Bear Hunters' Guide to Hunting Black Bears in Maryland 2009

What’s New for the 2009 Bear Hunting Season

New Pre-Hunt Meeting Attendance Requirements:

Pre-hunt meeting attendance remains MANDATORY for any permittees who have not attended a pre-hunt meeting in previous years.

Pre-hunt meeting attendance is OPTIONAL for any permittees who have attended a pre-hunt meeting in previous years.

Pre-hunt meeting attendance remains optional for subpermittees and landowner subpermittees.
 

New Regulation: Persons required to wear fluorescent orange that hunt from a ground blind that has four sides, a top, and is placed no more than 4 feet above the ground must display, on or within 25 feet of the blind, a cap of solid daylight fluorescent orange color or a panel, band, strip, or garment containing at least 250 square inches (approximately 16” x 16”) of solid daylight fluorescent orange color. See Fluorescent Orange.
 

In 2007, DNR implemented a Preference Point System for bear hunting permit applicants. Each year that a hunter applies for a bear hunting permit he/she will receive one preference point if they are not selected for a bear hunting permit. The preference points will provide additional entries in future drawings. Applicants will get one additional entry in the random drawing for each year they are a concurrent applicant.

Applicants must apply each year to retain preference points. If an applicant skips a year, all preference points will be forfeited.

Once an applicant is selected to receive a bear hunting permit, all preference points will be forfeited.

If an applicant is selected in the random drawing, but forfeits the permit, all preference points will be forfeited.

Applicants will not forfeit preference points by participating in the hunt as a Subpermittee or Landowner Subpermittee.

Applicants have the opportunity to purchase a preference point only. This will allow those hunters who cannot hunt in 2009 the opportunity to retain their preference points for use in future drawings without risk of losing them.

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