Maryland hunting season dates

• Sep 5 – Oct 15 Archery Archery — early split.
• Oct 19 – Nov 28 Archery Archery — mid split.
• Dec 15 – Dec 19 Archery Archery.
• Jan 4 – Jan 8 Archery Archery — January.
• Jan 12 – Jan 31 Archery Archery — late January.
• Oct 16 – Oct 18 Muzzleloader Muzzleloader — October.
• Oct 20 – Oct 25 Muzzleloader Muzzleloader — antlerless (Region B).
• Dec 20 – Jan 3 Muzzleloader Muzzleloader — late.
• Nov 29 – Dec 13 Firearm Firearms.
• Jan 9 – Jan 11 Firearm Firearms — January (Region B).

Bag limit: see agency · Bag limits differ by Deer Management Region (A = far-western Allegany/Garrett + western Washington; B = the rest of the state) and are generous on antlerless in Region B. Sika deer are also hunted on the lower Eastern Shore where found. Confirm your region and bag with MD DNR.

Hours: 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset. Seasons shown are Region B (the majority of the state); Region A (Allegany, Garrett + western Washington) differs slightly — a tract in Region A resolves to its own windows. Sika deer are a separate huntable on the lower Eastern Shore. Sunday hunting is allowed only on specific dates/lands and varies by county — check MD DNR’s Sunday-hunting chart. Latest published (2025-26); 2026-27 dates are set later.

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Apr 11 – Apr 12 Youth Junior turkey hunt days (2025 dates — 2026 TBA).
• Apr 18 – May 23 Shotgun Spring — statewide (2025 dates — 2026 TBA).
• Nov 1 – Nov 9 Shotgun Fall — Allegany, Garrett & Washington counties only; either sex.
• Jan 22 – Jan 24 Shotgun Winter — statewide; either sex.

Bag limit: 2

Spring: 2 bearded turkeys per season (1 per day). Spring hours ½h before sunrise to NOON for Apr 18–May 9, then to sunset May 10–23. Fall (Allegany/Garrett/Washington only) and winter are 1 bird either sex. Latest published (2025-26).

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Sep 18 – Sep 27 Shotgun September teal (Eastern zone).
• Oct 4 – Oct 18 Shotgun Ducks — Western zone first split.
• Oct 11 – Oct 18 Shotgun Ducks — Eastern zone first split.
• Nov 15 – Nov 28 Shotgun Ducks — Eastern zone second split.
• Nov 22 – Nov 28 Shotgun Ducks — Western zone second split.
• Dec 16 – Jan 31 Shotgun Ducks — both zones, final split.

Bag limit: 6

Daily bag 6 ducks with federal sublimits. Maryland splits ducks into an Eastern and a Western zone (boundaries are road-defined and sub-county); windows above are the union — confirm your zone with MD DNR. Hours: 30 min before sunrise to sunset. Geese run separately with several zone/population seasons.

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Sep 1 – Sep 15 Shotgun Early resident Canada goose (Eastern & Western hunt zones).
• Nov 22 – Nov 28 Shotgun Late resident Canada goose — first split.
• Dec 19 – Jan 3 Shotgun Migratory (Atlantic Population) Canada goose — first split.
• Jan 14 – Jan 31 Shotgun Migratory (Atlantic Population) Canada goose — second split.
• Dec 15 – Mar 7 Shotgun Late resident Canada goose (Western/Southern MD zones).

Bag limit: 5

Maryland has several overlapping goose seasons: early resident (Sep, 15/day), migratory Atlantic Population (Dec–Jan, lower limit), and late resident (into March), split across Eastern/Western/Southern hunt zones. Bag varies by season/zone — the resident bag is 5/day (15 in the early season). Light geese and a Light Goose Conservation Order also run. Confirm your zone and dates with MD DNR. Latest published (2025-26).

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Sep 1 – Oct 18 Shotgun First split.
• Oct 25 – Nov 28 Shotgun Second split.
• Dec 20 – Jan 9 Shotgun Third split.

Bag limit: 15

Daily bag 15. Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset (Maryland migratory-bird hours). Latest published (2025-26).

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Sep 6 – Feb 28 General Gray & fox squirrel; statewide.

Bag limit: 6

Daily bag 6 (gray & fox squirrel). Season Sep 6 – Feb 28. The endangered Delmarva fox squirrel (lower Eastern Shore) is protected and may not be taken. Latest published (2025-26).

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)

• Nov 1 – Feb 28 General Eastern cottontail; statewide.

Bag limit: 4

Daily bag 4. Season Nov 1 – Feb 28. Latest published (2025-26).

2025-26 season · verified 2026-07-27 · Maryland DNR — 2025-26 Hunting Seasons Calendar (latest published)