Maryland Deer Forecast: Herd is Stable, Hunting Should Be Strong

• This whitetail hunting forecast for the state of Msrylamd is part of Game & Fish’s “Great States" project identifying the best deer-hunting states in the country. Read more: America's Top Whitetail States

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Burly Whitetails in the Mountains, Sika in the Eastern Shore Marshes

Maryland doesn’t get the love it deserves for whitetail hunting. It just might be the best whitetail destination along the mid-Atlantic and northward. The state offers great deer harvests, moderate hunting pressure and excellent opportunities at mature bucks. Fortunately, according to biologists, the 2024 deer season is shaping up quite nicely.

Currently, the deer herd holds about 200,000 whitetails. This year, approximately 90,000-95,000 hunters should head afield.

Maryland may be only 26th in Game & Fish’s "America’s Top Whitetail States” rankings, but still scores well for public-land hunting access and deer harvest for its size.

• Did You Know? According to Maryland DNR, 7,074 deer were harvested on Sundays last year, which was 10 percent of the total harvest. Hunting deer on Sunday is only permitted during certain weeks in 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties.

Jonathan Trudeau, who is the black bear and co-deer project leader with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, gives high remarks for this fall and winter.

Maryland is a unique state for hunting deer. Trudeau notes how hunters can pursue whitetails and sika deer. Plus, hunters can choose from various habitat types, including coastal areas with pines, challenging mountainous terrain and everything in between.

All said, Maryland is a bow-centric state. This is a heavily populated state, but also offers some ag ground and rugged forested areas away from the cities. Trudeau encourages hunters to knock on farmers’ doors and inquire about hunting. Here, many farmers are willing to offer hunting access.

Trudeau says the deer herd is stable, and he compares 2024 projections to recent harvests. Maryland’s five-year harvest average is more than 70,000 deer.

• It’s a Fact: Maryland hunters harvested 72,642 deer during the 2023-2024 season, 4,106 of which were sika deer.

Herd health: EHD hasn’t taken a toll this year, either. That said, it is still recovering from the 2022 EHD outbreak along the Lower Shore area. Fortunately, it’s bouncing back well. CWD has left its mark on the state, too. This year, the CWD Management Area expands to include Allegany, Carrol, Frederick, and Washington counties.

Get more info: Buy your hunting licenses, deer permits, etc. here. Check out the 2024 deer season dates here.

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