Maryland Administrative Code

.03 Tagging and Reporting Deer and Wild Turkey. A. Tagging. (1) A game field tag, including the hunter’s name, DNR ID number, and the deer or turkey’s date and county of harvest, serves to identify the hunter who has killed a deer or turkey. (2) A big game harvest record of deer …

.04 Devices for Hunting Forest Game. A. A person may hunt forest game with a bow, a rifle, or any other means not prohibited by these regulations. B. A person may not hunt forest game, except deer or black bear, with any automatic loading or hand-operated repeating shotgun capabl…

.05 Devices for Hunting Deer and Black Bear. A. Except as provided in §I of this regulation, only the weapons described in §§B and C of this regulation may be used to hunt deer and black bear. All other weapon types are prohibited for hunting deer or black bear. B. Bow. (1) An in…

.06 Wild Turkey Hunting. A. Shooting hours during the spring turkey season are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon except during the last 2 weeks of the season and on the Junior Hunting Day when the shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. B. A person may not use…

.07 Repealed.

.08 Permit Requirements for Aberdeen Proving Ground. An individual shall obtain a special Aberdeen Proving Ground Hunting Permit before hunting is authorized on this military installation.

.09 Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge Deer Hunting Seasons. A. Seasons. At Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, the deer hunting season or seasons will be set by the Refuge Manager between the dates of September 1 and December 31. The actual opening and closing dates shall …

.10 Daily Deer Bag Limit. There is no limit to the number of deer that an individual may bag in 1 day, within the confines of the bag limit for that season and deer management region.

.11 Hunting Wild Turkeys and Black Bear Over Bait. A. Definitions. (1) “Baited area” means any area where shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat, other grain, or other feed capable of luring, attracting, or enticing wild turkeys or black bears is directly or indirectly placed…

.12 Patuxent River Naval Air Station Deer Hunting Seasons. A. Seasons. Season dates will conform to Statewide season dates. However, the commanding officer of the station may extend the length of the firearm season 1 week if necessary to meet the harvest quota for that season. B.…

.13 Repealed.

.14 Deer Hunting Season on Military Bases, National Wildlife Refuges, and Units of the National Park System. Deer hunting seasons and bag limits at all military bases, National Wildlife Refuges, and units of the National Park System shall conform to Statewide seasons and bag limi…

.15 Bow Hunting on Junior Hunting Day. A. On the Junior Hunting Day described in COMAR 08.03.03.07—.08 an individual: (1) 17 years old or older may hunt deer with a bow provided that any deer taken shall count toward the bow season bag limit; (2) 16 years old or younger may hunt …

.16 Attracting Bears. A person may not place any harvested agricultural crop, animal carcass, or food products on any area that may cause bears to congregate or become habituated to an area. A law enforcement officer may issue a citation to a person if the person does not remove …

.17 Special Deer Hunting Seasons in State Parks. Hunting seasons and bag limits at all State parks shall conform to Statewide seasons and bag limits unless otherwise limited by COMAR 08.07.06.03. However, if necessary to reduce the white-tailed deer population in the area, the Di…

.18 Managed Deer Hunts. The Department may authorize a managed deer hunt to occur on private or public land, that is not subject to the season dates or bag limits in COMAR 08.03.03.07. A person, or persons, may apply to the Director of the Service to request permission to hold a …

.19 Use of Dogs for Tracking Deer and Black Bear. A. It is unlawful to use dogs for locating dead, wounded, or injured deer or black bear except, if an individual legally hunting deer or black bear has killed, wounded, or injured a deer or black bear, or reasonably believes the i…

.20 Black Bear Hunting. A. In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Annual mortality rate” means the estimated percent of the black bear population in the hunted area that is known to have died as a result of natural death, accid…

.21 Reporting the Wounding or Killing of a Black Bear Unless authorized by a black bear hunting permit issued pursuant to Regulation .20 of this chapter, any person that kills or wounds a black bear shall report the killing or wounding within 24 hours to the Department by contact…

.22 Cervid Carcass and Part Importation. A. In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Authorized commercial deer processor” means an establishment that is open to the public and processes cervid carcasses or parts into food produc…

.23 Hunting Deer When the Black Bear Season is Open. A person may not bow hunt or assist with bow hunting deer in the hunted area for black bears as defined by COMAR 08.03.04.20B when the black bear hunting season is open unless the person wears: A. A cap of solid daylight fluore…

.24 Wanton Waste of Deer Prohibited. A. Except as provided in §C of this regulation, an individual who intentionally wounds or kills a deer with a firearm, bow, or crossbow shall make a reasonable effort to take possession of the wounded or dead deer. If recovered, the deer shall…

.25 Killing Wounded Deer After Legal Shooting Hours. A. A hunter who wounds a deer during legal shooting hours may pursue and kill the deer after legal shooting hours subject to the following restrictions: (1) The pursuit and killing of the deer must occur within 24 hours of the …

.01 Doves, Shooting Hours. The shooting hours for mourning doves in this State are from 12 noon to sunset during the designated half-day segment of the hunting season.

.02 Devices for Hunting Upland Game. A person may hunt mourning doves and woodcock with a bow, an air gun propelling an arrow, or shotgun only. A person may hunt all other upland game with a bow, a rifle, or any other means not prohibited by these regulations. A person may not hu…

.03 Transportation of Pheasants — Repealed.

.04 Migratory Bird Tagging Requirement. A. A person may not put or leave any migratory game birds at any place other than at his personal abode, or in the custody of another person for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping, transportation, storage (including temporary storage),…

.05 Crow and Blackbird Depredation. A. In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Blackbirds” means Brewer’s, red-winged, and yellow-headed blackbirds, cowbirds, and all grackles. (2) “Crows” means American and fish crows. (3) “Wil…

.01 Otter and Fisher Pelt Tags and Carcass Submission. A. All otter and fisher pelts shall be tagged within 15 days after the close of the season. Pelts may not be sold or otherwise disposed of unless properly tagged. A person may not possess an untagged otter or fisher pelt, or …

.02 Repealed.

.03 Trapping. A. Except as otherwise expressly permitted or prohibited by law, trapping shall conform to the conditions in §§B—H of this regulation. B. A person may set, tend, or operate smooth-jawed leg-hold traps having a jaw spread no greater than 5-3/4 inches except that smoo…

.04 Hunting Foxes with the Aid of Dogs. A person may not hunt, pursue, catch, or kill any fox with the aid of dogs, or attempt to do so during the firearms deer season, except that unarmed persons may conduct organized fox hunts of the type known as “Riding to the Hounds” in that…

.05 Devices for Hunting Furbearers. A. An individual may hunt coyote, fisher, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, red fox, or skunk, with a firearm, air gun, or bow, during the established open hunting season. B. An individual may not hunt furbearers with an automatic loading or hand-ope…

.06 Furbearer Permits. A. Permit Required. (1) Except as provided in §A(2) and (3) of this regulation, a person shall obtain or be authorized by a furbearer permit from the Department or a designee of the Department before: (a) Hunting fur-bearing mammals; or (b) Actively partici…

.07 Trapper Education. A. Certificate Required. (1) Except as provided in §A(2) of this regulation, on or after August 1, 2007, an individual shall obtain a certificate of trapper education from the Service or a designee of the Service before trapping or attempting to trap any fu…

.01 Trapping Wild Waterfowl. A person may not construct, maintain, or operate, or assist in the construction, maintenance, or operation of any trap or snare of any description for the taking of wild waterfowl in this State.

.02 Shooting from Offshore Stationary Blinds or Blind Sites. A. A person may not shoot or attempt to shoot wild waterfowl from any unlicensed stationary blind or blind site in this State. B. A person may not hunt or attempt to hunt wild waterfowl from any tidal or nontidal waters…

.03 Repealed.

.04 Sea Duck Shooting Zone. A. In the Sea Duck Zone, a person may hunt sea ducks (scoters, long-tailed ducks, and eider ducks) by shooting from a boat or floating blind which is anchored, drifting, sculled, or paddled, or while standing in the water on the natural bottom only in …

.05 Captive Waterfowl (Live Decoys). A. A person may not hunt wetland game birds by the use or aid of live birds as decoys. B. Although not limited to, it shall be a violation of this regulation to hunt wetland game birds on an area where tame or captive live ducks or geese are p…

.06 Devices for Hunting Wetland Game Birds. A. Except as provided in §B of this regulation, a person may hunt wetland game birds only with a: (1) Vertical bow; or (2) Shotgun which is not larger than 10-gauge: (a) Loaded only with shot approved by the United States Fish and Wildl…

.07 Areas Open to Offshore Waterfowl Hunting. A. Consistent with a final rule published in the Federal Register pursuant to 50 CFR 20, except as provided in §C of this regulation, a person may hunt migratory waterfowl from a boat or floating blind which is anchored, drifting, scu…

.08 Repealed.

.09 Migratory Bird Tagging Requirement. A. A person may not put or leave any migratory game birds at any place other than at his personal abode, or in the custody of another person for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping, transportation, storage (including temporary storage),…

.10 Resident Canada Goose Depredation Control. A. In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Agricultural facilities” means any parcel or parcels of land from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or…

.11 Release of Captive-Raised Mallards. A. Except as provided for in §B of this regulation, a person may not release captive-raised mallard ducks to the wild. B. Persons possessing the following permits from the Department may release captive-raised mallard ducks to the wild as a…

.12 Shooting Hours for Light Goose Conservation Order Season. A person may hunt light geese from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise to 1/2 after sunset during the Light Goose Conservation Order season if this method is allowed in Maryland pursuant to a final rule adopted by the Department…

.13 Shooting Hours for Resident Canada Geese in September. A person may hunt resident Canada geese in September from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise to 1/2 after sunset if this method is allowed in Maryland pursuant to a final rule adopted by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish a…

.01 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Administration” means the Wildlife and Heritage Service. (2) “Director” means the Director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service. (3) “Endangered extirpated species” means …

.02 Petitioning. A. Except for species determined to be threatened or endangered pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. §§1531—1543, any interested person may petition the Director to add or remove a species or natural heritage area to or from a list in…