Firearms Season for Deer Reopens Jan. 4

ANNAPOLIS (December 26, 2018)—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the winter portion of the firearm deer hunting season opens Jan. 4, 2019, in Deer Management Region B, which includes all of the state except the westernmost counties. Hunters with a valid hunting license may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this season.

The season is open Jan. 4 and 5, 2019 in all Region B counties and Jan. 6, 2019—on private lands only—in Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary's, Washington (Zone 1), and Worcester counties. On Jan. 6, 2019, shooting hours end at 10:30 a.m. in Kent and Montgomery counties.

"The late firearms season is popular with many hunters as it provides another opportunity to hunt after the holidays," Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. "The resulting deer harvest helps us meet our deer population objectives in Region B."

Hunters are encouraged to consult the Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping ( www.eregulations.com/maryland/hunting/ ) for recent changes to bag limits, regulations and registration procedures. During firearms season, Maryland requires deer hunters and their companions to wear daylight fluorescent orange or 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 climbing in or out and while in the stand. The department strongly recommends using a sliding knot, commonly known as a prussic 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.

Maryland hunters are encouraged to donate any extra deer they may harvest to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry ( dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/hunt_trap/fhfh.aspx ). New this year, hunters may claim a tax credit of up to $50 for each legally harvested deer that is processed and donated to a nonprofit food sharing program. The maximum credit in any one tax year is $200 per hunter. The approved form to claim this credit is available online at dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Feed-the-Hungry-Form.pdf.