ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maryland hunters reported harvesting 10,889 deer during the opening weekend of the 2024 firearm hunting season, held Nov. 30–Dec. 1, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The figure closely mirrors last year’s total of 10,905 deer harvested during the same period.
The opening weekend’s total included 4,947 antlered and 5,605 antlerless white-tailed deer, along with 181 antlered and 156 antlerless sika deer. The firearm season will continue through Dec. 14, providing hunters additional opportunities to contribute to the state’s deer population management efforts.
Weather Conditions and Hunter Success
Despite challenging weather conditions, including below-normal temperatures and strong winds, Maryland hunters achieved notable success. Karina Stonesifer, Director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service, praised the results, stating, “Year after year, we are encouraged to see our most popular hunting season continue to be a success and new hunters taking advantage of the season.”
The harvest on Sunday, Dec. 1, accounted for 2,803 deer—just over 25% of the two-day total. Sunday hunting, however, was not available in all counties, which impacted the overall numbers.
Regional Breakdown
Maryland is divided into two hunting regions for tracking purposes:
- Region A: This region includes Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington counties. Hunters in these areas harvested 1,080 antlered deer, representing an 18% decline compared to last year.
- Region B: Comprising the remainder of the state, hunters here reported harvesting 4,048 antlered and 5,761 antlerless deer. The antlered deer harvest saw a 10% decline, while the antlerless harvest increased by 13% compared to last year.
Junior Hunters Shine During Special Hunt
Junior hunters demonstrated strong participation during the Junior Deer Hunt Days held on Nov. 16–17, harvesting 2,490 deer. This marks a nearly 12% increase over last year’s total of 2,226 deer. The junior harvest consisted of 1,673 antlered and 817 antlerless deer, showcasing the effectiveness of programs aimed at encouraging young people to engage in the sport.
Looking Ahead
The two-week firearm season will conclude on Dec. 14, giving hunters more time to achieve their harvest goals. Maryland DNR will release updated totals following the season’s conclusion, along with a detailed county-by-county breakdown.
Junior Hunt
Nov. 16-17, 2024Saturday
Nov. 30, 2024 Sunday
Dec. 1, 2024 County Antlered Antlerless Junior
TotalAntlered Antlerless Saturday Total Antlered Antlerless Sunday Total Opening Weekend Total Allegany 146 44 190 258 0 258 99 0 99 357 Anne Arundel 9 13 22 67 95 162 22 23 45 207 Baltimore 43 13 56 161 222 383 * * * 383 Calvert 12 14 26 41 88 129 11 31 42 171 Caroline 51 56 107 111 287 398 29 109 138 536 Carroll 129 56 185 320 428 748 122 167 289 1,037 Cecil 51 27 78 120 208 328 50 82 132 460 Charles 46 30 76 132 169 301 25 52 77 378 Dorchester whitetail 33 18 51 94 141 235 40 64 104 339 sika 19 26 45 109 81 190 48 49 97 287 Frederick 197 94 291 441 352 793 126 159 285 1,078 Garrett 290 69 359 420 0 420 147 0 147 567 Harford 23 20 43 146 230 376 36 69 105 481 Howard 13 8 21 68 115 183 * * * 183 Kent 49 29 78 156 297 453 61 94 155 608 Montgomery 55 31 86 125 116 241 39 59 98 339 Prince George’s 9 8 17 68 80 148 * * * 148 Queen Anne’s 49 34 83 162 271 433 53 119 172 605 Somerset whitetail 49 47 96 97 142 239 33 71 104 343 sika 1 0 1 1 2 3 0 0 0 3 St. Mary’s 47 24 71 70 122 192 24 54 78 270 Talbot 25 15 40 93 226 319 34 89 123 442 Washington 165 47 212 353 153 506 118 53 171 677 Wicomico whitetail 73 39 112 96 155 251 48 92 140 391 sika 2 4 6 14 13 27 6 6 12 39 Worcester whitetail 87 51 138 151 212 363 80 109 189 552 sika 0 0 0 3 4 7 0 1 1 8 Total 1,673 817 2,490 3,877 4,209 8,086 1,251 1,552 2,803 10,889 *Sunday hunting not permitted.
