Sika deer in Dorchester County. Photo by Anthony Burrows, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland’s two-week firearms hunting season for sika and white-tailed deer opens Saturday, Nov. 28 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 12.
The two-week season includes the opportunity to hunt on certain Sundays in all but three counties, affording hunters more weekend opportunities to hunt and contribute to managing Maryland’s deer population.
Bag limits and antlerless season dates for the firearm season, along with other deer hunting seasons and regulations, are available in the 2026-2027 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping.
Licenses and stamps may be purchased through the MD Outdoors licensing system or the free MD Outdoors mobile app, at a licensing agent, or by calling the department’s Licensing and Registration Service at 866-344-8889. Hunters who intend to pursue sika deer must purchase a sika hunting stamp as well. An antlered sika is defined as a sika deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.
Funds from hunting license purchases goes toward recruiting, educating, and certifying new hunters. The revenue is also used for acquiring and restoring wildlife habitats; maintaining and improving existing Wildlife Management Areas; providing technical assistance to landowners; and helping enforce wildlife laws and regulations for the benefit of all Marylanders.
Hunters are also reminded that an antler-point restriction remains in effect. Deer hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered deer taken within the established bag limit must meet the minimum point restriction. Licensed junior hunters and apprentice license holders, 16 years of age or younger, are exempt from this restriction.
Hunters should also be aware that the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area includes all of Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties. Hunters cannot transport whole carcasses or certain parts of deer harvested from within the management area to locations outside of its boundaries unless meeting certain exceptions. Research suggests chronic wasting disease is not naturally transmitted to humans. However, as a general safety precaution it is recommended that hunters avoid consuming the meat of sick animals as well as the brain, lymph nodes, or spinal column of any deer – all of which are normally removed during the butchering process.
During firearms season, Maryland requires deer hunters and their companions to wear daylight fluorescent orange or daylight fluorescent pink in one of the following manners: a cap of solid fluorescent daylight orange or pink, a vest or jacket containing back and front panels of at least 250 square inches of fluorescent daylight orange or pink, or an outer garment of camouflage daylight fluorescent orange or pink worn above the waist and containing at least 50 percent daylight fluorescent color.
Hunters should carefully inspect all tree stands and always wear a full-body safety harness while in the stand and while climbing in or out. The department strongly recommends using a sliding knot, commonly known as a prusik knot, attached to a line that is secured above the stand that allows the hunter to be safely tethered to the tree as soon as they leave the ground.
New this year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has established regulations for the use of drones (i.e., unmanned aircraft systems). Although using drones to locate and recover wounded or expired game is legal, it is illegal to use a drone to hunt, trap, or pursue any wildlife. Hunters must contact Natural Resources Police at 800-628-9944 before and after searching for any wounded or expired animal.
Hunters are encouraged to help others by donating deer taken in Maryland to food banks. A state tax credit is available to hunters when they pay for the processing of a deer and donate the venison. Other local or state programs are also available so hunters should check with their deer processors for more information.
