Bow Hunting Laws in Maryland: Season Dates, Equipment Rules, and License Requirements
June 25, 2026
Maryland gives bowhunters one of the longest deer seasons on the East Coast, but the state’s regulations cover far more than just season dates. From minimum draw weights and broadhead specs to county-specific safety zones and mandatory harvest check-ins, every detail matters if you want to stay on the right side of the law.
Whether you’re a lifelong resident hunter or new to chasing whitetails in the Old Line State, this guide walks you through the bow hunting laws in Maryland that apply to the 2025–2026 season — so you can hunt confidently and legally.
Pro Tip: Always verify season dates and regulations directly with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources before heading out, as rules can change between seasons.
Bow Hunting Season Dates in Maryland
The archery season runs the longest of any deer hunting season in Maryland, typically opening in mid-September and extending through late January. For the 2025–2026 season, archery hunters can pursue deer from September 12, 2025, through January 31, 2026, in most areas. That window covers early-season patterns, the rut, and late-winter movements — giving bowhunters more time in the field than any other method.
In addition, the fourth annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days from February 2–4, 2026 offer archers using vertical longbows and vertical recurve bows a few more days afield. Multiple Sundays are open to archery hunting in most counties, including on some public lands.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is also accepting public comment on proposed changes to the 2026–2028 hunting and trapping seasons, so hunters planning ahead should monitor the DNR’s official announcements for any updates that may affect future archery dates. You can find additional context on broader season structures in this overview of hunting laws in Maryland.
Key Insight: Maryland deer hunters harvested 71,649 deer during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons from September 5, 2025, through February 4, 2026, reflecting the productivity of the state’s extended archery window.
| Season | Dates (2025–2026) | Equipment Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Archery Season | Sept. 12, 2025 – Jan. 31, 2026 | Vertical bows, crossbows |
| Primitive Deer Hunt Days | Feb. 2–4, 2026 | Longbows and recurve bows only |
| Firearms Season (Split 1) | Nov. 29 – Dec. 13, 2025 | Firearms (archery also legal) |
| Firearms Season (Split 2) | Dec. 20, 2025 – Jan. 3, 2026 | Firearms (archery also legal) |
Legal Bow Types and Equipment Requirements in Maryland
Maryland sets specific equipment standards for all archery hunters. During archery season, you must use a bow with a minimum draw weight of 30 pounds at the hunter’s draw length. Compound bows, longbows, and recurve bows all qualify as vertical bows under state law, and draw-locking devices and release aids are legal on all vertical bows, except during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
Arrows or bolts used for deer hunting must have a sharpened broadhead with metal points and a minimum width of 7/8 of an inch. The use of poisoned or explosive-tipped arrows or bolts is not permitted. Mechanical broadheads are permitted as long as they meet the 7/8-inch minimum width specification when fully deployed.
Maryland’s deer seasons run from September through January, plus Primitive Deer Hunt Days. On those days, hunters may only use longbows, recurve bows, or flintlock and sidelock percussion muzzleloaders. Compound bows and crossbows are not permitted during that specific window.
Archery equipment may be used to hunt deer during the Archery Season, Muzzleloader Season, Firearms Season, Junior Deer Hunt Days, and Primitive Deer Hunt Days. However, hunters may not carry archery equipment and muzzleloaders at the same time when Archery Season and Muzzleloader Season are concurrent.
Crossbow Rules in Maryland
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service now allows crossbows to be used to hunt any game species during any open season where a vertical bow may be used, excluding waterfowl and certain furbearers. The old disabled-hunter crossbow permit requirement has been eliminated — the Crossbow Permit for disabled hunters is no longer needed.
If you plan to hunt deer or bear with a crossbow, specific equipment minimums apply. A crossbow used for deer hunting shall have a draw of 75 pounds or more. All crossbows should have a working safety. It is legal to use laser and telescopic sights in combination with crossbows.
There are important transport and season restrictions to know. It is unlawful to have a loaded crossbow in, on, or leaning against any vehicle. A cocked crossbow without a bolt or arrow in the firing position is considered to be unloaded. The use of crossbows is prohibited during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
For deer, archery equipment including crossbows may be used during Archery, Muzzleloader, Firearms, and Junior Deer Hunt Days. Crossbows are legal during all archery seasons in Maryland, and no special permit is required — but you still need the archery stamp to hunt deer. For a broader state-by-state comparison of crossbow rules, the Ballista crossbow regulations guide is a useful reference.
Important Note: Crossbow hunters should register harvested deer as taken with a crossbow — not as a vertical bow harvest. Hunters should report deer taken with a long, compound, or recurve bow as harvested with a vertical bow when checking in. Crossbow hunters should register their deer as taken with a crossbow. This information helps biologists collect data on preferences and trends in how deer are harvested.
Species You Can Hunt with a Bow in Maryland
Bow and crossbow hunters in Maryland have access to a wide range of game. White-tailed deer is the most pursued species during the archery season, and Maryland is home to a strong population of over 200,000 whitetails. The statewide antlered white-tailed deer bag limit is two with no more than one taken in any weapon season.
An antler-point restriction remains in effect for white-tailed deer. Hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered white-tailed deer taken within the established bag limit must meet the minimum point restriction.
Beyond whitetails, Maryland offers several other species accessible to bowhunters. Maryland is one of the only states with free-ranging sika deer, found on the Eastern Shore in Dorchester County marshland. Sika deer bag limits are independent of white-tailed deer limits, and antlerless sika limits are unlimited.
Black bear is also legal to hunt with a bow in Maryland, though access is controlled through a lottery system. For the 2025–2026 season, lottery applications were accepted July 15 through August 31, with the primary hunt running November 1 through November 9, 2025. The black bear hunt lottery was modified to add a second lottery chance for hunting only in Frederick and Washington counties. Hunters who entered but were not selected in the primary lottery could opt into the secondary lottery for those two counties. An additional 100 bear hunting permits were issued for those counties.
It is lawful in the state of Maryland to use crossbows to harvest woodchucks, nutria, all game fowl excluding waterfowl, and all game mammals excluding weasels, beavers, muskrats, minks, and river otters. Wild turkey is also a popular target for bowhunters — for specific season information, see this guide to turkey hunting season in Maryland. You can also review deer hunting season in Maryland for a full breakdown of deer-specific dates and bag limits.
| Species | Bow Legal? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Yes | Statewide; bag limit 2 antlered total |
| Sika Deer | Yes | Eastern Shore; requires Sika Deer Stamp |
| Black Bear | Yes | Lottery only; western MD counties |
| Wild Turkey | Yes | Spring and fall seasons; Turkey Permit required |
| Woodchuck / Nutria | Yes | Crossbow also legal |
| Waterfowl | No | Crossbow and vertical bow prohibited |
| Beaver / Mink / Muskrat / River Otter | No | Trap-only furbearers |
License and Tag Requirements for Bow Hunters in Maryland
Every bowhunter in Maryland needs to carry the right combination of licenses and stamps before stepping into the field. As of 2026, a Maryland resident hunting license costs $35 for adults ages 16–64, while seniors age 65 and older pay just $5. Non-residents pay $160 for a standard license, while non-resident seniors pay $65. Youth licenses are available for $10.50.
A hunting license is required to hunt deer during the Archery Season. An Archery Stamp is also required to hunt deer during the Archery Season and when using archery equipment during the Primitive Deer Hunt Days — with the exception of hunters entitled to hunt without a license and those holding a Senior Lifetime Consolidated License. The Archery Stamp costs $6 for residents, and non-residents pay $25 for the Archery Stamp.
If you plan to pursue sika deer, an annual Sika Deer Stamp is required to hunt sika deer during any of the deer hunting seasons. The Sika Deer Stamp costs $10 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Hunters who want to take a third antlered deer can do so with a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp. A Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp allows hunting license holders to take one additional antlered white-tailed deer during one of the hunting seasons — Archery, Muzzleloader, or Firearms. The Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp costs $10.
Resident veterans who are former prisoners of war or have a 100% service-connected disability may obtain the free DAV-POW Hunting License, which includes the bow stamp, muzzleloader stamp, and furbearer permit.
After harvesting a deer or turkey, you must check it in promptly. Maryland uses an electronic check-in system through the MD Outdoors portal or phone system. Deer and turkey must be checked within 24 hours of harvest. Bear require immediate check-in at designated stations. You can purchase licenses through the MD Outdoors system at compass.dnr.maryland.gov or via the MD Outdoors mobile app. For comparison, see how neighboring states handle licensing in these guides to hunting laws in Virginia and hunting laws in Ohio.
Pro Tip: Resident junior hunters under 16 years of age are entitled to a one-time free annual hunting license, Archery Stamp, Sika Stamp, and Muzzleloader Stamp upon successful completion of a Hunter Education Course.
Bowhunter Education Requirements in Maryland
All first-time hunters must complete a hunter safety course or show proof of previous licensing from before July 1, 1977. This applies to bowhunters just as it does to firearms hunters — there is no separate archery-only path to skip the standard hunter education requirement.
The hunter education classes — traditional or internet-based — are what you need to get your DNR ID and hunting license. The course covers modern firearms, black powder, bow, and treestand safety. The bowhunter course is not required to hunt in Maryland. It is an optional specialty course that goes deeper into the technical aspects of archery hunting.
An Apprentice Hunting License is available for first-time hunters or junior hunters who are not ready for a regular hunting license. The Apprentice Hunting License is available to both residents and nonresidents. Adults may purchase the Apprentice Hunting License one time and only if they have never held a Maryland hunting license in the past.
The apprentice hunter must be accompanied and directly supervised by a mentor who is a Maryland resident at least 18 years old who possesses a valid Maryland non-apprentice hunting license. The apprentice and mentor hunter must hunt in close proximity so that the mentor can take immediate control of the apprentice hunter’s hunting device. The apprentice hunter can hunt unaccompanied if the full hunter safety course was taken and a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunting Safety was acquired.
Hunters in other states with similar education structures may find it useful to compare requirements — see guides on hunting laws in Indiana and hunting laws in Minnesota for reference.
Land and Safety Restrictions for Bow Hunting in Maryland
Maryland sets clear rules about where you can and cannot shoot a bow, and those rules vary by county. It is illegal to hunt, shoot, or trap wildlife within 150 yards of any building or camp occupied by human beings without permission of the owner or occupant. For archery hunters, this distance is reduced to 100 yards in Anne Arundel County and 50 yards in Allegany, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Montgomery, St. Mary’s, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester counties.
Some counties add position requirements within those reduced safety zones. In Harford County, archers must use a tree stand when hunting between 50 and 100 yards of any building or camp occupied by human beings. In Montgomery and Washington counties, archers must be in an elevated position when hunting between 50 and 100 yards of any building or camp occupied by human beings.
Fluorescent clothing rules for bowhunters depend on the season overlap. Archery hunters are not required to wear fluorescent color clothing within the regular Archery Season dates. However, those who hunt with archery equipment during the Junior Deer Hunt Days, Deer Firearms Season, Deer Muzzleloader Season, and Primitive Deer Hunt Days are required to wear fluorescent color clothing. Deer archery hunters hunting in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties during the open black bear season are also required to wear fluorescent color clothing.
Tree stand safety is taken seriously by the Maryland DNR. Hunters should carefully inspect all tree stands and always wear a full-body safety harness while in the stand and while climbing in or out. The department strongly recommends using a sliding knot — commonly known as a prusik knot — attached to a line secured above the stand, which allows the hunter to be safely tethered to the tree as soon as they leave the ground.
On private land, you must have landowner permission before hunting. Posting property boundaries in a conspicuous manner makes it illegal to trespass or for any person to enter without the landowner’s permission. Maryland law allows the use of blue paint stripes and/or signs to indicate private property boundaries. If you hunt public land, many Wildlife Management Areas require advance registration or permits — check the Maryland DNR 2025–2026 Hunting and Trapping Information page for area-specific rules.
For hunters who pursue game across state lines, it’s worth reviewing the regulations in neighboring states such as Tennessee and South Carolina, where archery rules differ significantly. Maryland hunters who also pursue waterfowl or other species should review the goose hunting season in Maryland and dove hunting season in Maryland for additional regulation details.
Important Note: In Deer Management Region A, a person 21 years old or older may carry a handgun for personal protection while hunting deer in the bow season, subject to specific conditions outlined in Maryland Code Regs. 08.03.04.05. Outside Region A, possessing a firearm while bow hunting deer is generally not permitted. Confirm the current regional boundaries with the Maryland DNR before your hunt.
Maryland’s bow hunting regulations reward hunters who take the time to understand them. The season is long, the game is diverse, and the rules — while detailed — are designed to keep both hunters and wildlife populations healthy. Review the official Maryland Hunting Regulations on eRegulations each season and always carry your license, stamps, and a copy of the current regulations when you head afield.