Ciekot: 3 hunting regulations Maryland is considering
January can be a great hunting month, but it’s also a worrisome time of year as it’s when the legislative and regulatory seasons begin, our least favorite seasons of the year.
The legislative session in Maryland is just beginning and things are sure to pick up steam over the next few months. Regulatory changes are in the beginning stages as well and there are some interesting ideas already that favor hunters.
Let’s start with the Maryland Legislature. So far the three bills of interest include HB0104, which would require the DNR to establish a voluntary donation process in the electronic licensing system to benefit the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays trust. SB0094 would clarify that pigeons are unprotected birds for the purposes of wildlife and hunting laws in Maryland. HB0091 would restore the landowner exemption to the hunter orange requirement, something the DNR buried deep in legislation and took away from landowners last year. Stay tuned though, there are sure to be more bills to come.
On the regulatory front this is the year when our DNR has its every other year cycle of proposed changes, stakeholder meetings, public meetings and new hunting rules. At this point the first proposals from the department are out and the stakeholder meeting is set for early February. I’ll have more to report after that meeting, but so far it all looks good for hunters.
The first proposal is for black bear hunters and would add one more day to the annual October hunt, increasing it to a total of five days. No changes to the hunt zone or permit numbers are in the package so far.
A second proposal concerns webless migratory birds like doves and rails. Several years ago the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service changed the main waterfowl season to compensate states that didn’t allow Sunday hunting, letting those states add days to make up for the lost Sundays. This year the proposal would do the same for the webless migratory birds.
DNR gave the example that this year there were 12 Sundays in the dove season and six in the woodcock season. The new regs would add that number of hunting days in future years.
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Deer proposals only concern whitetail deer so far, specifically the numbers of bucks allowed per hunter. New proposals would change the old one buck per weapon season limit to a new two buck total that could be taken in the same season, but only one per day. There would be one possible bonus tag for a final tally of three possible bucks. You would not be required to shoot two does before using the bonus tag under this system, but one of your first two bucks would have to meet the current antler restriction rules.
Don't forget turkey season
It often gets overlooked with all the deer and waterfowl seasons happening this time of year, but the Maryland winter turkey season will soon be upon us. Set for Jan. 18-20, with a bag limit of one turkey of either sex (that’s one bird total in the fall/winter seasons if you ventured to western Maryland in the fall) this winter hunt is a big change of pace from hunting the birds during the normal spring breeding season.
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Outdoor Calendar
Jan. 12-14: 44th annual East Coast Fishermen’s and Aquaculture Trade Expo, OC Convention Center, Ocean City, www.marylandwatermen.com
Jan. 13-20: Delaware shotgun deer season
Jan. 18-20: Maryland winter wild turkey season
Jan. 22-27: Delaware late muzzleloader deer season
Through Jan. 27: Maryland woodcock season
Through Jan. 27: Maryland and Delaware regular duck season
Through Jan. 28: Virginia regular duck and AP Canada goose seasons
Through Jan. 31: Maryland archery deer season
Through Jan. 31: Maryland brant season
Through Jan. 31: Virginia tundra swan season
Feb. 3-11: Great American Outdoor Show, Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, www.greatamericanoutdoorshow.org
Through Feb. 3: Maryland and Delaware AP Canada goose seasons
Through Feb. 3: Maryland regular light/snow goose season
Feb. 16-18: Ocean City Seaside Boat Show, OC Convention Center, Ocean City, www.ocboatshow.com