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Migratory Game Birds
Webless Migratory Game Birds
Seasons & Bag Limits
Early Resident Canada Goose and Teal Seasons & Bag Limits
Late Waterfowl Seasons & Bag Limits
Hunting for
migratory game birds (coot, dove, rails, snipe, waterfowl, and woodcock) is
regulated by the federal government under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) establishes hunting
season guidelines for migratory game birds after reviewing data on
population trends and reproductive success. Guidelines include maximum
number of hunting days, maximum bag limit, and the earliest and latest dates
the season can start and end. States are allowed to select season dates and
bag limits from within these guidelines. State selections can be more
restrictive than the federal guidelines.
Guidelines for late seasons, such
as regular duck and goose seasons, are available in August and become final
in early September. Comments are sought from the public on the proposed
waterfowl seasons in public information meetings that are held in late
August. Early Migratory Game Bird Seasons (for example, dove and resident
Canada geese) are listed on the next page. Season dates and bag limits
listed here are conditional on USFWS approval in late August.
Hunting Hours
Hunting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset, except
for:
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Mourning dove during the first season
segment, when shooting hours are from noon to sunset;
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Teal during the 9-day September teal
season, when shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset; and
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Resident Canada geese during the
September seasons, when shooting hours are from one-half hour before
sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Licensing and
Stamp Requirements
A Regular Hunting License, Junior Hunting License, any senior
hunting license, or a Nonresident (full term or short term) Hunting License
is required to hunt migratory game birds in Maryland. All migratory game
bird hunters, including those who are exempt from the hunting license
requirement, must purchase a Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp. In
addition, all waterfowl and coot hunters over the age of 15, including those
who are exempt from the hunting license requirement, must purchase a Federal
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. See
Licenses, Stamps & Permits for other requirements, descriptions,
prices, and availability of licenses, stamps, and permits.
Unlawful Methods
Migratory game birds may not be taken with traps, snares, nets,
crossbows, rifles, pistols, swivel guns, fish hooks, poisons, drugs,
explosives or stupefying substances. Migratory game birds may not be taken
with a shotgun capable of holding more than 3 shells (except resident Canada
geese during the Sept. season) unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler
which is incapable of removal without disassembling the shotgun. Shotguns
larger than 10 gauge may not be used to hunt migratory game birds.
Nontoxic Shot and
Unlawful Shot
Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl, coots, rails,
and snipe. Hunters may not use or possess nontoxic shot larger than size
number T (0.20 inches in diameter). Hunters may not use or possess
shotshells loaded with a material other than steel, bismuth, tungsten-iron,
tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix, or other shot determined by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to be non-toxic (see
www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issues/nontoxic_shot/nontoxic.htm).
Hunters may not use or possess shotgun
slugs or rifled slugs while hunting waterfowl, coots, rails, and snipe.
Daily Bag Limit
You may take, in any one day, only the bag limit prescribed for
each species.
Field Possession
Limit
You may possess no more than one daily bag limit while in the
field or returning from the field to your vehicle, hunting camp, or home.
Possession Limit
The maximum number of migratory game birds of a single species or
combination of species permitted to be possessed by any one person.
Wanton Waste
No person shall kill or cripple any migratory game bird without
making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird, and retain it in his/her
actual custody.
Possession of
Live Birds
Wounded birds reduced to possession shall immediately be killed
and included in your daily bag limit.
Dressing
The head or one fully feathered wing must remain attached to all
birds while being transported from the field to home or a processor. Never
completely field dress any migratory game bird (except dove) before
transporting the birds from the field.
Tagging
If you are giving, putting or leaving migratory game birds at any
place or in the possession of another person, you must tag each bird with
the following information: (a) hunter’s signature, (b) hunter’s address, (c)
total number and species of birds killed, and (d) dates the birds were
killed. Tagging is required even if someone else is transporting the bird
for you or the bird has been left for cleaning, storage (including temporary
storage), shipment or taxidermy services.
Shipment
Tagged migratory game birds may not be shipped unless the package
is marked on the outside with the following information:
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Name and address of the person sending
the bird,
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Name and address of the person to whom
the bird is being sent, and
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Number of birds, by species, contained
in the package.
It is Unlawful
To:
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Hunt migratory game birds with the aid
of baiting (placing feed such as corn, wheat, salt or other feed that
constitutes a lure or enticement). An area is considered by law to be
baited for 10 days after removal of the bait. It is not necessary for
you to know that an area is baited to be in violation. Doves may not be
hunted over any area that has been seeded by broadcasting, unless the
seed has either germinated, been plowed or disced under or removed.
Hunting is permitted only after 10 days following the complete removal
of all grain or other feed. However, doves may be hunted in areas where
seed-producing plants such as corn, sunflowers, wheat, and other small
grains are manipulated (mowed, knocked down, burned) to attract doves
for hunting purposes. In this instance, the 10-day rule does not apply.
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Sell taxidermy-mounted waterfowl for
use as decoys.
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Possess any rifle or pistol at any
time while hunting waterfowl and coots.
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Use common reed (Phragmites
australis) in any manner for the construction of blinds on lands
owned or controlled by DNR.
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Construct, or cause to be constructed,
permanent blinds or tree stands, and to leave waterfowl decoys set
overnight on lands owned or controlled by DNR, except with written
permission from DNR.
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Hunt migratory game birds after sunset
except resident Canada geese during the September seasons, when shooting
hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after
sunset.
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Hunt wild migratory game birds on
Sunday.
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Hunt any animal other than deer on the
opening day of Deer Firearms Season except sea ducks in the Sea Duck
Zone.
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Hunt from a sink box (low floating
device with depression that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of
the water).
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Hunt from or with the aid or use of a car or any
other motor-driven land conveyance or any aircraft.
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Hunt from or by means of any motorboat or sailboat
unless the motor has been completely shut off and /or the sail furled
and the boat’s progress has ceased.
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Use recordings of migratory game bird
calls and sounds or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls.
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Drive, rally or chase birds with any
motorized conveyance or any sailboat to put the birds in the range of
hunters.
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Use or have the aid of live decoys.
Waterfowl hunting is not permitted on areas within which captive
waterfowl are or have been confined in a closed structure and constitute
a visible lure. All live, tame or captive ducks and geese must be
removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting. They must
be confined in an enclosure that substantially reduces the audibility of
their calls and totally conceals such birds from the sight of wild
migratory waterfowl. Please refer to
Keys to Aid Hunters in Identification
of Live Decoys for additional information.
Offshore Duck Blind Laws
For current laws and regulations visit the DNR website at
http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/waterfowl.asp.
Sea Duck and
Offshore Waterfowl Hunting Zones
Obtain maps and descriptions of Sea Duck and Offshore Waterfowl
Hunting Zones from DNR Wildlife & Heritage Service Offices
or visit our website at
http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/waterfowl.asp. Nonresidents must be
accompanied by a Maryland resident while hunting in designated waters.
Releasing Captive-Raised
Mallards
Captive-raised mallard ducks may not be released to the wild
except under the authority of a Regulated
Shooting Area Permit, Retriever
Training Permit, or a special Field Trial Permit issued by DNR. Permits
for conducting sanctioned field trials during closed seasons must be
obtained from
DNR Regional
Wildlife and Heritage Offices.
See below for information on Regulated Shooting Areas.
Regulated
Shooting Area (RSA) Requirements
A Regulated Shooting Area is a tract of land on which the
licensee may release and shoot captive-raised mallard ducks and other game
birds. Requirements, regulations and application forms to apply for a
Regulated Shooting Area Permit may be viewed online at
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/rsapermit.asp.
Those persons hunting free-flying,
captive-raised mallard ducks or wild waterfowl on a state-licensed RSA need
to possess a Maryland hunting license, the printed receipt from the purchase
of a Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp, and a Federal Migratory Bird
Hunting and Conservation Stamp (if over the age of 15). Those persons
shooting only flighted (tower-released) mallard ducks on a state-licensed
RSA need to possess either a RSA hunting license (see
Licenses, Stamps & Permits) or a Maryland hunting license and the
printed receipt from the purchase of a Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp.
At all times during possession,
transportation, and storage until the raw carcasses are finally processed
immediately prior to cooking, smoking, or canning, the toe-clipped foot of
captive-raised mallard ducks taken on RSAs must remain attached to each
carcass; except that, the RSA permittee may remove the toe-clipped foot of
captive-raised mallard ducks when the number of the RSA permit has first
been legibly stamped in ink on the back of each carcass or breast and on the
container in which the carcass or breast is stored. When properly marked,
such carcasses and breasts may be given to, or acquired from, any person and
possessed and transported in any number at any time or place.
Hunting License
Reciprocity for Snow Geese
Persons possessing a valid Delaware resident hunting license may
hunt snow geese in Maryland without purchasing a Maryland hunting license.
In addition to a valid Delaware resident hunting license, these hunters must
possess the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, a printed
receipt from the purchase of a Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp, and
comply with Maryland’s hunter safety requirements.
Persons possessing a valid Maryland
resident hunting license may hunt snow geese in Delaware without purchasing
a Delaware hunting license. Contact the Delaware Division of Fish and
Wildlife (302-739-5297 or
www.dnrec.state.de.us ) for specific requirements.
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