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Annapolis, Md. — Maryland’s muzzleloader deer season reopens on Saturday, Dec. 20. and continues through Jan. 2, 2009. An estimated 59,600 resident and 7,900 nonresident hunters enjoy pursuing deer with muzzleloaders annually. Last year, muzzleloader hunters took 7,614 deer (1,870 antlered and 5,744 antlerless) during the late season, a 10 percent increase over the previous year.
“Muzzleloader season is an integral part of managing deer numbers in Maryland,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “Generally, the October and December seasons account for nearly 20 percent of yearly deer harvest.”
In Region A (Garrett and Allegany Counties), the total muzzleloader season bag limit is two deer, one antlered and one antlerless. On public lands, only antlered deer may be taken from Dec. 20, 2008 through Jan. 2, 2009, and either sex deer may be taken on Jan. 3, 2009. On all other lands in Region A, only antlered deer may be taken from Dec. 20 through Dec. 31, and either sex deer may be taken from Jan. 1 through Jan. 3, 2009. No more than two antlerless deer may be taken on public lands in Region A with any combination of the bow, muzzleloader and firearm bag limits.
In Region B (all counties except Garrett and Allegany), the total muzzleloader season bag limit is two antlered deer and ten antlerless deer, which may be taken during the entire two week season. Hunters in Region B are reminded they must take two antlerless deer and purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp before pursuing a second antlered deer.
Sika deer muzzleloader season runs from Dec. 20 through Jan. 3 in Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. The total muzzleloader sika deer bag limit is two deer, one antlered and one antlerless.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges hunters to inspect any permanent and portable tree stands before using them. Harness-style safety belts should be used while climbing into or out of a tree stand, as well as while in the stand. Hunters should always exercise the fundamental commandments of firearms safety while afield.
Deer hunting provides outdoor recreation for over 68,000 Marylanders, is a vital tool in managing deer populations, and contributes more than $150 million to the state’s economy each year.
Successful Maryland deer hunters must register their deer within 24 hours of harvest by calling 1-888-800-0121 or through the Internet at www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us. Hunters must immediately attach a field tag to the deer’s head and record the harvest on the Maryland Big Game Harvest Record portion of their hunting license before moving the deer from the place of kill. Both forms must be completed in ink. Upon registering the deer, hunters will be given a confirmation number that is to be recorded on the Big Game Harvest Record. Detailed instructions for this registration process are located on pages 32 – 33 of the 2008-2009 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license.
For bag limits, season dates, and other deer hunting information visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide.
I Live in the western maryland area ,Garrett county to be exact.And i would like to say that deer hunting is,nt what it used to be like it was when i was a kid starting out.It is much worse and harder to fine a deer much less shoot one in alot of places where i,ve hunted.I can remember this old farm we rented when i was a kid,and every deer season out around the house and barn area it looked like a super market parking lot ,there were so many hunters.I used to make a few dollars watching hunters deer for them till they went and got there truck.Back then we only had one week of deer season and everyone had to wear there licences on there outer garment so you could see who had licences and who did,nt.i think it would help the deer population if we went back to those days and the way we did things back then.I also think muzzleloader hunters should only have a week of hunting and bow hunters maybe two.I think we need to lessen hunter pressure so the deer have time to repopulate in areas where there not that plentiful.I know the deer around the eastern parts of the state of maryland are alot more plentiful,infact they are a problem.If it would,nt be to costly to the state i would like to see them caught some how maybe shot with a drug dart of some kind or given druged bait and gathered up by the game commission and relocated up here to western maryland.It is senseless for tax payers to help support the game commissions efforts in trying to build a healthy deer hear when so many are getting hit by cars on the high way in the big city parts of the state.alot of those people i take it don,t hunt for whatever reason .while those of us up here in the mountains of maryland would,nt have to give there self a stroke hiking for miles looking for a deer to shoot if they were as plentyiful as they are down that way.so why not spend tax payer money to relocate some of them?what,s wrong with that?who,s going to complain about having better luck hopefully come next deer season if the came commission would do something like that.It might even get younger folks interested in hunting again if there was something more to hunt. I,ve hear people say they had a hard time just locating squirrel,s in small game season.when i was a kid my brothers and i had more fun hunting squirrel,s as we did if not more fun as we did hunting deer .But the squirrel population has went to hell in a hand basket to . alot of people i know are selling there guns and giving up hunting because of this and younger hunters are,nt that interested in hunting because they get bore as i do when i,m not successful in the field. the game commission better wake up and relise that they better do a better job of managing our game animals of all kinds that we normally hunt if they hope to attract new hunters and before what little game we have becomes a thing of the past like just another memory from days of old.