EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0592*
HOUSE BILL 592
M2 2lr2957
CF SB 497
By: Delegates Jacobs, Adams, Arentz, Arikan, Boteler, Buckel, Cox, Ghrist,
Griffith, Hartman, Hornberger, Howard, Krebs, Mangione, Mautz,
McComas, McKay, Novotny, Otto, Reilly, Rose, Shoemaker, and Szeliga
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 9, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Deer Management Permit – Hunting on State Land Leased by Permit Holder – 2
Authorization 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to allow an 4
individual who hunts deer under a Deer Management Permit to use a certain 5
shotgun or breech loading center fired rifle to hunt deer throughout the year, 6
including all deer hunting seasons, in a certain manner on State land leased by a 7
permit holder for the purpose of cultivating crops; and generally relating to hunting 8
under a Deer Management Permit. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Natural Resources 11
Section 10–415(d) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Natural Resources 17
10–415. 18
2 HOUSE BILL 592
(d) (1) In this subsection, “Deer Management Permit” means a permit issued 1
by the Department authorizing the holder or an agent of the holder to hunt deer outside of 2
deer hunting season for the purpose of preventing damage to crops. 3
(2) [In] ON PRIVATE PROPERTY I N Baltimore County, Charles County, 4
Calvert County, St. Mary’s County, and Harford County, THE DEPARTMENT MAY 5
AUTHORIZE an individual who hunts deer under a Deer Management Permit may TO[: 6
(i) Use] USE a shotgun or breech loading center fired rifle approved 7
by the Department to hunt deer throughout the year, including all deer hunting seasons, 8
in the locations and under the conditions set forth in the permit[; and 9
(ii) On State land in Baltimore County, Charles County, Calvert 10
County, St. Mary’s County, or Harford County leased by the permit holder for the purpose 11
of cultivating crops, hunt deer on the leased land in the locations and under the conditions 12
set forth in the permit]. 13
(3) ON STATE LAND LEASED BY A PERMIT HOLDER FOR THE PURPOSE 14
OF CULTIVATING CROPS , THE DEPARTMENT MAY AUTHOR IZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO 15
HUNTS DEER UNDER A DEER MANAGEMENT PERMIT MAY TO USE A SHOTGUN OR 16
BREECH LOADING CENTE R FIRED RIFLE APPROV ED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO HUNT 17
DEER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING ALL DEER H UNTING SEASONS , IN THE 18
LOCATIONS AND UNDER THE CONDITIONS SET F ORTH IN THE PERMIT . 19
(4) To protect public safety and welfare, the Department may restrict the 20
lands on which an individual may hunt deer under a Deer Management Permit. 21
[(4)] (5) (i) This paragraph applies only in Frederick County. 22
(ii) Subject to the conditions set forth in a Deer Management Permit, 23
a permittee may use a rifle approved by the Department to harvest deer throughout the 24
year, including all deer hunting seasons. 25
(iii) In Frederick County Zone 1, as defined in COMAR 26
08.03.03.06A.(3)(g), an agent of a permittee may use a rifle to harvest deer throughout the 27
year. 28
(iv) 1. This subparagraph applies only in Frederick County Zone 29
2, as defined in COMAR 08.03.03.06A.(3)(h). 30
2. Except as provided in subsubparagraph 3 of this 31
subparagraph, an agent of a permittee may use a rifle to harvest deer in a period beginning 32
October 1 and ending March 31. 33
3. In a deer firearms season, an agent of a permittee may 34
harvest deer only by using the weapon approved for that season. 35 HOUSE BILL 592 3
(v) The Department shall adopt regulations to implement this 1
paragraph. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 3
1, 2022. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.