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.
*hb0874*
HOUSE BILL 874
M2 2lr1672
CF SB 233
By: Prince George’s County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2022
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 11, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Prince George’s County – Natural Resources – Sunday Deer Hunting and 2
Archery Hunting Safety Zones 3
PG 405–22 4
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to allow a person to 5
hunt deer on certain Sundays of the deer hunting seasons in Prince George’s County; 6
adding Prince George’s County to the list of counties in which the safety zone for 7
archery hunters extends a certain distance from certain structures; and generally 8
relating to hunting in Prince George’s County. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Natural Resources 11
Section 10–410(a) and (g)(3) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 15
Article – Natural Resources 16
Section 10–410(g)(1) and (2) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20 2 HOUSE BILL 874
Article – Natural Resources 1
Section 10–410(g)(3) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 4
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 5
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 6
Article – Natural Resources 7
10–410. 8
(a) (1) The Department may allow a person to hunt on each Sunday of the 9
game bird and game mammal seasons in: 10
(i) Allegany County; 11
(ii) Cecil County; 12
(iii) Garrett County; 13
(iv) St. Mary’s County; and 14
(v) Washington County. 15
(2) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer on each Sunday of the 16
deer hunting seasons from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday in 17
January, inclusive, in: 18
(i) Carroll County; 19
(ii) Dorchester County; [and] 20
(iii) Frederick County; AND 21
(IV) PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY. 22
(3) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Department 23
may allow a person to hunt deer on each Sunday of the deer hunting seasons from 30 24
minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m. in: 25
1. Kent County; and 26
2. Montgomery County. 27
(ii) The time restrictions under this paragraph do not apply: 28
HOUSE BILL 874 3
1. To a participant in a junior deer hunt authorized under 1
this subtitle; 2
2. On one Sunday designated by the Department during the 3
deer firearms season; 4
3. In Kent County, on each Sunday during the deer bow 5
hunting season and the deer muzzle loader season; and 6
4. In Montgomery County, on one Sunday designated by the 7
Department during the deer bow hunting season. 8
(4) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer during the deer 9
firearms season: 10
(i) On each Sunday in: 11
1. Calvert County; 12
2. Caroline County; 13
3. Charles County; 14
4. Harford County; 15
5. Queen Anne’s County; 16
6. Somerset County; and 17
7. Worcester County; 18
(ii) On the first Sunday in: 19
1. Anne Arundel County; and 20
2. Talbot County; and 21
(iii) In Wicomico County, on: 22
1. The first Sunday; and 23
2. The second Sunday from 30 minutes before sunrise until 24
10:30 a.m. 25
(5) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer during the deer bow 26
hunting season on: 27
4 HOUSE BILL 874
(i) The last three Sundays in October and the first two Sundays in 1
November in: 2
1. Calvert County; 3
2. Caroline County; 4
3. Charles County; 5
4. Harford County; 6
5. Queen Anne’s County; 7
6. Somerset County; 8
7. Talbot County; 9
8. Wicomico County; and 10
9. Worcester County; and 11
(ii) The first Sunday in November in Anne Arundel County. 12
(6) The Department may allow a person to hunt turkey on each Sunday of 13
the spring turkey hunting season in: 14
(i) Calvert County; 15
(ii) Caroline County; 16
(iii) Carroll County; 17
(iv) Charles County; 18
(v) Dorchester County; and 19
(vi) Kent County. 20
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, the Department 21
may allow a person with a deer management permit to shoot deer on any Sunday 22
throughout the year in accordance with the terms of the permit. 23
(8) The Department may allow a person using a State certified raptor to 24
hunt game birds or mammals on each Sunday during the open season for the game birds 25
or mammals. 26
HOUSE BILL 874 5
(9) The Department may allow an unarmed person participating in an 1
organized fox chase to chase foxes on Sunday. 2
(10) The Department may allow a person shooting pen–reared game birds 3
or tower–released flighted mallard ducks to hunt on Sunday at a regulated shooting ground 4
in accordance with § 10–906 of this title. 5
(11) The Department may allow a person who is 16 years old or younger to 6
hunt on Sunday if participating in a junior hunt established by the Department in 7
accordance with this subtitle. 8
(12) Except as provided in paragraphs (8) through (10) of this subsection and 9
subject to paragraph (7) of this subsection, a person may not hunt on Sunday in: 10
(i) Baltimore City; 11
(ii) Baltimore County; OR 12
(iii) Howard County[; or 13
(iv) Prince George’s County]. 14
(13) A person may not hunt migratory game birds on Sunday. 15
(14) A person may not hunt on public land within the State park system on 16
Sunday. 17
(15) The Department may not allow a person to hunt on public land 18
designated for hunting by the Department on Sunday except in: 19
(i) Allegany County; 20
(ii) Cecil County; 21
(iii) Garrett County; 22
(iv) St. Mary’s County; 23
(v) Washington County; 24
(vi) Dorchester County, for turkey during the spring turkey hunting 25
season; and 26
(vii) Frederick County, for deer from the first Sunday in October 27
through the second Sunday in January of the following year, inclusive. 28
6 HOUSE BILL 874
(g) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a 1
person, other than the owner or occupant, while hunting for any wild bird or mammal may 2
not shoot or discharge any firearm or other deadly weapon within 150 yards, known as the 3
“safety zone”, of a dwelling house, residence, church, or other building or camp occupied by 4
human beings, or shoot at any wild bird or mammal while it is within this area, without 5
the specific advance permission of the owner or occupant. 6
(2) A person, while hunting for any wild bird or mammal, may not shoot or 7
discharge any firearm within 300 yards of a public or nonpublic school during school hours 8
or at a time when a school–approved activity is taking place. 9
(3) (i) For archery hunters in Allegany County, Calvert County, Carroll 10
County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Garrett County, Harford County, Montgomery 11
County, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, St. Mary’s County, or Washington County, the 12
safety zone described in paragraph (1) of this subsection extends for 50 yards from a 13
dwelling house, residence, church, or any other building or camp occupied by human beings. 14
(ii) For archery hunters in Anne Arundel County, the safety zone 15
described in paragraph (1) of this subsection extends for 100 yards from a dwelling house, 16
residence, church, or any other building or camp occupied by human beings. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENA CTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2022. 19
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.