Hunters Take 29,124 Deer During Two-Week Season
Photo by Ranger Elena Gilroy, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that hunters harvested 29,124 deer during the two-week firearms season from Nov. 26 through Dec. 10. The firearms season harvest was 10% higher than last year’s official count of 26,584.
“The firearm season remains our most popular hunting season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. “We’d like to thank those hunters who participated this year and contributed to helping manage Maryland’s healthy deer population.”
Hunters reported taking 12,003 antlered deer during the two-week season, up 14% from last year’s official total of 10,498. The antlerless harvest increased 6% from 16,086 last year to 17,121 this year. Sika deer represented 450 of the total antlered harvest and 527 of the total antlerless harvest.
An outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties continued to cause a decrease in the harvest there this year. EHD occurs annually in Maryland deer and does not have long-lasting effects for the deer population, nor is it harmful to humans.
More than 2,500 deer were taken on the two Sundays during the season, representing 9% of the total harvest. Deer hunting on Sunday is currently permitted on select Sundays in 20 of 23 counties.
Hunters in Region A — Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington counties — reported taking 2,639 antlered and 1,539 antlerless deer (up 18% and 44%, respectively). In the remainder of the state, hunters reported taking 9,364 antlered and 15,582 antlerless deer (up 13% and 4%, respectively).
Modern firearms deer season opens again on Friday, January 6 in deer management region B.
Maryland Reported Harvest for the Two-Week Firearm Season |
| Antlered | Antlerless | Total | |||||||
| County | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | % Change | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | % Change | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | % Change |
| Allegany | 892 | 967 | 8.4 | 409 | 638 | 56.0 | 1,301 | 1,605 | 23.4 |
| Anne Arundel | 179 | 193 | 7.8 | 289 | 268 | -7.3 | 468 | 461 | -1.5 |
| Baltimore | 377 | 493 | 30.8 | 763 | 751 | -1.6 | 1,140 | 1,244 | 9.1 |
| Calvert | 162 | 173 | 6.8 | 274 | 298 | 8.8 | 436 | 471 | 8.0 |
| Caroline | 376 | 403 | 7.2 | 775 | 984 | 27.0 | 1,151 | 1,387 | 20.5 |
| Carroll | 808 | 1,033 | 27.8 | 1,155 | 1,484 | 28.5 | 1,963 | 2,517 | 28.2 |
| Cecil | 385 | 420 | 9.1 | 782 | 742 | -5.1 | 1,167 | 1,162 | -0.4 |
| Charles | 247 | 380 | 53.8 | 363 | 478 | 31.7 | 610 | 858 | 40.7 |
| Dorchester | | | | | | | | | |
| whitetail | 313 | 353 | 12.8 | 637 | 632 | -0.8 | 950 | 985 | 3.7 |
| sika | 354 | 395 | 11.6 | 445 | 468 | 5.2 | 799 | 863 | 8.0 |
| Frederick | 1,084 | 1,255 | 15.8 | 1,403 | 1,665 | 18.7 | 2,487 | 2,920 | 17.4 |
| Garrett | 1,052 | 1,301 | 23.7 | 552 | 736 | 33.3 | 1,603 | 2,037 | 27.0 |
| Harford | 295 | 370 | 25.4 | 657 | 664 | 1.1 | 952 | 1,034 | 8.6 |
| Howard | 188 | 213 | 13.3 | 293 | 305 | 4.1 | 481 | 518 | 7.7 |
| Kent | 329 | 358 | 8.8 | 909 | 920 | 1.2 | 1,238 | 1,278 | 3.2 |
| Montgomery | 281 | 384 | 36.7 | 470 | 510 | 8.5 | 751 | 894 | 19.0 |
| Prince George’s | 164 | 188 | 14.6 | 274 | 277 | 1.1 | 438 | 465 | 6.2 |
| Queen Anne’s | 370 | 416 | 12.4 | 841 | 827 | -1.7 | 1,210 | 1,243 | 2.6 |
| St. Mary’s | 175 | 260 | 48.6 | 282 | 338 | 19.9 | 457 | 598 | 30.9 |
| Somerset | | | | | | | | | |
| whitetail | 313 | 291 | -7.0 | 696 | 696 | 608 | -12.6 | 899 | -10.9 |
| sika | 7 | 6 | * | 4 | 4 | 6 | * | 12 | * |
| Talbot | 240 | 298 | 24.2 | 704 | 704 | 650 | -7.7 | 948 | 0.4 |
| Washington | 856 | 1,013 | 18.3 | 792 | 792 | 941 | 18.8 | 1,954 | 18.6 |
| Wicomico | | | | | | | | | |
| whitetail | 444 | 368 | -17.1 | 1,021 | 833 | -18.4 | 1,465 | 1,201 | -18.0 |
| sika | 43 | 48 | * | 48 | 51 | * | 91 | 99 | * |
| Worcester | | | | | | | | | |
| whitetail | 560 | 423 | -24.5 | 1,246 | 1,045 | -16.1 | 1,806 | 1,468 | -18.7 |
| sika | 4 | 1 | * | 2 | 2 | * | 6 | 3 | * |
| Total | 10,498 | 12,003 | 14.3 | 16,086 | 17,121 | 6.4 | 26,584 | 29,124 | 9.6 |
*Small sample size |