Keith Lusher 02.16.26
Maryland deer hunters harvested 84,201 deer through the mixed archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons operating from Sept. 6, 2024 by way of Feb. 4, 2025, in keeping with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The statewide complete marked a 15.9% improve over the 2023–24 harvest of 72,642 deer and was 10.4% increased than the five-year common of 76,272.
Of the entire harvest, hunters reported 32,148 antlered and 47,271 antlerless white-tailed deer, together with 2,143 antlered and a pair of,639 antlerless sika deer.
“Deer hunters throughout Maryland loved one other 12 months within the subject as snow and cooler temperatures made for a lot of profitable hunts later within the season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer mentioned in a press release. “Maryland’s deer inhabitants stays wholesome and we thank hunters for his or her help in managing the state’s deer inhabitants.”
Harvest numbers elevated throughout each of Maryland’s deer administration areas.
In Area A, which incorporates Western Maryland, hunters reported 10,275 deer, up 12.1% from 9,169 the earlier season. That complete included 5,836 antlered and 4,439 antlerless deer.
Area B, which covers the rest of the state, accounted for the majority of the harvest with 73,926 deer. That determine represents a 16.5% improve from final 12 months’s 63,473 deer. Hunters in Area B reported 28,455 antlered and 45,471 antlerless deer.
Frederick County as soon as once more led the state in whitetail harvest with 6,869 deer, a 4.9% improve over the earlier 12 months. Carroll County adopted with 5,988 deer, whereas Garrett County ranked third with 5,613. Baltimore and Washington counties rounded out the highest 5 with 5,239 and 5,066 deer, respectively.
Hunters harvested 9,459 deer on Sundays, accounting for 11.2% of the entire statewide harvest. Sunday deer looking is at present permitted solely throughout sure weeks in 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties.
The elevated harvest comes as Maryland continues balancing deer populations with forest well being.
Since 2005, the state’s white-tailed deer inhabitants has stabilized at roughly 235,000 animals, down from a peak of round 300,000 in 2002 however nonetheless considerably increased than historic ranges within the Eighties. On the identical time, the variety of licensed hunters has declined by greater than 40% because the Seventies.
Wildlife managers say sustaining an satisfactory harvest is crucial. Excessive deer densities can result in over-browsing, the place deer eat younger tree seedlings and understory vegetation sooner than forests can regenerate. In closely browsed forests, a visual “browse line” usually types at about six toes above the bottom, the place vegetation beneath that top has been closely nibbled.
Over-browsing can suppress younger forest progress and cut back habitat for different species akin to turkeys, quail, and pollinators. It could additionally enable invasive plant species to unfold extra simply, additional impacting forest regeneration.
State officers have emphasised that regulated looking stays one of the efficient instruments for managing deer populations whereas supporting long-term forest sustainability.
With a robust 2024–25 harvest and continued hunter participation, Maryland wildlife managers say the state stays on observe to keep up a wholesome deer herd and balanced ecosystem.
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