Hunting News

Hunters harvest 77,000 deer for 2018-19 season

Hunters harvest 77,000 deer for 2018-19 season

By Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Hunters harvested 77,382 deer during Maryland’s combined archery, firearms and muzzleloader seasons, Sept. 7, 2018, through Jan. 31. Sunday hunting accounted for more than 10 percent of the total harvest.

Statewide totals include 29,699 antlered and 44,249 antlerless white-tailed deer; 1,609 antlered and 1,825 antlerless sika deer. The harvest was 11 percent lower than the 2017-2018 total of 86,542 deer, because multiple rain and ice events on key Saturdays limited success for hunters this season.

Although the total harvest was down, the number of antlerless deer taken represented 60 percent of the overall harvest. Also, the statewide harvest of button bucks was down 25 percent this year, an important outcome for future buck hunting opportunities in Maryland.

“Poor weather dampened success on prime Saturdays, especially during the firearms season this year,” said Paul Peditto, Wildlife and Heritage Service director. “However, the addition of Sunday hunting in several counties offered an alternative day to effectively fill the gap for hunters and farmers who are often limited to weekend hunting days only. Nearly 8,500 deer were taken on Sundays this season, up nearly 20 percent from prior year Sunday hunt totals.”

The harvest in deer management Region A (Western Maryland) decreased three percent, from 10,003 deer last year to 9,705 this year. Hunters in these counties reported 5,608 antlered and 4,097 antlerless deer.

Hunters in Region B — the remainder of the state — harvested 67,677 deer, down 12 percent from 76,539 deer harvested last year. A total of 25,700 antlered and 41,977 antlerless deer were reported in this region.

Frederick County led the harvest totals again this year with 6,545 deer, followed by Carroll County with 5,421 and Garrett County with 4,973 deer. Washington and Baltimore counties rounded out the top five with 4,620 and 4,604 deer, respectively.

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