Deer Seasons & Bag Limits

Designated Rifle, Shotgun and Handgun Counties and Areas For Firearms Season Deer Hunting

Junior Deer Hunt Days are for hunters age 16 or younger only.

To hunt during these days:

• Junior hunters must have a hunting license or be exempt from the license requirement (see Who May Hunt Without a License, Hunting Licenses).
• They must be accompanied in the field by an individual who:
  • is 21 years old or older.
  • possesses a valid Maryland hunting license (an Apprentice Hunting License does not meet this requirement) or is exempt from hunting license requirements.
  • is unarmed.
• Junior Deer Hunt Days have a separate bag limit. Deer taken by junior hunters during these days do not count towards the regular Archery, Muzzleloader or Firearms seasons bag limits.
• Daily deer shooting hours for Junior Hunt Days are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
• Junior hunters are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons (see White-tailed Deer Antler Point Restrictions).

• The antlered white-tailed deer bag limit is statewide and applies to both Region A and Region B together.
• Hunters may only harvest one antlered white-tailed deer per day within the season bag limits.
• An antlered white-tailed deer is defined as a deer with two or more points to one antler, or a deer with one antler three or more inches long, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.
• An antler point is defined as any antler projection one inch or more in length and includes the brow tine. The tip of the main beam is also considered a point.
• A statewide Antler Point Restriction is in effect on some, but not all, of the antlered white-tailed deer a hunter may harvest during the license year. The Antler Point Restriction includes these regulations:
  • Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the yearly bag limit must have at least three points on one antler.
  • These deer may be taken in any order within the existing bag limit.
  • All Junior hunters, 16 years of age or younger, are NOT required to comply with the antler point restriction during any of the deer seasons.

Primitive Deer Hunt Days

• Hunters may only use long bows, recurve bows or flintlock and sidelock percussion muzzleloading rifles or handguns during these days. Muzzleloading revolvers are prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• The use of draw-locks and telescopic or other electronic aiming devices are prohibited.
• Antlered white-tailed deer taken with a bow during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular antlered archery bag limit.
• Antlered white-tailed deer taken with a muzzleloader during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular antlered muzzleloader bag limit.
• All deer hunters must wear fluorescent color clothing during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.

Bonus Antlered Deer

• Hunting license holders may purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take one additional antlered white-tailed deer in Region B, or to take an antlered deer in Region A when they have already harvested an antlered deer in Region B during the same weapon season.
• Hunters may only use one Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp per license year in the season of their choice (Archery, Muzzleloader, or Firearms), except for the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp may not be used during the Oct. 17–Oct 19, 2024 portion of the Muzzleloader Season.
• Those who may hunt without a license (Hunting Licenses) and those who possess an Apprentice Hunting License (pg. 8) do not need to purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take the bonus antlered white-tailed deer.
• A Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp must be purchased by hunting license holders prior to pursuing the bonus antlered deer.
• Hunters may harvest an antlered white-tailed deer in Region B and then use the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp to take another antlered white-tailed deer in Region A in the same weapon season. However, hunters in Region A may take no more than one antlered deer in a weapon season and no more than two antlered deer total for all seasons combined.
• The bonus antlered deer may not be harvested on the same day one is taken under the regular bag limit.
• Hunters must use the Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp in order to:
  • Take a second antlered deer in one weapon season, OR;
  • In Region B, if the hunter has taken an antlered white-tailed deer in each of two weapon seasons already, they may use the bonus antlered deer stamp to take a third antlered white-tailed deer in a remaining weapon season.
• In no case may a hunter take more than two antlered white-tailed deer in any single weapon season or more than three total for the license year.
• Sika deer may not be taken as bonus antlered deer.

• In Region A, hunters may harvest only two antlerless deer total during the Archery, Muzzleloader, and Firearms seasons combined. Up to two antlerless deer may be harvested during a weapon season but no more than two total for the combined seasons. Only one antlerless deer per day may be harvested in Region A. Hunters may take a third antlerless deer during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• An antlerless white-tailed deer is a female deer or a male deer with no antlers or spike antlers less than three inches in length, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.

Primitive Deer Hunt Days

• Hunters may only use long bows, recurve bows or flintlock and sidelock percussion muzzleloaders during these days. Muzzleloading revolvers are prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• The use of draw-locks and telescopic or other electronic aiming devices are prohibited.
• Antlerless deer taken during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days do not count against the regular Region A antlerless bag limits.
• All deer hunters must wear fluorescent color clothing during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.

Region A Public Lands

• Region A Department of Natural Resources Public Lands open to antlerless white-tailed deer hunting are: Billmeyer-Belle Grove WMA, Cunningham Swamp WMA, Dan’s Mountain WMA, Deep Creek Lake State Park (Designated Areas Only), Garrett State Forest, Green Ridge State Forest, Indian Springs WMA, McCoole FMA, Mount Nebo WMA, Potomac State Forest, Prather’s Neck WMA, Rocky Gap State Park (Designated Areas Only), Sang Run State Park (Designated Areas Only), Savage River State Forest, Sideling Hill WMA, Warrior Mountain WMA, Wolf Den Run State Park, Woodmont NRMA, Youghiogheny Reservoir CWMA and Youghiogheny Scenic Wild River NEA.

Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the yearly bag limit must meet the minimum point restriction.

• An antlerless white-tailed deer is a female deer or a male deer with no antlers or spike antlers less than three inches in length, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.

Primitive Deer Hunt Days

• Hunters may only use long bows, recurve bows or flintlock and sidelock percussion muzzleloaders during these days. Muzzleloading revolvers are prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• The use of draw-locks and telescopic or other electronic aiming devices are prohibited.
• Region B antlerless white-tailed deer taken with a bow during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular Region B archery bag limit.
• Region B antlerless white-tailed deer taken with a muzzleloader during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular Region B muzzleloader bag limit.
• All deer hunters must wear fluorescent color clothing during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.

• An annual Sika Deer Stamp is required to hunt sika deer during any of the deer hunting seasons.
• Sika deer bag limits are independent of the white-tailed deer bag limits.
• Sika deer daily shooting hours are the same as white-tailed deer; one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset with the exception of certain Sundays in certain counties (see Sunday hunting chart, Sunday Deer Hunting).
• An antlered sika deer is a deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.
• Bonus Antlered Deer Stamps may not be used to take sika deer.

Primitive Deer Hunt Days

• Hunters may only use long bows, recurve bows, or flintlock and sidelock percussion muzzleloaders during these days. Muzzleloading revolvers are prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
• The use of draw-locks and telescopic or other electronic aiming devices are prohibited.
• Sika deer taken with a bow during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular sika archery bag limit.
• Sika deer taken with a muzzleloader during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days will count towards the regular sika muzzleloader bag limit.
• All deer hunters must wear fluorescent color clothing during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.