Doesn't matter, it was on my property.
If it should happen to come about, try this line for your legal defense, "But your Honor, I didn't know".....
Hunters not required to have a license must obtain a free DNRid number and a free Maryland Big Game Harvest Record if they intend to hunt deer. These items may be obtained from a DNR Sport License agent or online at
DNR Licensing and Registration Service - Maryland Department of Natural Resources (see Tagging and Checking).
Rifle Regulations
•Air rifles are legal to use for hunting in Maryland and must comply with the rifle regulations. Air rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys in the spring season or migratory game birds. They are not legal for deer or bear hunting because they do not meet the minimum muzzle energy standard for rifles noted below.
•It is unlawful to hunt with an automatic firearm capable of firing a series of shots with one continuous pull of the trigger.
•Rifles used for deer and bear hunting must use ammunition developing a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot pounds.
•Firearms used for deer and bear hunting may not have an ammunition clip loaded with more than 8 cartridges or bullets. If a clip has the capacity to hold more than 8 rounds, the clip does not have to be physically blocked, but no more than 8 cartridges or bullets may be loaded.
•Rifles may be used to hunt all game mammals (except beavers, weasels, mink, muskrats, and river otters), turkeys during the fall season only, quail, pheasants, ruffed grouse, crows, nutria, and woodchucks.
•It is only lawful to hunt with ammunition of soft point (expanding) construction. All military, full metal jacketed, incendiary or tracer bullets are prohibited.
•Breech-loading rifles may not be used to hunt deer in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Frederick (in that portion of Frederick County lying south of a line beginning at the Washington/Frederick County line at US Rt. 40 and continuing on Rt. 40 east to Harmony Road, proceeding south on Harmony Road to I-70, following I-70 east through Frederick County), Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s and Talbot Counties or in Worcester County as follows: (1)