Maryland Deer Harvest Declines 5% in Recent Season

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released figures showing a 5% decrease in the deer harvest during the recent hunting season, which spanned from September 8, 2023, to February 3, 2024. Hunters across the state reported a total harvest of 72,642 deer, a drop from the previous season’s 76,687. The comprehensive tally includes both the popular white-tailed deer and the less common sika deer, with hunters taking 30,025 antlered and 38,511 antlerless white-tailed deer, alongside 1,912 antlered and 2,194 antlerless sika deer.

Karina Stonesifer, the Director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service, highlighted the importance of deer hunting for the state. “Maryland hunters enjoyed another successful season and managed to put some venison in their freezers,” Stonesifer noted. She underscored deer hunting’s critical role in managing the state’s deer population, which helps mitigate agricultural damage and reduce deer-vehicle collisions.

An interesting aspect of this season’s harvest is the contribution of Sunday hunting, which accounted for 10% of the total deer taken. Limited to specific weeks and available in only 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties, Sunday hunting yielded 7,074 deer, illustrating its significance in the annual hunting calendar.

The data further revealed regional variances in the harvest numbers. In Region A, which encompasses Western Maryland, the harvest saw a slight decrease of 4%, with hunters reporting 9,169 deer, compared to 9,552 the previous year. This region’s harvest was composed of 5,678 antlered and 3,491 antlerless deer. Conversely, Region B, which covers the remainder of the state, experienced a 6% decline, with 63,473 deer harvested compared to 67,135 the previous year. The breakdown in this region showed 26,259 antlered and 37,214 antlerless deer.

Frederick County led the state with the highest number of deer reported at 6,549, maintaining its position as a top location for hunters. Carroll and Garrett counties followed with 5,729 and 5,108 deer, respectively, while Baltimore and Washington counties rounded out the top five, showcasing the diverse and rich hunting grounds available across Maryland.

This season’s harvest underscores the ongoing efforts by Maryland hunters and the Department of Natural Resources to balance wildlife conservation with recreational hunting. Despite the slight decrease, deer hunting in Maryland continues to be a vital activity for both population management and as a cherished tradition among the hunting community.