Deer Season and Bag Limits

2024-2025 DEER SEASONS & BAG LIMITS – ANTLERED & ANTLERLESS DEER

*NO SUNDAY HUNTING*

Please note the following regulations are applicable ONLY for the Federally owned portion of Assateague Island in MD. Printed copies of the Assateague Island National Seashore Hunt Plan are available at the Ranger Station.
For hunting information in Assateague State Park please visit Hunting (maryland.gov)
For hunting information in the Virginia district please visit Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)

• Season takes are independent.
• Each season is separate. Takes during one open season do not count towards another season.
• Deer taken on Assateague Island will not count toward Maryland State bag limits.
• Deer outfitted with radio neck collars and/or ear tags can be harvested.
  
  NOTE: One (1) of the first two (2) Sika deer harvested under the bag limit for each independent season must be antlerless.

 

DEER SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS

Portions of DUCK seasons will be CLOSED in the Southern Hunt Zone during the LATE Season Deer hunt:

Season	Dates	Total Bag Limit	Notes
Archery	Northern and Southern Zone: October 1 – Jan. 31 (Different than the State of Maryland)	Sika: 2 antlered, 4 antlerless White-tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless	Archery hunters must wear fluorescent orange during gun seasons.
Muzzleloader (Inline, Flintlock, Percussion cap & Matchlock)	Southern Zone: Oct. 16 - Oct. 18 Oct. 20 - Oct. 25	Sika: 2 antlered, 4 antlerless White-tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless	Inline, flintlock, percussion cap & matchlock
General Firearms Season Late Season Firearms	Southern Zone: Nov. 29 – Dec. 13 Southern Zone: January 9-10	Sika: 2 antlered, 4 antlerless White-tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless Sika: 2 antlered, 4 antlerless White-tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless	Straight-walled cartridge rifles and muzzleloaders can be used during the Firearms Season. Bag limits are for Firearms even if taken by straight-walled cartridge rifles or muzzleloader.
Junior Deer Hunt	Southern Zone Only: Nov. 8	Sika & White Tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless	See Below

 

DEER HUNTING REGULATIONS

1. Legal Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

2. Antler Definitions:
a) An antlered white-tailed deer is defined as a deer with two or more points to one antler, or a deer with one antler three or more inches long, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.
b) An antler point is defined as any antler projection one inch or more in length and includes
the brow tine. The tip of the main beam is also considered a point.
c) An antlerless white-tailed deer is a female deer or a male deer with no antlers or spike antlers less than three inches in length, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.
d) An antlered sika deer is a deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.

3. Deer Tagging and Checking:
a) Before moving a Deer from the place of kill, complete a Deer field tag at the place of kill in ink and attach it to the deer; or
b) Check in the deer at the place of kill and receive a confirmation number that can be furnished upon request. If a confirmation number is obtained at the place of kill, the deer can be moved/transported untagged. (Place of kill is the location where the deer expired and was recovered).
c) Deer harvested must be recorded at the Hunter Station during the hunter sign-out process.
d) Hunters must also register their deer with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources within 24 hours using the MD Outdoors Portal. The Maryland DNR now offers a new and improved online licensing system called MD Outdoors, available at the MD Outdoors licensing portal. A mobile app version is also available through your device’s app store by searching “MD Outdoors mobile app”. Your existing DNRid will remain active in the new system. You can use MD Outdoors to purchase licenses and stamps, check in deer and turkeys, print harvest report cards and field tags, and access many of the features available across all DNR units. Or by calling 888-800-0121.
e) The Public Land Code for Assateague Island National Seashore is 585 and the County Code number for Worcester is 23.
f) Deer must also be tagged when giving, putting, or leaving them in possession of another person or when left unattended; whether or not a confirmation number has been received.

4. Game Cameras are authorized to be utilized within the National Seashore. Game cameras can only be utilized from the first day of deer season until the last day of deer season.

5. Hunter Limits: During the Shotgun/Muzzleloader Season (including the Late Season Deer Hunt) the National Park Service limits to 140 the number of deer hunters and/or aides permitted in the hunting zone at any one time. After this limit is reached, hunters will be admitted to the hunting area on a “one-off, one-on” basis.

6. No hunting will take place on Sundays.

7. JUNIOR DEER HUNT DAY: Saturday November 8th, 2025
Junior Deer Hunt Days are for hunters age 16 or younger only. To hunt during this day:
• Junior hunters must have a hunting license or be exempt from the license requirement. Refer to the state of Maryland regulations.
• They must be accompanied in the field by an individual who: is 21 years old or older. Possesses a valid Maryland hunting license (an Apprentice Hunting License does not meet this requirement) or is exempt from hunting license requirements and must be unarmed.
• Junior Deer Hunt Days have a separate bag limit. Deer taken by junior hunters during these days do not count towards the regular Archery, Muzzleloader or Firearms seasons bag limits.
• Daily deer shooting hours for Junior Hunt Days are one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
• Junior Deer Hunt Day will take place within the Southern Hunt Zone only.
• Hunters Orange is required for all hunters and companions.
• All park approved archery equipment, firearms and muzzleloaders can be used during the Junior Deer Hunt. See page 8 for additional information on approved weapons.

 

FLUORESCENT CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS
For Deer (Firearm Season(s))

1. Archery hunters in the Southern Hunt Zone will be required to wear fluorescent clothing during the Firearms and Muzzleloader seasons.

2. When hunting, both hunters and companions must wear either:
a) A cap of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink color worn as an outer garment on the head at all times;
b) A vest or jacket containing back and front panels of at least 250 square inches each of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink color worn as an outer garment at all times; or
c) An outer garment of camouflage daylight fluorescent orange or pink worn above the waist which contains at least 50% daylight fluorescent color.

NOTE: Persons hunting from a ground blind that has four sides, a top, and is placed 4 feet or less above the ground must display - on or within 25 feet of the blind - a cap of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink color, or a panel band, strip, or garment containing at least 250 square inches (approx. 16 inches x 16 inches) of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink color.

 

FIREARMS

All firearms to include straight-walled cartridge rifles, shotguns and muzzleloaders are approved to be used during Firearms Season(s). All firearms must comply with the State of Maryland hunting regulations.

The Following are Prohibited for all Deer Firearm Season(s):

• The use of air guns to take game.
• Use or possession of buckshot.
• Using laser sights.
• Hunting with a shotgun–rifle combination.
• Use of rifle calibers considered bottleneck cartridges.
• Hunting with handguns of any kind. Muzzle-loading handguns are not permitted during Muzzleloader Season.
• Discharging any weapon for a purpose other than hunting, except for making a muzzleloader safe at the end of an unsuccessful hunt.
• When exiting any hunting zone, weapons must be unloaded (including the magazine or bolt), cased, and stored in a manner that will prevent their ready use.

 

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

1. Constructing or using permanent blinds or tree stands.
2. Hunters may use portable hunting stands that do not damage vegetation; however, stands and ground blinds must be removed at the end of each hunting day.
3. Using “screw in” steps.
4. Using trail- and route-marking devices such as reflective tacks and flagging.
5. Cutting, thinning, pruning, removing, or damaging any vegetation.
6. Dogs cannot be used to hunt deer.
7. Pursuing, shooting, shooting at, lying in wait for, or killing any deer within 300 yards of a waterfowl blind or a waterfowl hunter during the Waterfowl Season.
8. Baiting, hunting over an area known to be baited, and failing to report baiting (Deer and Waterfowl).
9. Driving deer: i.e., t wo or more hunters driving deer through an area towards stationary positioned hunters.
10. Failing to report all wounded deer to North Beach Ranger Station. Hunters are required to make a concerted effort in locating (tracking) wounded game and are required to call or text 443-669-7039, if tracking a deer will interfere with checking out on time.
11. Field dressing game in the campgrounds/developed areas of the park. The field dressing of game must be completed in the field.
12. Hunting from within 10 feet of the public access roads known as Fox Hills (kilometer 23.4) and Fox Hill Levels (kilometer 25.3) or discharging a weapon across the Fox Hills and Fox Hill Levels access roads within the Southern Hunt Zone.
13. Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Assateague Island National Seashore is prohibited. Exceptions (e.g., model airplanes, quadcopters, drones) need to be approved in writing by the superintendent.

 

Contact Information

For any questions on the pre-mentioned hunting season regulations please contact
U.S. Park Ranger Andrew Brady (Hunting Program Coordinator at Assateague Island N.S.)
Office: 410-629-6048
E-mail: [e-mail]