Migratory Game Bird Hunting

Migratory Game Bird Hunting Rules and Regulations

(For brant, coots, doves, ducks, geese, rails, snipe and woodcock.)

• Daylight fluorescent color clothing is not required to hunt migratory game birds except woodcock. See Fluorescent Color Clothing Requirements and Exceptions.
• The daily bag limit is the maximum number of migratory game birds of a single species or combination (aggregate) of species permitted to be taken by one person in any one day during the open season.
• The field possession limit is the one daily bag limit that you may possess while in the field or returning from the field to your principle means of land transportation, hunting camp, or personal abode.
• The possession limit is the maximum number of migratory game birds of a single species or combination of species permitted to be possessed by any one person.
• A person may not kill or wound any migratory game bird without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird and include it in the daily bag limit.
• Wounded birds reduced to possession shall immediately be killed and included in your daily bag limit.
• It is unlawful to completely field dress or breast-out any migratory game bird (except dove) before transporting the birds from the field. The head or one fully-feathered wing must remain attached to all birds (except doves) while being transported from the field until they have arrived at your personal abode or a migratory bird processing facility.
• If you are giving, putting or leaving migratory game birds at any place or in the possession of another person, you must tag each bird with the hunter’s signature, address, hunting license number or DNRid number, the total number and species of birds killed and dates the birds were killed. Tagging is required even if someone else is transporting the bird for you or the bird has been left for cleaning, storage (including temporary storage), shipment or taxidermy services.
• To ship tagged migratory game birds the package must be conspicuously marked on the outside with the name and address of the person sending the birds, name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent and number of birds by species contained in the package.
• It is illegal to take migratory game birds with air guns shooting bullets, drugs, explosives, traps, fish hooks, nets, pistols, poisons, rifles, snares, stupefying substances or swivel guns.
• It is against the law to bait migratory game birds and hunt them by placing a lure or enticement such as salt, corn, wheat, or any other grain or feed.
• An area is considered by law to be baited for 10 days after removal of the bait.
• Migratory game birds may not be hunted over any area where seed has been top sown or broadcast on top of the soil leaving the seed available to feeding birds. Before hunting can occur on areas where seeds or small grains have been top sown or broadcast as a normal agricultural practice, all seed must have either germinated, or the seed must be covered with soil or completely removed by other means at least 10 days before hunting.
• Doves may be hunted in areas where seed producing plants such as corn, sunflowers, wheat and other small grains are manipulated (burned, knocked down, mowed) to attract doves for hunting. In this instance, the 10 day rule does not apply.
• It is unlawful to hunt waterfowl with the use or aid of live birds as decoys; although not limited to, it shall be a violation for any person to take wild waterfowl on an area where tame or captive live ducks, geese or swans (live decoys) are present unless the birds are, and have been for a period of ten (10) consecutive days before hunting, removed from the area or confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals the birds from the sight of wild migratory waterfowl.
• Live decoys may include but are not limited to the following:
  • Captive-raised and domestic waterfowl that have been released that do not exhibit the natural wariness of man associated with a wild bird.
  • Waterfowl that do not leave the area when hands are clapped and/or a shotgun is discharged.
  • Wounded waterfowl that have gone un-retrieved.
  • Waterfowl whose wings are either pinioned or whose outer primary feathers have been cut or removed to render flight impossible.
  • Captive-raised domestic ducks and geese (such as Muscovy ducks, Egyptian geese, etc.) may be considered live decoys if they do not exhibit the natural wariness of man associated with a wild bird.
  • Live ducks, geese, or swans that are either tethered or penned at or near a hunting location.
• It is unlawful to sell taxidermy-mounted migratory game birds for use as decoys.
• It is illegal to use common reed (i.e. Phragmites) in any manner for the construction of hunting blinds on lands owned or controlled by the Department of Natural Resources.
• It is against the law to construct, or cause to be constructed, permanent hunting blinds or tree stands and to leave waterfowl decoys set overnight on lands owned or controlled by the Department of Natural Resources, except with written permission from the department.
• It is unlawful to hunt wild migratory game birds on Sunday.
• It is against the law to hunt waterfowl from a sink box (low-floating device with depression that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water).
• It is unlawful to hunt waterfowl from or with the aid or use of a motor vehicle or any other motor-driven land conveyance or any aircraft.
• It is illegal to hunt waterfowl from or by means of any motorboat or sailboat unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled and the boat’s progress has ceased.
• It is against the law to hunt migratory game birds while in possession of any electronic calling device from which bird calls are conveyed or amplified and to use recordings of migratory game bird calls or sounds or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls except while hunting light geese during the Conservation Order Season.
• It is unlawful to drive, rally or chase waterfowl with any motorized conveyance or any sailboat to put the birds in the range of hunters.
• Captive-raised mallard ducks may not be released to the wild except under the authority of a Regulated Shooting Area Permit (see Regulated Shooting Areas Requirements), Retriever Training Permit or a Field Trial Permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources.

Migratory Game Bird Hunting Devices and Regulations

(For brant, coots, doves, ducks, geese, rails, snipe and woodcock.)

• It is unlawful to possess an air gun, rifle or pistol at any time while hunting brant, coots, ducks and geese.
• Only shotguns and some archery equipment may be used to hunt migratory game birds.
• It is illegal to have a loaded air gun or firearm in, on, or leaning against any vehicle. This includes ammunition in the magazine or a muzzleloader ready to fire.
• It is unlawful to hunt with an automatic firearm capable of firing a series of shots with one continuous pull of the trigger.
• It is unlawful to have a loaded crossbow in, on or leaning against a vehicle.
• A cocked crossbow without a bolt or arrow in the firing position is considered to be unloaded.
• It is against the law to shoot on, from or across any public road.

Shotguns

• Only shotguns that are 10-gauge or smaller may be used to hunt migratory game birds.
• Shotguns capable of holding more than three (3) shells must be plugged with a one-piece filler which cannot be removed from the loading end. Shotguns cannot hold more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined with the following exceptions:
  • when hunting resident Canada geese during the September Seasons.
  • when hunting light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order Season.
• Muzzleloading shotguns may be used to hunt all migratory game birds.
• It is illegal to take brant, coots, ducks, geese, rails and snipe with lead shot and to possess lead shot while hunting them. This restriction includes muzzleloading shotguns and taking captive-raised mallards on licensed Regulated Shooting Areas.
• Nontoxic shot (as determined by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service) must be used when hunting brant, coots, ducks, geese, rails and snipe. For current information on nontoxic shot requirements, visit the Maryland DNR's waterfowl and nontoxic shot page.
• Nontoxic shot larger than No. T (.20 inches in diameter) may not be used to hunt brant, coots, ducks, geese, rails and snipe.
• Hunters may not use or possess shotgun pumpkin balls, sabots or slugs while hunting brant, coots, ducks, geese, rails and snipe.
• Doves and woodcock may be taken with lead shot.

Archery Equipment

• Vertical bows may be used to hunt migratory game birds.
• Draw locking devices on vertical bows are not permitted when hunting brant, coots, ducks and geese.
• Crossbows may not be used to hunt brant, coots, ducks and geese.
• Crossbows may be used to hunt doves, rails, snipe and woodcock.
• The use of poisoned or explosive tipped arrows or bolts is not permitted.

Air Guns

• Air guns may not be used to hunt migratory birds, except air guns that shoot an arrow or bolt may be used to hunt doves and woodcock.