Maryland hunting and fishing laws

All first-time hunters must present a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunting Safety. Maryland frames this as a first-time hunter rule, not a born-after date. Exemptions include those who held a license issued prior to July 1, 1977, those who hunted on private property before that date while legally license exempt, nonresidents buying only a waterfowl license, and Regulated Shooting Area licensees.

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Under an Apprentice Hunter License the standard requirement for hunter education and competency certification does not apply.

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DNR states there is no minimum age to hunt in Maryland. Resident and nonresident junior licenses cover those under 16 years of age, and regular licenses begin at 16.

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Applies to: Deer

A cap of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink worn as an outer garment on the head, or a vest or jacket with back and front panels of at least 250 square inches of those colors, is required. A camouflage version must be at least 50 percent fluorescent color. Blaze pink is allowed. Deer archery hunters are exempt during the general archery season but not during Firearms Season.

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Applies to: Deer

Hunters using a ground blind must display at least 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange or pink on or within 25 feet of the blind.

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Applies to: Deer

Sunday hunting for white-tailed and sika deer varies by county and by land type. Private and public land: Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, St. Mary's, Washington Region A, Wicomico, Worcester. Private land only: Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Washington Region B. No Sunday deer hunting: Baltimore, Howard, Prince George's.

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Applies to: Deer

Which Sundays are open differs by county and by weapon, archery, firearm or muzzleloader, and hours vary. Some counties run one half hour before sunrise to sunset while others are cut off at 10:30 a.m. DNR publishes an official Sunday deer hunting calendar.

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Hunting migratory game birds (ducks, geese, doves, woodcock) on Sunday is unlawful in Maryland. Deer, turkey, small game and furbearers may be hunted only on certain Sundays in certain counties and areas, with some shortened hours, and Baltimore, Howard and Prince George's counties allow no Sunday deer hunting. Check the Sunday hunting tables for your county.

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One half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset, with exceptions for certain Sundays in specific counties.

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Applies to: Deer

It is legal to bait deer except on state-owned or state-controlled properties.

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Applies to: Bear

Bait, scent attractants and electronic calls are prohibited for bear hunting, and any bait must be removed at least 10 days before bear hunting. Placing bait for hunting on state lands is also illegal.

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Applies to: Deer

Hunting outside legal shooting hours is prohibited. Hunters may dispatch wounded deer after legal shooting hours on the evening the wounding occurs, using weapons legal for the current season, and artificial lights are permitted for that specific purpose. Natural Resources Police must be notified at (800) 628-9944.

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Applies to: Furbearers

Coyotes may be hunted day and night year-round in all counties, and foxes day or night during their season. Artificial lights and dogs may be used while hunting coyotes, foxes, opossums or raccoons on foot; casting a light from a vehicle onto fields, woods or wildlife is illegal.

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Applies to: Big game

Before moving a deer or turkey, either field-tag it or check it in at the kill site. Field tags should be made by the hunter and include harvest date, county of kill, hunter's name and DNRid number, or a confirmation number and hunter's name if the animal has been checked in. The tag attaches to the deer's head or the turkey's leg.

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Applies to: Big game

Before moving a deer or turkey, attach a field tag with the harvest date, county and your name and DNRid, or check it in at the kill site and keep the confirmation number. Every deer and turkey must be registered within 24 hours (MD Outdoors app, online or 888-800-0121), even by license-exempt hunters, and a deer may not be skinned or cut up until the confirmation number is received.

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Written permission from the property owner is required to hunt or trap on private property in all counties. Maryland land may be posted with vertical bright blue oil-based paint marks at least 2 by 8 inches, 3 to 6 feet above the ground.

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