Hunting in Maryland: 3 Animals To Hunt in the Summer

During the steamiest months of summer, hunting in Maryland tends to take a back seat to fishing and other water sports. However, toward the end of summer, many outdoor enthusiasts start to turn their attention to hunting, as seasons open for animals and birds ranging from the sika deer and squirrel to migratory game birds like mourning doves.

Here is more information about these animals and how to hunt them in Maryland.

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1. Sika Deer
The deer season starts in Maryland during the waning days of summer. Yet the archery season for whitetail and sika deer generally starts during the first week of September. It is followed in the fall by brief muzzleloader seasons and then longer firearms seasons for the two respective deer, according to the Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland.

Unlike the whitetail deer, which is native to North America, the sika hails from Asia. The sika first appeared in the Chesapeake Bay area after a local wealthy resident released five of the deer. Smaller and much more vocal than a whitetail deer, the sika is the only deer that keeps its spots into maturity. It is closely related to elk, states the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

An adult, senior or junior hunting license is required for hunting either deer by archery or firearms. Hunters can take limitless numbers of antlered and antlerless deer of both types, except where special restrictions apply in Region B (Allegany, Garrett, and western Washington counties).

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2. Squirrel
Licensed hunters in Maryland can pursue squirrels through firearms or archery starting at about the first week in September. The open season lasts into February. The daily bag limit is six animals for gray and Eastern fox squirrels, but there is no bag limit for red or piney squirrels. Later in the year, hunters can begin to target rabbits, ruffed grouse, muskrat, minks and many other birds and small animals.

3. Mourning Dove
As one of numerous migratory game birds that can be hunted in Maryland, the mourning dove can be taken by either firearms or archery. It is illegal, however, to hunt the fowl with either a crossbow or a shotgun larger than 10-gauge. The first of three open seasons for the dove generally starts the first week of September, while the third one ends in January. Like other migratory birds, the dove can be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except in the dove’s first hunting segment, which lasts through early October. During that season, hunting can’t begin until noon. All hunters of doves and other migratory game birds must purchase a migratory bird stamp.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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