ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources opened the winter portion of the firearm deer hunting season on January 9, 2026, in Deer Management Region B, covering all counties except Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington County. Licensed hunters or those exempt from licensing requirements could use firearms to pursue white-tailed and sika deer through January 10, 2026, with additional Sunday hunting on January 11, 2026, in specified counties on private or designated public lands.
The season applied statewide for sika deer but focused on managing white-tailed populations in Region B, where deer numbers remain high. In Southern Maryland counties such as Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s, Sunday hunting occurred on private lands in Calvert and Charles, and on both private and designated public lands in St. Mary’s. Similar rules extended to Cecil, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties for public and private lands, while Caroline, Carroll, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Washington Zone 1 allowed Sunday hunting on private lands only. Shooting hours concluded at 10:30 a.m. in Kent, Montgomery, Talbot, and Wicomico counties to align with local regulations.
“The late firearms season provides hunters another chance before the end of Maryland’s 2025-2026 deer hunting season,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “Beyond hunters filling their freezers or donating deer to those in need, the typically strong antlerless harvest during the January firearms season is a significant contribution to managing the abundant deer population in Region B.”
Hunters required a valid hunting license unless exempt, such as juniors under 16 or certain landowners. Those targeting sika deer needed an additional sika stamp, available online via the department’s licensing portal, at agents, or by phone at 866-344-8889. Bag limits for sika deer stood at three total, with no more than one antlered, defined as having at least one antler above the hairline. For white-tailed deer, an antler-point restriction applied: hunters could take one antlered deer per year without three points on one antler, but additional antlered deer must meet the three-point minimum. Juniors 16 and under were exempt from this rule.
Safety requirements mandated daylight fluorescent orange or pink clothing, such as a solid cap, a vest with 250 square inches of panels, or camouflage outerwear with at least 50 percent fluorescent color above the waist. Tree stand users were urged to inspect equipment and wear full-body harnesses, with a recommendation for prusik knots on secured lines for continuous tethering from ground level.
Donations encouraged venison contributions to address food insecurity, with a state tax credit of $50 per deer up to $200 annually, plus $25 extra for processing antlerless deer in designated areas, following updates effective July 1, 2024, that removed prior caps for multiple donations. Programs like Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry coordinated with processors to distribute meat, supporting local needs in Southern Maryland where venison aids food banks amid rising demand.
This segment marked the final firearm opportunity in the 2025-2026 season, following earlier archery, muzzleloader, and initial firearm periods. Hunters registered 27,620 deer during the two-week November-December firearm hunt, including 12,396 antlerless, reflecting efforts to control populations estimated at over 200,000 statewide, with Region B holding the majority due to fertile habitats. Early season harvests totaled 18,930 deer, down 8.1 percent from prior years, amid variable weather and participation.
Deer management in Maryland evolved from early 20th-century restocking after overhunting depleted herds to current strategies balancing ecological health, crop damage mitigation, and recreational opportunities. Region B’s liberal bag limits—up to 15 antlerless in some zones—address overabundance causing vehicle collisions and forest regeneration issues, with annual harvests around 80,000 supporting stable populations. In Southern Maryland, agricultural lands intermixed with woodlands create ideal habitats, drawing hunters from urban edges like Prince George’s County.
Regulations prohibited baiting in most areas, required immediate tagging, and mandated telecheck registration within 24 hours via app, phone, or online. Sika deer, concentrated in Eastern Shore counties like Dorchester and Somerset, provided unique pursuits, with harvests contributing to cultural traditions in coastal communities. The department’s guide detailed zone maps, with Region B subdivided for tailored management.
