Deer Season and Bag Limits

2024-2025 Assateague Island National Seashore Hunt Plan (pdf file, 259kb)

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.
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 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. 17 - Oct. 19 Oct. 21 - Oct. 26	Sika: 2 antlered, 4 antlerless White-tailed: 1 antlered, 1 antlerless	Inline, flintlock, percussion cap & matchlock
Shotgun or Muzzleloader Late Season Shotgun and Muzzleloader	Southern Zone: Nov. 30 – Dec. 14 Southern Zone: January 10-11	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 shotgun season. Bag limits are for the shotgun even if taken by straight-walled cartridge rifles or muzzleloader.

 

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 COMPASS Portal at compass.dnr.maryland.gov/, DNR official mobile app (AccessDNR) or by calling 1-888-800-0121.
e) The hunt 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.

 

FLUORESCENT CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS for deer (shotgun/muzzleloader)

1. Archery hunters in the Southern Hunt Zone will be required to wear fluorescent clothing during the shotgun/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 any access road or discharging a weapon across any access road 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]