Traveling across the country in a small van

Maryland Hunting Seasons, 2022-2023 Maryland is one of the most under-appreciated states for hunting. The landscape combined with the excellent game makes for one of the best hunting regions in the Northeast. Maryland hunting seasons offer fantastic waterfowl and fur-bearer hunting.

In addition, Maryland has white-tailed and sika deer, black bear, and wild turkey hunting. Enjoy the fantastic hunting opportunity of both the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland. You can apply for a Maryland hunting license online or residents or non residents. Migratory birds, Deer Archery, Deer Muzzleloader, and Furbearer hunters need to purchase an additional stamp.

Maryland White-Tailed and Sika Deer Seasons

Archery	Sept.9-Oct.19Oct.23-Nov.25
Firearms	Nov.26-Dec.10** and Jan.6-8**
Muzzleloader	Oct.20-22**Oct.24-29** Dec.17-31**

Sunday White-Tailed Deer hunting is available only in certain counties. Dates vary statewide by Maryland hunting “region” unless otherwise noted. Maryland Wild Turkey Seasons

Fall General Season	Oct.29-Nov.6
Winter General Season	Jan.19-21
Spring General Season	April 18-May 23
Spring Junior Hunt	April 15-16

Fall turkey hunting is only permitted in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties. Maryland Black Bear Seasons *Special permit required, and only one bear may be harvested per season. Maryland Small Game Seasons

Rabbit	Nov.5-Feb.28
Squirrel	Sept.3-Feb.28
Quail	Nov.5-Jan.15**
Ruffed Grouse	Oct.2-Jan.31
Pheasant	Nov.5-Feb.28
Crow	Aug.15-March 15

*Season dates vary by zone and whether you are hunting. Some hunting may be closed on public lands. The Delmarva fox squirrel season has been closed. Visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website for more detailed information. Bag limits, special seasons and hunting regulations for Maryland hunting seasons do vary based on animal and seasons.

How early can you hunt Maryland?

General Deer Hunting Rules –

A hunter must carry personal photo identification (such as a driver’s license) or a secondary form of positive identification while hunting. Written permission is required to hunt on private land. A hunting license is required to hunt deer (with exceptions). See Hunting Licenses, Stamps and Permits ( Hunting Licenses ) for Armed Forces information and hunting license costs, exceptions, purchasing, requirements and types. An Archery Stamp is required for Archery Deer Season and when using bows during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. A Muzzleloader Stamp is required for Muzzleloader Deer Season and when using a muzzleloader during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days ( Deer Seasons & Bag Limits ). There are tagging and checking requirements for all deer harvested. See Deer and Turkey Tagging and Checking for instructions ( Deer & Turkey Tagging & Checking ). There are daylight fluorescent color clothing requirements to hunt deer, See Fluorescent Color Clothing Requirements and Exceptions ( Hunting Regulations ). Archery equipment may be used to hunt deer during all of the deer hunting seasons. This includes the Junior Deer Hunt Days. Hunters may only use long bows or recurve bows during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Muzzleloading firearms may only be used to hunt deer during the Muzzleloader Season, Firearms Season, Junior Deer Hunt Days and Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Hunters may only use flintlock or sidelock percussion muzzleloaders during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Muzzleloading revolvers are prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Shotguns or rifles and handguns that fire straight-walled cartridges may be used to hunt deer in all counties during the Firearms Season and Junior Deer Hunt Days. Rifles and handguns that shoot bottleneck cartridges may only be used to hunt deer during the Firearms Season and Junior Deer Hunt Days in certain counties and areas (see map and description, Hunting Regulations ). Air guns that shoot bullets, arrows or bolts may be used to hunt deer in all counties during the Firearms Season and Junior Deer Hunt Days only, Deer harvested must count toward the bag limit of the season in which they are taken, please note :

Deer harvested with archery equipment during the antlerless-only second split of the early Muzzleloader Season in Region B must count toward the Archery Season bag limit.

Hunters may not carry archery equipment and muzzleloaders at the same time when Archery Season and Muzzleloader Season are in concurrently. This includes the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. Telescopic and electronic aiming devices may be used on all devices legal for hunting deer during the Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearms Seasons and Junior Deer Hunt Days. Telescopic and electronic aiming devices may not be used during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days. The antlered white-tailed deer bag limit is statewide, It applies to both Region A and Region B together. Antlerless white-tailed deer bag limits are separate and independent for Region A and Region B. Sika deer bag limits are independent of the white-tailed deer bag limits. Only one antlered white-tailed deer may be taken per day within the season bag limits. There is no restriction on the number of antlerless deer that may be taken per day within the season bag limits. Antlered and antlerless deer may be harvested the same day within their prescribed bag limits. Daily deer shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset with the exception of certain Sundays in certain counties (see Sunday hunting chart, Sunday Deer Hunting ). Recorded or electrically amplified calls or sounds are prohibited for the purpose of deer hunting. Non-electronic deer calls are permitted for deer hunting. Dogs cannot be used to hunt deer except trained tracking dogs may be used 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 hunting device while tracking the deer. Prior to tracking the deer, the hunter must notify the Natural Resources Police by telephone at 800-628-9944. 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 deer hunting seasons. Fallow deer have escaped from captivity and are found in a few isolated areas in Maryland. It is legal to bait deer except on state-owned or state-controlled properties. A person that intentionally wounds or kills a deer must make a reasonable attempt to retrieve and make use of the deer. This includes hunters and persons shooting under the authority of a Deer Management Permit (crop damage permit). A person must have written permission when entering lands owned by another person or organization for the purpose of retrieving a deer. Some publicly owned properties also require permission before a person may access them. It is unlawful to cast the rays of an artificial light from a vehicle on buildings or dwellings, fields, livestock, orchards, wild mammals and birds or woods. See General Hunting Regulations for exceptions ( Hunting Regulations ).

Can I hunt on Sunday in MD?

In 19th Century America, “blue laws” restricted many activities on Sunday, including hunting and other outdoor activities.

Today, most states have done away with “blue laws”. However, 11 states have yet to eliminate outdated bans on Sunday hunting. These states include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each state has different limits on Sunday hunting as shown in the map above.

Maine and Massachusetts completely prohibit hunting on Sundays. Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania only allow hunting on Sundays in extremely limited circumstances. Below are links to each of the States 2018 – 2019 hunting regulations. – Connecticut, click here. – Delaware, click here. – Maryland, click here. – New Jersey, click here. – North Carolina, click here. – Pennsylvania, click here.

West Virginia allows Sunday hunting on private land in some counties.

South Carolina and Virginia allow Sunday hunting on private land and public waterways. However, these states all still levy varying degrees of restrictions. Sunday Hunting restrictions for South Carolina can be found here, and Virginia can be found here.

There is no evidence that allowing hunting on Sundays negatively impacts church attendance. In fact, according to a 2014 Gallup poll, out of the top 10 states in the country for church attendance, North Carolina is the ONLY state that restricts hunting on Sundays. Furthermore, three of the bottom 10 states for church attendance fully prohibit hunting on Sundays. Hence, giving citizens the freedom to hunt on Sundays will not determine their religious tendencies.

Furthermore, three of the bottom 10 states for church attendance fully prohibit hunting on Sundays. Hence, giving citizens the freedom to hunt on Sundays will not determine their religious tendencies.

The 41 states where hunting is allowed on private property have not experienced an increase in conflicts on Sundays.

In Virginia, where restrictions on Sunday hunting were softened in 2014, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries conservation police officers said that “they were confronted with far fewer complaints on Sundays than on Saturdays” during the 2014 hunting season. (The Roanoke Times)

The states with the most abundant game populations are all among those that allow hunting on Sundays.

Can I shoot a deer in my backyard Maryland?

Maryland > Animal is eating my flowers > White-tailed deer Shooting deer with archery equipment or firearms during standard established hunting seasons is the most effective way to maintain deer population balance in areas where it is legal and safe to hunt. Deer hunting and nuisance control are highly regulated. You cannot shoot deer outside of established seasons and without a proper license or permit. In urban and suburban environments where hunting is not feasible, consider implementing habitat modification, exclusion, and hazing solutions as first lines of control. If these approaches are unsuccessful, contact your state wildlife agency for guidance. Laws and regulations to be aware of

Regulations for Maryland Shooting Deer by Permit Holder Only In Maryland, shooting white-tailed deer may be done only by permit holders. Permits to kill deer include Deer Cooperator Permits and Deer Damage Permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources.

While we attempt to provide guidance about state and federal regulations pertaining to specific species and control techniques, we do not provide information about local jurisdictions (city, town, county, etc.) where regulations may be more restrictive, especially as it applies to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. No guarantee is made that information (or lack of information) associated with a species or control technique is completely accurate or current. You should become familiar with federal, state and local laws before beginning any wildlife control activities.

Was this solution helpful? Yes No More solutions for white-tailed deer problems

Does Maryland have deer season?

New Hunting Opportunities and Regulations for 2022–2023 –

Black bear hunting season has expanded from five to six days. See Black Bear Hunting for more details. Region A antlerless white-tailed deer season has been expanded to include December 3. See Deer Seasons & Bag Limits for more details. Bobwhite quail season on private lands in the Eastern Zone will now close on January 15. The season is now closed on lands owned or managed by DNR east of the Susquehanna River. See Small Game Seasons & Limits, Ruffed Grouse season will now end on December 31. See Small Game Seasons & Limits, Additional Sunday hunting opportunities have been added in Charles, Calvert, Somerset, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Annes and Dorchester counties. The Managed Hunt Permit is no longer required for any managed hunts. See Hunting Licenses for more details. Sea Ducks may still be harvested during the regular duck season as part of the regular daily duck bag limit, however, waterfowl hunters should note that the Special Sea Duck Season has been eliminated. See Migratory Game Bird Seasons & Limits for more information.

Can I hunt on my own land without a license in MD?

It is unlawful to hunt without a valid hunting license in your possession unless you are exempt from this requirement as described in this section. You are not required to possess a hunting license or stamps (except the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp, the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, and a Furbearer Permit) if you are:

A resident of Maryland (and their spouse) who owns property and who hunts only on that property. This also applies to: (1) the landowner’s children and grandchildren if they are under the age of 16; and (2) the landowner’s children and grandchildren, and the spouse of the children or grandchildren, regardless of age, if the child, grandchild, or their spouse, lives on the property, has worked on the property for at least 30 days during the preceding 12 months, or manages the property. Each person must individually qualify under these criteria. To qualify for this exemption, a landowner does not need to live on the property but must be able to prove ownership. A person (and spouse) who: (1) holds land under lease for agricultural purposes (or a sharecropper); and (2) lives on this farmland; and (3) hunts only on this farmland. This also applies to: (1) the lessee’s children and grandchildren if they are under the age of 16; and (2) the lessee’s children and grandchildren, and their spouses, if the child, grandchild, or spouse of the child or grandchild, lives on the property, has worked on the property for at least 30 days during the preceding 12 months, or manages the property. A nonresident (and spouse) who owns a contiguous piece of farmland that is in both Virginia and Maryland may hunt on the Maryland portion of the property without a Maryland hunting license, if the person’s primary residence is on the Virginia portion of the property. This also applies to the owner’s children and grandchildren if they are under the age of 16. A Maryland resident serving in the United States Armed Forces while on official leave in Maryland (whether stationed in Maryland or outside Maryland). You must possess a copy of official leave orders while hunting. See Hunters in the Armed Forces in the following text. A person serving in the United States Armed Forces who has a service–connected disability and possesses a valid military identification while hunting.

Can I bait deer in Maryland?

It is illegal to place bait for hunting on state lands. (pg 12) It is legal to bait deer except on state-owned or state-controlled properties. (pg 14) ARCHERY HUNTING AT LIBERTY, LOCH RAVEN AND PRETTYBOY RESERVOIRS: It is illegal to bait for deer. (pg 63) Source Phone: 410-260-8367

How close to a house can you hunt in MD?

The key to controlling deer numbers is to harvest antlerless deer, especially does. Maryland’s regulated hunting seasons and bag limits encourage the harvest of antlerless deer. Maryland’s Deer Project staff can evaluate private property for the potential of managed hunting opportunities and can inform community members of any hunting limitations due to the location and surrounding landscape during a discussion of the potential options.

Bowhunting can be used to take deer in developed areas, and has been used in some suburban areas with success. Some local ordinances, community covenants, and municipal regulations may place restrictions on hunting in some communities. Check with your local police for any restrictions that may apply. Crossbows are legal hunting devices in Maryland. Click here for additional information about Deer Hunting in Maryland, including the current seasons, bag limits and other regulations. Firearms can be used, with discretion, in some more developed areas with advisory assistance from the Department. Maryland regulation requires that hunters acquire written permission from neighbors when hunting within 150 yards an occupied structure. Town ordinances and / or community bylaws may prohibit the discharge of firearms. Special antlerless deer hunting seasons have been established to increase the harvest of female deer in areas of the state where the deer herd needs to be reduced. Specific information on this can be found in the Guide to Hunting and Trapping in Maryland that is published annually and is released prior to the fall hunting seasons.

“Deer Hunting: A Valuable Deer Management Tool for Private Landowners” explains the role of hunting in controlling deer populations. This information can assist you in deciding if hunting is the management tool that is right tool for you. It can help you decide which hunting season to utilize, how many hunters to allow, and also gives suggestions on how you can best utilize your hunters to effectively reduce the deer population on your property.

Can you shoot on private property in Maryland?

Possession of Firearm at Public Demonstration Section 4-208 – A demonstration is defined in Section 4-208(a)(2) as one or more persons picketing, demonstrating, marching, speechmaking, holding a vigil, or engaging in similar conduct involving the communication or expression of grievances or views with the effect, intent, or propensity to attract a crowd or onlookers.

Public buildings Areas in front or immediately around (including parking lots) of stores, restaurants, taverns, shopping centers, or any other place of business Public parking lots Public streets, sidewalks, or right-of-ways Public parks Other public grounds

It is illegal for any individual to (1) have a firearm on his or her person (2) at a demonstration in a public place or in a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a demonstration in a public place (3) once that person has been told by a law enforcement officer that a demonstration is occurring at that public place and (4) that person has been ordered by a law enforcement officer to depart from the area of the demonstration until the person has disposed of the firearm.

Is it illegal to hit a deer and drive off in Maryland?

No, it is NOT illegal to hit a deer and drive off. No one will sue you for fleeing the scene – unless there is property damage or injury. Even if not required, reporting the collision is the right thing to do. Why? Safety first, and if needed, it’s better for insurance. Find out what to and what not to do if you are involved in a deer-vehicle collision.

Is Shed hunting legal in Maryland?

Shed antlers may be possessed at any time and do not require a permit. Shed antlers may be collected with permission from the property owner. Please note that antlered skulls do require a confirmation number.

Can you carry a sidearm while hunting in Maryland?

03.06A(2)(a), a person 21 years old or older may carry a handgun for personal protection while hunting deer in the bow season if that handgun: (i) Has a barrel length not exceeding 6 inches; (ii) Does not have a telescopic sight or electronic aiming device attached; and (iii) Is not used to kill wildlife wounded by a

Is it legal to put corn out for deer in Maryland?

Many hunters across the U.S. use deer feeders where they are legal. In Maryland, feeding or otherwise known as baiting deer is only legal on private property. Please remember, it is illegal to feed or bait deer on public land in Maryland and could get you in a lot of trouble.

I personally use a feeder and have for a few years now. I normally put shelled corn in it and supplement it with a salt block. I usually start feeding the deer in early to mid-August and continue until I run out of corn in February. This year, I broke my foot in early May and was not able to plant my normal food plot that is near my feeder.

Because of that, I have decided I want to try to mix something in with the shelled corn to not only help attract the deer but also give them the nutrients they need for the upcoming winter. I started doing some research to find out what else you can mix with corn to achieve healthy, big deer.

Well, I found that there are now hundreds of products that claim they will attract deer, or will provide them with some minerals needed for antler growth and overall health of the deer that eat it. I started to get lost in the not only the amount of different products to choose from, but also the sheer amount of money that you could spend.

I decided to break down what I discovered for all our readers. Remember, I do not know everything about the subject, I am just telling it how I understand it. If this is something you know a lot about, I would love to hear from you! We will start with the basic stuff that goes into a feeder around the Mid-Atlantic area.

This info comes from everyone I know and everything I have heard about or witnessed. Most people put plain shelled corn in their feeder. To keep you updated in the more current line of products; you can also get flavored corn. I believe the favorite is supposed to be apple flavored corn, but there is also acorn flavored, as well as molasses.

I am sure there could be more than those varieties or more flavors coming in the future. Whatever happened to letting corn taste like corn? The deer in my area love it. The second most important type of feed is probably the salt block or some form of mineral liquid/powder.

1. You have everything from C’Mere Deer, Buck Jam, Stump Likker, Deer Cane, and the list could just keep going on (these are mostly liquids).
2. A few of the brand items that I just mentioned also make them in other types of salt blocks or pellets of different forms.
3. The salt block products have endless different manufacturers, as well as, flavors and different mineral contents.

I would have to say from my experience that the more popular brands are the: Trophy Rock Mineral Rock, Evolved Habitats Mineral Blocks (which come in host of flavors), and the Whitetail Institute Imperial Products Imperial Magnet Mix 4-Play, just to name a few. Next, you have feed supplements which are intended to be added to other forms of feed. For example, Imperial Whitetail 30-06 Plus Protein Mineral Vitamin Supplement is a product designed to be added within other feed and dispensed via a feeder. With so many of these type of supplements on the market, look for what best suits your needs and the area in which you hunt and be sure to mix well as they are on the pricey side. Some products like CMere Deer 3-Day Harvest Deer Attractant System, is a cross between feed and attractant. These are great for one day use or next day use, they can be pricey as well, but can be very effective. Then, of course you have some other people I know that still feed the deer the old fashioned stuff, like fruits, nuts, and some vegetables. I have heard stories of people whom are deer watchers and photographers that go as far as coring apples and pears and cutting them in half on a daily basis for deer.

This is very nice, but I would guess very expensive and time consuming. So, what is the right approach to feeding deer? If you just read everything I wrote, you will now understand where my head is. I was just looking for something to add to my normal flavored shelled corn to help the deer grow and make my feeder more enticing to more deer.

I think I have decided to go in a similar direction as in recent years with a couple of new additions. I am going to continue to keep a salt block that is either plane or apple flavored out near my feeder. I am going to continue to put normal shelled corn in my feeder, but I am going to mix a supplement in with it. ; this seems to have the highest reviews between people I know and online reviews, as well as, the best price. Have you used it? Leave a comment below and let me know if you like it! I may also try a few different things once we get further into winter, I will write about them when I do. I know that this will not totally make up for my food plot that I did not get to plant this spring/summer. However, I think it will give the deer a reason to continue coming and may even improve their health. I will keep all of you updated on the different products I try this fall and how well they work or do not work.

How many deer can I shoot in Maryland?

Popular Hunting Opportunity Continues Through Jan.31 Annapolis, MD – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that archery hunting for white-tailed and sika deer opens statewide Sept.10, and continues through Jan.31, 2022. Archers may also use vertical longbows and vertical recurve bows Feb.1-3, 2022 during the second annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days,

• September signals cooling weather, the coming of fall, and the opening of deer season in Maryland,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said.
• Deer hunting presented an important outlet for many Marylanders dealing with the challenges of the pandemic last season, and we hope many of our hunters will take advantage of that outdoor therapy again this season.” For the 2021-22 deer season, the statewide bag limit for white-tailed bucks is two deer (no more than one per weapon season).

Hunters have the option to take one additional bonus buck in Region B (the state’s central, southern, and eastern regions) after purchasing a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp, The antlerless archery deer bag limits differ between deer management regions, In Region A, no more than one antlerless deer may be harvested during the regular archery season.

• An additional antlerless deer may be harvested in Region A during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• In Region B, the antlerless archery limit is 15, except for in the Suburban Deer Management Zone, where the archery antlerless limit is now unlimited.
• This zone comprises Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties.

The sika deer archery season bag limit is three with no more than one being antlered. An antlered sika is defined as a deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline. The sika deer archery season is open in every county. Multiple Sundays are open to archery hunting in most counties, including on some public lands.

Hunters can consult the 2021-2022 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping for additional information on Sunday hunting and other deer hunting opportunities. An antler-point restriction remains in effect. Deer 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 deer taken within the established bag limit must meet the minimum point restriction. Licensed junior hunters and apprentice license holders, 16 years of age or younger, are exempt from this restriction. Hunters should carefully inspect all tree-stands and always wear a full-body safety harness while in the stand and while climbing in or out.

The department strongly recommends using a sliding knot, commonly known as a prusik knot, attached to a line that is secured above the stand that allows the hunter to be safely tethered to the tree as soon as they leave the ground. When checking in their deer, hunters should report deer taken with a long, compound, or recurve bow as harvested with a vertical bow.

Crossbow hunters should register their deer as taken with a crossbow. This information helps biologists collect information on preferences and trends in how deer are harvested. Hunters are encouraged to help others by donating deer taken in Maryland. A state tax credit offers hunters an incentive for donated deer.

What day does deer season start in Maryland?

Maryland Hunting Seasons, 2022-2023 Maryland is one of the most under-appreciated states for hunting. The landscape combined with the excellent game makes for one of the best hunting regions in the Northeast. Maryland hunting seasons offer fantastic waterfowl and fur-bearer hunting.

In addition, Maryland has white-tailed and sika deer, black bear, and wild turkey hunting. Enjoy the fantastic hunting opportunity of both the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland. You can apply for a Maryland hunting license online or residents or non residents. Migratory birds, Deer Archery, Deer Muzzleloader, and Furbearer hunters need to purchase an additional stamp.

Maryland White-Tailed and Sika Deer Seasons

Archery	Sept.9-Oct.19Oct.23-Nov.25
Firearms	Nov.26-Dec.10** and Jan.6-8**
Muzzleloader	Oct.20-22**Oct.24-29** Dec.17-31**

Sunday White-Tailed Deer hunting is available only in certain counties. Dates vary statewide by Maryland hunting “region” unless otherwise noted. Maryland Wild Turkey Seasons

Fall General Season	Oct.29-Nov.6
Winter General Season	Jan.19-21
Spring General Season	April 18-May 23
Spring Junior Hunt	April 15-16

Fall turkey hunting is only permitted in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties. Maryland Black Bear Seasons *Special permit required, and only one bear may be harvested per season. Maryland Small Game Seasons

Rabbit	Nov.5-Feb.28
Squirrel	Sept.3-Feb.28
Quail	Nov.5-Jan.15**
Ruffed Grouse	Oct.2-Jan.31
Pheasant	Nov.5-Feb.28
Crow	Aug.15-March 15

*Season dates vary by zone and whether you are hunting. Some hunting may be closed on public lands. The Delmarva fox squirrel season has been closed. Visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website for more detailed information. Bag limits, special seasons and hunting regulations for Maryland hunting seasons do vary based on animal and seasons.

How early should you get to your hunting spot?

Morning Treestand Placement – As a general rule of thumb, it is best to avoid hunting primary food sources in the mornings. Whitetails are typically most active during the night, much of which they spend feeding. Large agricultural fields is where most whitetails spend the majority of their time in the evenings and they will often remain in these fields until 1 to 2 hours before daylight. You stand a very good chance of spooking deer on your way into your stand if you are trying to hunt over a food source, or too close to one, in the morning. Walk into that food plot you spent hours working on this summer an hour before daylight and chances are you’ll spot several sets of eyeballs in your flashlight before you hear the telltale snort of a whitetail headed the other direction.

1. Avoiding food sources in the morning includes not just hunting over field edges, but the entrance route to your stand a well.
2. While an open field or field edge may be the easiest way to your stand, it can also be the easiest way to ruin a morning hunt before it even begins.
3. In order to go undetected try to slip into your stand using natural features such as creeks, ravines, and standing crops to your advantage.

Take care to avoid walking field edges or areas within sight or earshot of a food source where you think deer may be. In most cases this is going to make your morning walk longer and more difficult than you’re used to, however it will almost surely increase your morning deer sightings.

• So if not food sources, where should you hunt in the mornings? One of the most productive places to hunt during the morning are as close as you can get to a good bedding area.
• The intent is to catch deer coming off the feed sources at night and working their way back to safety to bed for the day.
• This tactic, although productive, does pose several risks that must be taken into consideration.

First, you need to set up between the food and the bedding area. If you set up on the wrong side of the bedroom you may find yourself playing more games on your phone than watching deer. When picking your stand location it is helpful to keep in mind the various food sources available to your local whitetails and hang several stand sets that you can utilize as the food sources change. This nice Illinois buck on a cold morning in late October. The hunter was set up near small bedding area that was surrounded by rubs when he appeared shortly after daylight. Mid to late October is a great time to catch bucks like this on their feet just late enough to get a shot at them.

Second, watch the wind carefully. Sitting in between a food source and bedding area won’t do you any good if your wind is blowing to the deer before you can get a shot. Many hunters prefer to hunt on a cross wind, which is blowing perpendicular to both the bedding and feeding areas. This allows you to get into the stand without blowing out deer from the food source, yet doesn’t expose you to any deer that may happen to slip into the bedroom from another direction without you knowing.

Of course you don’t always get this ideal wind which means that you’ll often have to pick a stand with the wind blowing at least partially into the bedding area. Be sure to hunt these stands very sparingly as you may only have one or two opportunities to hunt them on a non-perfect wind before they are blown out.

However, if you’ve played your cards right once chance may be all you need. When picking a morning stand you have to consider not just your entrance but your exit route as well. Don’t walk through the middle of the bedding area on your way back to the truck unless you enjoy not seeing deer from that stand any longer.

They key is to remain undetected so try exiting through those food sources you avoided in the morning, where you’re less likely to encounter a bedded buck. In many cases, the exit from your stand will be different than your entrance in order to remain undetected. This map shows both morning “M” and evening “E” setups. For the morning hunts you can enter into the woods in order to catch the deer moving off the feed fields back into the timber. Conversely, evening setups overlooking a standing bean field allow easy access without spooking deer bedded in the timber.

Finally, make sure you get into your stand early. Mature bucks prefer to be off the food sources and headed back to bed well before daylight. If you’re walking into your stand 20 minutes before shooting light and run into a buck headed the same direction you may have just blown your chance. Try to be in your stand and ready to go at least an hour before shooting light, which often means leaving the truck a solid 2 hours before shooting light.

This gives you time to cool off from that extra-long hike, get your gear ready and let the woods settle back down before the sun peaks over the horizon. If you do nothing else, try getting into your stands much earlier than you do know and you’ll be surprised at how many more deer you will begin to see.

How early can you rattle for deer?

Basic Rattling Techniques for Bucks – Rattling in bucks with either real or synthetic antlers can get as simple or as complex as you want. However, there are a few basic techniques to understand when rattling in bucks during the rut.

Wind Direction, Even in the heat of the rut, a mature buck is likely to approach your rattling call from downwind. Make sure you know the wind direction, have proper scent control and plan your setup appropriately or the calling is worthless.

Build Momentum, Start your rattling session off slow and quiet for two reasons. One, you do not want to spook any nearby bucks and two most buck sparring sessions do not start fast and furious but rather build up to a fierce brawl.

Realism Wins, As you go through rattling scenarios, use grunt calls and other deer calls to up the realism factor. Also, rotate your body as you are calling and scrape the ground to imitate the impression of bucks moving around.

Be Reasonable, Stick to calling sessions that start off slow and quietly and last for about a minute. Wait about five minutes and come back with a louder and more aggressive rattling session for about two to four minutes. Spread out rattling sessions about every hour so bucks have time to approach.

Stay Committed, If you are hunting the rut on a property that holds bucks, then stay committed to rattling. The best time to rattle for whitetails is from daybreak to mid-morning, but it is worth rattling on and off throughout the day. More than likely a passing buck will end up within earshot and sneak in to investigate.

Be Reasonable, Stick to calling sessions that start off slow and quietly and last for about a minute. Wait about five minutes and come back with a louder and more aggressive rattling session for about two to four minutes. Spread out rattling sessions about every hour so bucks have time to approach.

Stay Committed, If you are hunting the rut on a property that holds bucks, then stay committed to rattling. The best time to rattle for whitetails is from daybreak to mid-morning, but it is worth rattling on and off throughout the day. More than likely a passing buck will end up within earshot and sneak in to investigate.

Can you carry a handgun while hunting in Maryland?

03.06A(2)(a), a person 21 years old or older may carry a handgun for personal protection while hunting deer in the bow season if that handgun: (i) Has a barrel length not exceeding 6 inches; (ii) Does not have a telescopic sight or electronic aiming device attached; and (iii) Is not used to kill wildlife wounded by a

How early before sunrise should you hunt deer?

More on Getting to a Stand One Hour Before Sunrise Though some hunters strongly disagree (to put it mildly) when I recommend getting to a stand site one hour before sunrise in the morning, my three sons, three grandsons and I consider this precaution to be one of our most rewarding buck hunting practices.

The reason is, about 80% of the 101 mature bucks we have taken since 1990, including three we took last November, were all shot near edges of feeding areas early during the first legal shooting hour of the day (beginning 30 minutes before sunrise). They were all taken on public land in a region inhabited by overabundant gray wolves and where where only one deer has been taken per 10 square miles for quite a few years.

Our mature, especially wary, wolf country bucks generally head back to their bedding areas by 9:00–9:30 AM in the morning, but getting to our stands early is important for another reason. Mature bucks and other deer feeding near our stands are almost certain to hear one or more indistinct sounds or spot one or more indistinct motions made by us as we approach our stands in darkness (through dense cover downwind or crosswind).

1. This arouses their curiosity, but as long as those deer are unable to positively identify us, they will not abandon the area.
2. They will be especially alert and cautious for about thirty minutes, however, sometimes longer.
3. They often move to nearby cover to hide their presence, but if nothing more is seen or heard from us after we are settled at our stands, they will usually resume what they were doing a half hour or so later, feeding, for example, and becoming visible, just about the time it becomes legal to fire at them.

Getting to a stand without seriously alarming deer along the way is not easy. It took many years of trial and error and some lessons provided by wolves to learn how to do it. To make it work today, we routinely use about 30 special precautions. It doesn’t work every time, but it works often enough to provide most or all of us with one or more opportunities to take an older buck almost every year.

Not all hunters are capable of doing this, being unable to sit still 4-5 hours or being unable to hike to a distant stand in early morning darkness without seriously alarming deer along the way, for example. No, we do not take mature bucks every half-day we hunt. On the average we take one, sometimes two on opening morning (in photo above is grandson Ryan with the buck he took 20 minutes before sunrise on opening morning, 2018), but by the end of a week, we usually have our self-imposed limit of four mature bucks.

Yes, we have taken bucks during all hours of the day, so we are usually out there hunting them during all hours of the day. Yes, we have also taken quite few between 11 AM and 3 PM as well, particularly when a certain recognized sequence of weather events triggers brief but massive midday feeding but no one in the world is ever going convince my sons and me, and now my grandsons, to quit making the effort to get to our stands one hour before sunrise.