The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently reported that deer hunters harvested 5% less deer during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, from Sept. 8 through Feb. 3.
A female deer is pictured. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently reported the deer harvest totals for the season, which were down 5% from last year.
Photo courtesy Debbie Blair via DNR photo contest
Worcester numbers 4.7% less than last season
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently reported that deer hunters harvested a total 72,642 deer during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, from Sept. 8 through Feb. 3, which was down 5% from last year’s numbers.
According to data from the DNR, Worcester County made up for 2,678 of the total, counting both white-tailed and sika deer. And while the sika numbers were about on par with last season, the white-tailed deer totals were down 4.7 percent for the county.
The statewide harvest consisted of 30,025 antlered and 38,511 antlerless white-tailed deer, and 1,912 antlered and 2,194 antlerless sika deer. The harvest was 5% lower than the 2022-23 total of 76,687 deer.
Hunters harvested 7,074 deer on Sundays, comprising 10% of the total harvest statewide. Hunting deer on Sunday is only permitted during certain weeks in 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties, including Worcester County.
The harvest in deer management Region A (Western Maryland) decreased 4%, from 9,552 deer last year to 9,169 this year. Hunters in the western counties reported 5,678 antlered and 3,491 antlerless deer.
Hunters in Region B — the remainder of the state — harvested 63,473 deer, down 6% from 67,135 deer harvested last year. A total of 26,259 antlered and 37,214 antlerless deer were reported in the region.
Frederick County had the highest reported harvest this year, with 6,549 deer reported. Carroll County followed with 5,729, and Garrett County was third with 5,108. Baltimore and Washington counties rounded out the top five with 4,550 and 4,418 deer, respectively.