WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 554
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Chapter 554
(Senate Bill 91)
AN ACT concerning
Natural Resources – Apprentice Hunting License – Alterations
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to issue an apprentice
hunting license to a person under a certain age who has previously been issued an
apprentice hunting license under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the
apprentice hunting license.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Natural Resources
Section 10–301(d) through (f) and (i) through (k)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Natural Resources
Section 10–301(g)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Natural Resources
10–301.
(d) A person who wishes to obtain a hunting license shall complete and submit an
application to the Department or to any person designated by the Department to issue a
hunting license.
(e) An applicant for a license issued under this section shall provide all the
information required by the Department, including the last four digits of the applicant’s
Social Security number, if the applicant has a Social Security number.
(f) Before a hunting license may be issued the applicant for the license shall
acknowledge, as a component of the application, that a hunting license does not of itself
permit an individual to hunt on private property.
(g) (1) (I) There shall be the following types of hunting licenses in the
State[:]. Ch. 554 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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[(i)] (II) 1. [A] THERE IS A resident hunting license that
enables the purchaser to hunt all legal game birds and mammals during any appropriate
season in Maryland without the purchase of additional stamps, unless the purchaser is
hunting migratory game birds or deer during bow and arrow season or black powder season.
2. To hunt migratory game birds the purchaser must also buy
a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and to hunt wild waterfowl the purchaser must buy
both a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and a federal migratory bird hunting and
conservation stamp.
3. To hunt deer during bow and arrow season and black
powder season the purchaser must also purchase a bow and arrow or black powder stamp.
[(ii)] (III) 1. [A] THERE IS A nonresident hunting license that
enables the purchaser to hunt all legal game birds and mammals during any appropriate
season without the purchase of additional stamps unless the purchaser is hunting migratory
game birds or deer during bow and arrow season or black powder season.
2. This license enables the purchaser to hunt migratory game
birds only with the purchase of a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and to hunt wild
waterfowl only with the purchase of both a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and a
federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp.
3. This license enables the purchaser to hunt deer during bow
and arrow season and black powder season only with the purchase of a nonresident bow and
arrow or black powder stamp.
[(iii)] (IV) 1. [A] THERE IS A nonresident 3–day hunting license
that enables the purchaser to hunt all legal game birds and mammals except deer and
turkey for the 3 consecutive legal hunting days in a single season that are specified on the
license by the issuing agent.
2. The purchaser must also purchase a Maryland migratory
game bird stamp to hunt migratory game birds and a federal migratory bird hunting and
conservation stamp to hunt wild waterfowl with this license.
3. Under no circumstance does this license authorize the
purchaser to hunt deer and turkey.
[(iv)] (V) 1. A. [An] THERE IS AN apprentice hunting
license that enables the purchaser to hunt all legal game birds and mammals in a single
season without the purchase of additional stamps unless the purchaser is hunting migratory
game birds or deer during bow and arrow season or black powder season.
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 554
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B. This license enables the purchaser to hunt migratory game
birds only with the purchase of a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and to hunt wild
waterfowl only with the purchase of both a Maryland migratory game bird stamp and a
federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp.
C. This license enables the purchaser to hunt deer during bow
and arrow season and black powder season only with the purchase of a bow and arrow or
black powder stamp.
2. A. A person may obtain an apprentice hunting license
on satisfactory completion of a short online or electronic course of instruction in competency
in firearms and hunter safety approved by the Department.
B. A person may hunt under an apprentice hunting license
only if accompanied and directly supervised by another person who is at least 18 years of
age and possesses a valid resident nonapprentice hunting license issued under this subtitle.
C. A person who accompanies and directly supervises an
apprentice hunting licensee shall maintain close visual and verbal contact with, provide
adequate direction to, and be in a position to immediately assume control of the firearm of
the apprentice hunting licensee.
3. Except for a person participating in a junior hunt approved
by the Department, an apprentice hunting licensee who has obtained a certificate of
competency in firearms and hunter safety under § 10–301.1 of this subtitle may hunt
without supervision.
4. [An] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSUBPARAGRAPH 5
OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH , AN apprentice hunting license:
A. May be issued to a person only once in the person’s lifetime;
B. May not be renewed; and
C. May not be issued to a person who has previously been
issued any hunting license under this subtitle.
5. A. NOTWITHSTANDING SUBSU BPARAGRAPH 4 OF
THIS SUBPARAGRAPH , THE DEPARTMENT MAY ISSUE AN APPRENTICE HUNTIN G
LICENSE TO A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 17 YEARS WHO HAS PREVIO USLY BEEN
ISSUED AN APPRENTICE HUNTING LICENSE.
B. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQU IRE AN APPLICANT
FOR A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT APPRENTICE HUNTING L ICENSE UNDER THIS
SUBSUBPARAGRAPH TO REPEAT THE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN CO MPETENCY IN Ch. 554 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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FIREARMS AND HUNTER SAFETY SPECIFIED UNDER SUBS UBPARAGRAPH 2A OF THIS
SUBPARAGRAPH .
(2) Residents may purchase a senior hunting license beginning in the
calendar year in which they attain the age of 65.
(3) A nonresident of any age must purchase either a nonresident hunting
license or a nonresident 3–day hunting license to hunt in the State.
(4) Subject to paragraph (6) of this subsection, the fees for hunting licenses
are according to the following schedule:
(i) Resident, junior, under the age of 16 years ...................... $ 10.50
(ii) Resident, regular, at least 16 years old and under the age of 65
years………………………………………………………………..……………………………. $ 24.50
(iii) Resident, senior, at least 65 years old ................................ $ 5.00
(iv) Nonresident, regular, at least 16 years old ..................... $ 130.00
(v) Nonresident, junior, under the age of 16 years ................. $ 65.00
(vi) Complimentary license authorized to be issued under § 10–303 of
this subtitle........................................................................................................................ No fee
(vii) Nonresident 3–day hunting license ................................... $ 45.00
(viii) Resident apprentice............................................................ $ 10.00
(ix) Nonresident apprentice ...................................................... $ 20.00
(5) The fees for individual hunting stamps are according to the following
schedule:
(i) Bow and arrow stamp ......................................................... $ 6.00
(ii) Nonresident bow and arrow stamp ................................... $ 25.00
(iii) Black powder stamp ............................................................ $ 6.00
(iv) Nonresident black powder stamp ...................................... $ 25.00
(v) Maryland migratory game bird stamp ............................... $ 9.00
(vi) Resident bonus antlered deer stamp ................................. $ 10.00 WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 554
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(vii) Nonresident bonus antlered deer stamp for each type of deer
hunting season…………… ….. ........................................................................................... $ 25
(6) The Department shall establish a program to provide discounted
hunting licenses and any associated State–issued stamps or permits to Maryland residents
who are recipients of the Purple Heart Award.
(i) A hunting license shall be valid for the period August 1 through July 31, of
each year.
(j) A hunting license may not be transferred to any other person.
(k) Upon issuing any hunting license, the Department shall furnish the licensee
with a list of the names and addresses of every general hospital in the State which offers
emergency medical treatment.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2023.
Approved by the Governor, May 8, 2023.