142<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

198<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

39.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

270<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

409<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

51.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Queen Anne\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

259<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

234<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-9.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

406<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

383<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-5.7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

665<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

617<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-7.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

St. Mary\u2019s<\/td>\n\n

274<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

338<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

23.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

323<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

356<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

597<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

694<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

16.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Somerset<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
whitetail<\/em><\/td>\n\n

140<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

124<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-11.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

189<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

179<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-5.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

329<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

303<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-7.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

sika<\/em><\/td>\n\n

10<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

15<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

13<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

*<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Talbot<\/td>\n\n

159<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

127<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-20.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

171<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

124<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-27.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

330<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

251<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-23.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Washington<\/td>\n\n

631<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

609<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-3.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

549<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

561<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

2.2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,180<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,170<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Wicomico<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
whitetail<\/em><\/td>\n\n

166<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

199<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

265<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

259<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-2.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

431<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

458<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

6.3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

sika<\/em><\/td>\n\n

70<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

105<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

50.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

49<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

70<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

42.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

119<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

175<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

47.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Worcester<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
whitetail<\/em><\/td>\n\n

193<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

168<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-13.0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

227<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

198<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-12.8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

420<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

366<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-12.9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

sika<\/em><\/td>\n\n

14<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

31<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

121.4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

32<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

33<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

46<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

64<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

39.1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Total<\/strong><\/td>\n\n

8,724<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9,376<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7.5<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10,206<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10,129<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.8<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18,930<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19,505<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

3.0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

*Small sample size<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maryland hunters harvested 19,505 deer during the early portion of the 2026 archery and muzzleloader seasons. The harvest was a 3% increase from last year\u2019s official harvest of 18,930 deer for the same period and 5.3% higher than the previous 5-year average of 18,526 deer. The annual deer harvest fluctuates from year to year for  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[957,3172],"tags":[3604,3059,4498,4070,5134,4224],"class_list":["post-48984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-appnews","category-hunting","tag-archery","tag-deer","tag-hunting-seasons","tag-muzzleloader","tag-sika","tag-white-tailed-deer"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48984"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48984\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49006,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48984\/revisions\/49006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}