EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0233*
SENATE BILL 233
M2 2lr0480
HB 615/21 – ENT CF 2lr1672
By: Senator Jackson
Introduced and read first time: January 13, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Prince George’s County – Natural Resources – Sunday Deer Hunting and 2
Archery Hunting Safety Zones 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to allow a person to 4
hunt deer on certain Sundays of the deer hunting seasons in Prince George’s County; 5
adding Prince George’s County to the list of counties in which the safety zone for 6
archery hunters extends a certain distance from certain structures; and generally 7
relating to hunting in Prince George’s County. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
Section 10–410(a) and (g)(3) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
Section 10–410(g)(1) and (2) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Natural Resources 21
10–410. 22
(a) (1) The Department may allow a person to hunt on each Sunday of the 23
game bird and game mammal seasons in: 24
2 SENATE BILL 233
(i) Allegany County; 1
(ii) Cecil County; 2
(iii) Garrett County; 3
(iv) St. Mary’s County; and 4
(v) Washington County. 5
(2) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer on each Sunday of the 6
deer hunting seasons from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday in 7
January, inclusive, in: 8
(i) Carroll County; 9
(ii) Dorchester County; [and] 10
(iii) Frederick County; AND 11
(IV) PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY. 12
(3) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Department 13
may allow a person to hunt deer on each Sunday of the deer hunting seasons from 30 14
minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m. in: 15
1. Kent County; and 16
2. Montgomery County. 17
(ii) The time restrictions under this paragraph do not apply: 18
1. To a participant in a junior deer hunt authorized under 19
this subtitle; 20
2. On one Sunday designated by the Department during the 21
deer firearms season; 22
3. In Kent County, on each Sunday during the deer bow 23
hunting season and the deer muzzle loader season; and 24
4. In Montgomery County, on one Sunday designated by the 25
Department during the deer bow hunting season. 26
(4) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer during the deer 27
firearms season: 28
SENATE BILL 233 3
(i) On each Sunday in: 1
1. Calvert County; 2
2. Caroline County; 3
3. Charles County; 4
4. Harford County; 5
5. Queen Anne’s County; 6
6. Somerset County; and 7
7. Worcester County; 8
(ii) On the first Sunday in: 9
1. Anne Arundel County; and 10
2. Talbot County; and 11
(iii) In Wicomico County, on: 12
1. The first Sunday; and 13
2. The second Sunday from 30 minutes before sunrise until 14
10:30 a.m. 15
(5) The Department may allow a person to hunt deer during the deer bow 16
hunting season on: 17
(i) The last three Sundays in October and the first two Sundays in 18
November in: 19
1. Calvert County; 20
2. Caroline County; 21
3. Charles County; 22
4. Harford County; 23
5. Queen Anne’s County; 24
6. Somerset County; 25
4 SENATE BILL 233
7. Talbot County; 1
8. Wicomico County; and 2
9. Worcester County; and 3
(ii) The first Sunday in November in Anne Arundel County. 4
(6) The Department may allow a person to hunt turkey on each Sunday of 5
the spring turkey hunting season in: 6
(i) Calvert County; 7
(ii) Caroline County; 8
(iii) Carroll County; 9
(iv) Charles County; 10
(v) Dorchester County; and 11
(vi) Kent County. 12
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, the Department 13
may allow a person with a deer management permit to shoot deer on any Sunday 14
throughout the year in accordance with the terms of the permit. 15
(8) The Department may allow a person using a State certified raptor to 16
hunt game birds or mammals on each Sunday during the open season for the game birds 17
or mammals. 18
(9) The Department may allow an unarmed person participating in an 19
organized fox chase to chase foxes on Sunday. 20
(10) The Department may allow a person shooting pen–reared game birds 21
or tower–released flighted mallard ducks to hunt on Sunday at a regulated shooting ground 22
in accordance with § 10–906 of this title. 23
(11) The Department may allow a person who is 16 years old or younger to 24
hunt on Sunday if participating in a junior hunt established by the Department in 25
accordance with this subtitle. 26
(12) Except as provided in paragraphs (8) through (10) of this subsection and 27
subject to paragraph (7) of this subsection, a person may not hunt on Sunday in: 28
(i) Baltimore City; 29
SENATE BILL 233 5
(ii) Baltimore County; OR 1
(iii) Howard County[; or 2
(iv) Prince George’s County]. 3
(13) A person may not hunt migratory game birds on Sunday. 4
(14) A person may not hunt on public land within the State park system on 5
Sunday. 6
(15) The Department may not allow a person to hunt on public land 7
designated for hunting by the Department on Sunday except in: 8
(i) Allegany County; 9
(ii) Cecil County; 10
(iii) Garrett County; 11
(iv) St. Mary’s County; 12
(v) Washington County; 13
(vi) Dorchester County, for turkey during the spring turkey hunting 14
season; and 15
(vii) Frederick County, for deer from the first Sunday in October 16
through the second Sunday in January of the following year, inclusive. 17
(g) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a 18
person, other than the owner or occupant, while hunting for any wild bird or mammal may 19
not shoot or discharge any firearm or other deadly weapon within 150 yards, known as the 20
“safety zone”, of a dwelling house, residence, church, or other building or camp occupied by 21
human beings, or shoot at any wild bird or mammal while it is within this area, without 22
the specific advance permission of the owner or occupant. 23
(2) A person, while hunting for any wild bird or mammal, may not shoot or 24
discharge any firearm within 300 yards of a public or nonpublic school during school hours 25
or at a time when a school–approved activity is taking place. 26
(3) (i) For archery hunters in Allegany County, Calvert County, Carroll 27
County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Garrett County, Harford County, Montgomery 28
County, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, St. Mary’s County, or Washington County, the 29
safety zone described in paragraph (1) of this subsection extends for 50 yards from a 30
dwelling house, residence, church, or any other building or camp occupied by human beings. 31
6 SENATE BILL 233
(ii) For archery hunters in Anne Arundel County, the safety zone 1
described in paragraph (1) of this subsection extends for 100 yards from a dwelling house, 2
residence, church, or any other building or camp occupied by human beings. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Ac t shall take effect July 4
1, 2022. 5