24 Percent Harvest Increase Aided by Good Weather Sunday
Hunters reported harvesting 13,488 deer on the opening weekend of the 2016 Maryland firearm season, the state's most popular hunting season. The harvest represents a 24 percent increase over last year's estimate of 10,859 for the same period. The total includes 6,159 antlered and 7,329 antlerless deer with sika deer comprising 224 of the antlered and 232 of the antlerless totals. The two-week deer firearm season runs through Dec. 10.
"Windy conditions Saturday may have slowed the harvest slightly, but hunters took advantage of better weather conditions Sunday to post a strong overall harvest for the opening weekend," said Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto.
Hunters in Region A – mainly western Maryland – reported harvesting 1,110 deer for the weekend, nearly identical to the 1,147 reported last year. In Region B, the antlered deer harvest increased from 3,878 last year to 5,049 this year and the antlerless harvest increased from 5,834 to 7,329 in 2016.
Deer hunters harvested 3,560 deer (1,455 antlered, 2,105 antlerless) Sunday, an increase of 1,146 from last year. Hunting is permitted on select Sundays in 20 counties and has become increasingly popular with hunters across the state. Frederick County led the Sunday harvest with 390 deer taken.
"Sunday hunting continues to afford hunters with more opportunities to share time with family and friends out in the fields and woods," Peditto said. "This additional harvest day clearly provides a valuable tool in managing our statewide deer population for the benefit of all."
Those hunters who use tree stands are strongly advised to wear a full-body safety harness, which should be secured at all times, including while climbing up or down the stand. Using a sliding knot, commonly known as a prussic knot, attached to a line that is tied above the stand allows hunters to be secure from when they leave the ground to their return. For more information on tree-stand safety, please click here.
Maryland Unofficial Opening Weekend Firearm Deer Harvest 11/26-27/16 Saturday 11/26 Sunday 11/27 County Antlered Antlerless Total Antlered Antlerless Total Grand Total Allegany 317 0 317 85 0 85 402 Anne Arundel 85 148 233 26 53 79 312 Baltimore 180 341 521 * * * 521 Calvert 69 106 175 29 35 64 239 Caroline whitetail 169 227 396 58 126 184 580 sika 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Carroll 397 429 826 125 176 301 1,127 Cecil 139 197 336 51 95 146 482 Charles 144 166 310 44 81 125 435 Dorchester whitetail 172 235 407 61 121 182 589 sika 136 135 271 73 78 151 422 Frederick 548 619 1,167 162 228 390 1,557 Garrett 370 0 370 130 0 130 500 Harford 132 230 362 28 74 102 464 Howard 76 133 209 * * * 209 Kent 194 274 468 86 133 219 687 Montgomery 197 239 436 43 72 115 551 Prince George's 107 151 258 * * * 258 Queen Anne's 174 279 453 52 156 208 661 Somerset whitetail 133 177 310 49 112 161 471 sika 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 St. Mary's 75 151 226 28 58 86 312 Talbot 130 215 345 46 129 175 520 Washington 396 184 580 118 84 202 782 Wicomico whitetail 177 267 444 63 105 168 612 sika 11 13 24 2 4 6 30 Worcester whitetail 174 307 481 96 184 280 761 sika 1 1 2 0 0 0 2 Total 4,704 5,224 9,928 1,455 2,105 3,560 13,488 *Sunday hunting not permitted
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