Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland

Bear Hunters' Guide to Hunting Black Bears in Maryland 2009

Black Bear Hunting Regulations

The following rules and regulations apply specifically to black bear hunting in Maryland.

Who May Hunt

Only holders of a bear hunting permit and their designated subpermittees may hunt black bear. In addition to the bear hunting permit, all hunters must also possess the appropriate regular Maryland hunting license. Landowners will not be required to possess a regular hunting license if they hunt only on their property, but they will need to apply for and possess a bear hunting permit before they can hunt bears on their property.

Area Open to Bear Hunting

All of Garrett and Allegany counties.

Map of Bear Hunt Area

Open Season

The black bear hunting season will be October 26 – 31, 2009.

Legal Hours

Legal shooting hours for black bear hunting are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset.

Bag Limit

One bear per permitted team of hunters; a permittee and subpermittee team of hunters may kill only one black bear. Any individual hunter may harvest no more than one bear per season. Any black bear is legal for hunters to harvest.

Fluorescent Orange

All bear hunters and people assisting bear hunters must wear fluorescent orange according to the requirements set forth.

Subpermittee

A subpermittee may hunt black bears only when the permittee is hunting black bears. Landowner subpermittee permits are valid only on the landowner’s property. Landowner subpermittees cannot hunt on their property without the permittee being present on the landowner’s property at the time of the hunt.

Contact Between Hunters

A permittee and any subpermittee shall maintain visual contact with one another while hunting black bears. The use of audio enhancement devices such as two-way radios or cell phones is not considered visual contact.

Hunter Assistance

A person that assists with the removal of a dead bear or escorts hunters into or out of a bear hunting area is not required to possess a bear hunting permit; they must be unarmed and wear fluorescent orange.

Bears in Dens

Hunters may not chase or disturb any bear that has taken refuge in a den.

Use of Dogs

The use of dogs for hunting black bears is prohibited, except under the following circumstances:

  • If a hunter has killed, wounded, or injured a black bear, they may use a dog, or dog handler, to recover the bear.
  • Only the bear hunter may carry a firearm or bow of any description while tracking a bear.
  • The hunter may kill a wounded or injured black bear only if done in accordance with the laws, regulations, or other conditions for black bear hunting.
  • The black bear shall count toward the bag limit or quota of the hunter who first killed, wounded, or injured the black bear.
  • Before tracking a black bear, the hunter shall notify, by telephone or in person, the Natural Resources Police at (301-777-7771). The hunter shall provide information as to:

  • Where the bear was killed, wounded, or injured;
  • The name, address, telephone number, and hunting license number of the hunter and dog handler;
  • The general location of the dead, wounded, or injured bear; and
  • The name of the landowner where the search will be conducted.
  • The dog handler shall maintain physical control of the leashed tracking dog at all times while conducting the search.
  • The hunter shall obtain permission of the landowner or land manager before tracking a black bear with dogs.

    • Baiting/Attracting Bears

    The use of any bait, scent attractants or electronic calls is prohibited for black bear hunting.

    Checking and Tagging Requirements

    All successful hunters are required to tag and check their bear as follows:

  • A hunter killing a black bear shall attach the black bear field tag to the carcass of the black bear before removing the carcass from the place of the kill.
  • All black bears shall be field dressed at the kill site. Proof of sex shall remain attached to the bear carcass.
  • A black bear may be quartered or separated into pieces to facilitate retrieval. However, the head and hide shall remain attached to each other and proof of sex shall remain attached to one hindquarter.
  • A hunter killing a black bear must report to an official designated black bear checking station with the entire carcass of the black bear by 8 PM of the day of kill. Once the hunter takes the bear to a checking station, the tag previously attached on the carcass will be exchanged for an official black bear possession tag provided by WHS and securely attached to the carcass.
  • If a hunter kills a bear and cannot reach a designated black bear checking station by 8 PM of the day of kill, the hunter must contact the WHS at 301-334-4255 by 8 PM on the day of the kill to report the kill. The hunter shall then have 24 hours to report with the black bear carcass to a designated black bear checking station.
  • All successful black bear hunters shall forfeit any biological data or specimens that WHS considers necessary to properly manage this species.
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    Hunting Season Closure

    WHS has set a limit of 240 bear hunting permits available for the 2009 hunting season. WHS has also selected a targeted harvest rate of 60 to 85 bears. Once that harvest rate is reached, WHS will close the season. After the season closure, it will be illegal for any person who possesses a bear-hunting permit to further hunt bears.

    Sale of Bear Parts

    Hunters may not sell parts of any bear that has been killed in Maryland.