EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0497*
SENATE BILL 497
M2 2lr2408
CF 2lr2957
By: Senator Gallion
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Deer Management Permit – Hunting on State Land Leased by Permit Holder – 2
Authorization 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing an individual who hunts deer under a Deer Management 4
Permit to use a certain shotgun or breech loading center fired rifle to hunt deer 5
throughout the year, including all deer hunting seasons, in a certain manner on 6
State land leased by a permit holder for the purpose of cultivating crops; and 7
generally relating to hunting under a Deer Management Permit. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
Section 10–415(d) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Natural Resources 16
10–415. 17
(d) (1) In this subsection, “Deer Management Permit” means a permit issued 18
by the Department authorizing the holder or an agent of the holder to hunt deer outside of 19
deer hunting season for the purpose of preventing damage to crops. 20
(2) [In] ON PRIVATE PROPERTY I N Baltimore County, Charles County, 21
Calvert County, St. Mary’s County, and Harford County, an individual who hunts deer 22
under a Deer Management Permit may[: 23
2 SENATE BILL 497
(i) Use] USE a shotgun or breech loading center fired rifle approved 1
by the Department to hunt deer throughout the year, including all deer hunting seasons, 2
in the locations and under the conditions set forth in the permit[; and 3
(ii) On State land in Baltimore County, Charles County, Calvert 4
County, St. Mary’s County, or Harford County leased by the permit holder for the purpose 5
of cultivating crops, hunt deer on the leased land in the locations and under the conditions 6
set forth in the permit]. 7
(3) ON STATE LAND LEASED BY A PERMIT HOLDER FOR THE PURPOSE 8
OF CULTIVATING CROPS , AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HU NTS DEER UNDER A DEER 9
MANAGEMENT PERMIT MAY USE A SHOT GUN OR BREECH LOADIN G CENTER FIRED 10
RIFLE APPROVED BY TH E DEPARTMENT TO HUNT DE ER THROUGHOUT THE YE AR, 11
INCLUDING ALL DEER H UNTING SEASONS , IN THE LOCATIONS AND UNDER THE 12
CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE PERMIT. 13
(4) To protect public safety and welfare, the Department may restrict the 14
lands on which an individual may hunt deer under a Deer Management Permit. 15
[(4)] (5) (i) This paragraph applies only in Frederick County. 16
(ii) Subject to the conditions set forth in a Deer Management Permit, 17
a permittee may use a rifle approved by the Department to harvest deer throughout the 18
year, including all deer hunting seasons. 19
(iii) In Frederick County Zone 1, as defined in COMAR 20
08.03.03.06A.(3)(g), an agent of a permittee may use a rifle to harvest deer throughout the 21
year. 22
(iv) 1. This subparagraph applies only in Frederick County Zone 23
2, as defined in COMAR 08.03.03.06A.(3)(h). 24
2. Except as provided in subsubparagraph 3 of this 25
subparagraph, an agent of a permittee may use a rifle to harvest deer in a period beginning 26
October 1 and ending March 31. 27
3. In a deer firearms season, an agent of a permittee may 28
harvest deer only by using the weapon approved for that season. 29
(v) The Department shall adopt regulations to implement this 30
paragraph. 31
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall t ake effect July 32
1, 2022. 33