How Many Deer Can You Kill In Maryland?
Deer hunting is a popular pastime in Maryland, but it is also regulated by state law. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources sets specific seasons and bag limits for deer hunting, and hunters must possess a valid hunting license. In addition, deer may only be hunted on private property with the landowners’ permission.
There are over 200,000 deer in Maryland, making it one of the best states in the country for deer hunting. The herd is in good shape going into the fall season after several years of mild winters and good mast crops. There is a harvest limit of two buck deer in this state, which is liberal antlerless.
Maryland has seen a surge in big money in recent years. If Maryland has good habitat and mild winters, the state may break its record-book totals. The most valuable items can be found in densely populated areas and suburban areas. The most difficult part is finding ways to hunt them.
- The only way to kill white-tailed deer in Maryland is with a permit.
- Deer Cooperator Permits are issued by the Department of Natural Resources, whereas Deer Damage Permits are issued by the Department of Agriculture.
- All private property owners are required to obtain a written permit before they can hunt or trap on their land.
Baiting deer is legal on state-owned or state-controlled properties, but not on private property. If you kill or attempt to kill a deer, you must make reasonable efforts to retrieve and use it. Hunters and those shooting under the authority of a Deer Management Permit (Crop Damage Permit) are also covered.
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Do I need a hunting license to hunt deer in Maryland?
Designated Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun Counties and Areas For Firearms Season Deer Hunting – 
See page 42 for descriptions of Frederick and Worcester County sections where only shotguns or straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns may be used to hunt deer. See pages 20–30 for deer hunting firearms regulations. Frederick County shotgun, straight-walled, and handguns map is available here:
| Junior Deer Hunt Days and Bag Limits 2022 | ||
| Dates | Region/Deer | Bag Limit |
|
Region A White-Tailed Deer | 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer |
| Region B White-Tailed Deer | 3 deer, no more than 1 may be antlered | |
| Sika Deer | 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer | |
| (See map for regions,) |
Junior Deer Hunt Days are for hunters age 16 or younger only. To hunt during these days:
- Junior hunters must have a hunting license or be exempt from the license requirement (see Who May Hunt Without a License, ).
- They must be accompanied in the field by an individual who:
- is 21 years old or older.
- possesses a valid Maryland hunting license (an Apprentice Hunting License does not meet this requirement) or is exempt from hunting license requirements.
- is unarmed.
- Junior Deer Hunt Days have a separate bag limit, Deer taken by junior hunters during these days do not count towards the regular Archery, Muzzleloader or Firearms seasons bag limits.
- Daily deer shooting hours for Junior Hunt Days are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
- Junior hunters are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons (see White-tailed Deer Antler Point Restrictions).
| Antlered White-Tailed DeerStatewide Seasons and Bag Limits 2022–2023 | ||
| Season | Dates All Sunday hunting dates are in certain counties only, see chart on, | Bag Limit |
| Archery | Sept.9–Oct.19,Sunday Oct.23,Oct.24–Nov.25, Dec.12–Dec.16,Sunday Jan.1,Jan.2–Jan.5, Jan.9–Jan.31Archery Season is also open Jan.6–Jan.8 in Region A. Feb.1-Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. |
|
| Muzzleloader | *Oct.20–Oct.22, Dec.17–Dec.31 Feb.1-Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. | |
| Firearms | Nov.26–Dec.10, Firearm Season is also open Jan.6–Jan.8 in Region B only. | |
| * The Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp may not be used during the Oct.20-22, 2022 Muzzleloader Season. On these same dates, only one (1) deer total (antlered or antlerless) may be taken in Region A. See map for regions,, |
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- Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the yearly bag limit must have at least three points on one antler.
- These deer may be taken in any order within the existing bag limit.
- All Junior hunters, 16 years of age or younger, are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons.
How many antlered deer can you take in a season?
Electronic calls are prohibited for the purpose of deer hunting. Dogs may not be used to hunt deer in Maryland except to find dead, wounded, or injured deer. The dog handler must maintain physical control of the tracking dog at all times and only the hunter and dog handler may carry a firearm or bow while tracking the deer.
Prior to tracking the deer, the hunter must notify by telephone the Natural Resources Police. The hunter may dispatch the deer only during legal shooting hours and by means legal for the current hunting season. Deer may not be hunted while they are swimming or taking refuge in water. Fallow deer (where they are found) may be taken in place of white-tailed deer during each of the seasons.
Sika deer bag limits are independent of the white-tailed deer bag limits. Sika deer may be hunted only in Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. Baiting deer is legal except on state-owned or state-controlled properties. An antlered white-tailed deer is a deer with two or more points to one antler, or a deer with one antler three or more inches long, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life. A point is any antler projection one inch or more in length and includes the brow tine. The tip of the main beam is also considered a point, regardless of length (see illustration). There is a statewide antler point restriction (APR) on some, but not all, of the antlered deer a hunter may harvest during the license year.
- No more than two antlered deer taken during a license year may have two points or less per antler present.
- Any number of antlered deer with three points or more on at least one antler may be taken, not to exceed the season bag limit.
- These deer may be taken in any order within the existing bag limit (see illustration).
Deer harvested with a bow during the antlerless-only second split of the early Muzzleloader Season in Region B must count towards the bow bag limit. Deer harvested with a bow during the first-split either-sex early Muzzleloader or late Muzzleloader Season must count towards the Muzzleloader Season bag limit.
Hunters must have a Muzzleloader Stamp to hunt deer with a bow during the first-split either-sex early Muzzleloader or late Muzzleloader Season. Deer harvested with a bow during the 2-week Firearms or 2-day late Firearms Season must count towards the firearms bag limit. A person that intentionally wounds or kills a white-tailed or sika deer to is required to make a reasonable attempt to retrieve and make use of the deer.
This applies to hunters and persons shooting under the authority of a Deer Management Permit (crop damage permit). The new regulation does not change the requirement for a person to have written permission before trespassing on lands owned by another person or organization.
What is the bag limit for antlered white-tailed deer?
Designated Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun Counties and Areas For Firearms Season Deer Hunting – See page 42 for descriptions of Frederick and Worcester County sections where only shotguns or straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns may be used to hunt deer. See pages 20–30 for deer hunting firearms regulations. Frederick County shotgun, straight-walled, and handguns map is available here:
| Junior Deer Hunt Days and Bag Limits 2022 | ||
| Dates | Region/Deer | Bag Limit |
|
Region A White-Tailed Deer | 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer |
| Region B White-Tailed Deer | 3 deer, no more than 1 may be antlered | |
| Sika Deer | 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer | |
| (See map for regions,) |
Junior Deer Hunt Days are for hunters age 16 or younger only. To hunt during these days:
- Junior hunters must have a hunting license or be exempt from the license requirement (see Who May Hunt Without a License, ).
- They must be accompanied in the field by an individual who:
- is 21 years old or older.
- possesses a valid Maryland hunting license (an Apprentice Hunting License does not meet this requirement) or is exempt from hunting license requirements.
- is unarmed.
- Junior Deer Hunt Days have a separate bag limit, Deer taken by junior hunters during these days do not count towards the regular Archery, Muzzleloader or Firearms seasons bag limits.
- Daily deer shooting hours for Junior Hunt Days are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
- Junior hunters are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons (see White-tailed Deer Antler Point Restrictions).
| Antlered White-Tailed DeerStatewide Seasons and Bag Limits 2022–2023 | ||
| Season | Dates All Sunday hunting dates are in certain counties only, see chart on, | Bag Limit |
| Archery | Sept.9–Oct.19,Sunday Oct.23,Oct.24–Nov.25, Dec.12–Dec.16,Sunday Jan.1,Jan.2–Jan.5, Jan.9–Jan.31Archery Season is also open Jan.6–Jan.8 in Region A. Feb.1-Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. |
|
| Muzzleloader | *Oct.20–Oct.22, Dec.17–Dec.31 Feb.1-Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. | |
| Firearms | Nov.26–Dec.10, Firearm Season is also open Jan.6–Jan.8 in Region B only. | |
| * The Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp may not be used during the Oct.20-22, 2022 Muzzleloader Season. On these same dates, only one (1) deer total (antlered or antlerless) may be taken in Region A. See map for regions,, |
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- Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the yearly bag limit must have at least three points on one antler.
- These deer may be taken in any order within the existing bag limit.
- All Junior hunters, 16 years of age or younger, are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons.
How many deer can you hunt in region a in NY?
Bonus Antlered Deer –
- Hunting license holders may purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take one additional antlered white-tailed deer in Region B, or to take an antlered deer in Region A when they have already harvested an antlered deer in Region B during the same weapon season.
- Hunters may only use one Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp per license year in the season of their choice (Archery, Muzzleloader, or Firearms), except for the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp may not be used during the Oct.20–Oct.22, 2022 portion of the Muzzleloader Season.
- Those who may hunt without a license () and those who possess an Apprentice Hunting License () do not need to purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take the bonus antlered white-tailed deer.
- A Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp must be purchased by hunting license holders prior to pursuing the bonus antlered deer.
- Hunters may harvest an antlered white-tailed deer in Region B and then use the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take another antlered white-tailed deer in Region A in the same weapon season. However, hunters in Region A may take no more than one antlered deer in a weapon season and no more than two antlered deer total for all seasons combined.
- The bonus antlered deer may not be harvested on the same day one is taken under the regular bag limit.
- Hunters must use the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp in order to:
- Take a second antlered deer in one weapon season, OR;
- In Region B, if the hunter has taken an antlered white-tailed deer in each of two weapon seasons already, they may use the bonus antlered deer stamp to take a third antlered white-tailed deer in a remaining weapon season.
- In no case may a hunter take more than two antlered white-tailed deer in any single weapon season or more than three total for the license year.
- Sika deer may not be taken as bonus antlered deer.
| Antlerless White-Tailed Deer Seasons and Bag Limits Region A 2022–2023 | ||
| Season | Dates All Sunday hunting dates are in certain counties only, see chart on, | Bag Limit |
| Archery | Sept.9–Oct.19, Sunday Oct.23, Oct.24–Nov.25, Dec.12–Dec.16, Sunday Jan.1, Jan.2–Jan.31 Feb.1–Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. |
|
| Muzzleloader | Department Of Natural Resources Public Lands: *Oct.20–Oct.22 and Dec.31 All Other Lands: Oct.20–Oct.22 and Dec.29–Dec.31 Feb.1–Feb.3 for Primitive Deer Hunt Days, see the following regulations. | |
| Firearms | Department of Natural Resources Public Lands: Dec.3, Dec.10 All Other Lands: Dec.3, Dec.9–Dec.10 | |
| *Only one (1) deer total (antlered or antlerless) may be taken in Region A during the Oct.20–22, 2022 Muzzleloader Season. See map for regions,, |
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