Maryland’s 2026-27 archery season for white-tailed and sika deer opened Sept. 11, 2026, and runs through Jan. 31, 2027, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Bag limits differ sharply between Western Maryland and the rest of the state, and this year’s rules add a separate stamp for sika deer and a clear limit on drones.
When does the 2026-27 archery season run?
The DNR announced on Sept. 1, 2026, that archery season for white-tailed and sika deer begins Sept. 11 and continues through Jan. 31, 2027. The season is not continuous: it pauses for the muzzleloader and firearms seasons, which have their own dates in the state’s hunting guide.
A separate, shorter window follows. The seventh annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days are set for Feb. 1-3, 2027, for archers using vertical longbows and vertical recurve bows.
Sunday hunting is also part of the picture. The DNR says multiple Sundays are open to archery in most counties, including some public lands, and directs hunters to the 2026-2027 Guide to Hunting and Trapping for exact dates and closures.
Quick facts for the 2026-27 archery season
| Item | Detail (per DNR, Sept. 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Season opens | Sept. 11, 2026 |
| Season closes | Jan. 31, 2027 (with breaks for other seasons) |
| Primitive Deer Hunt Days | Feb. 1-3, 2027 |
| Region A antlerless limit (archery) | 2 white-tailed deer, 1 per day |
| Region B antlerless limit (archery) | 15 |
| Urban/Suburban zone antlerless limit | Unlimited |
| Statewide antlered white-tailed limit | 2, no more than 1 in any weapon season |
| Sika deer archery limit | 3, no more than 1 antlered |
How do bag limits differ across the state?
Maryland divides deer management into regions. Region A covers Western Maryland, and Region B covers the rest of the state, a split the DNR has also used for its winter firearms season.
In Region A, up to two antlerless white-tailed deer may be taken during archery season, and only one antlerless deer per day. The DNR also says the Region A total across all weapon seasons is no more than two antlerless deer. An additional antlerless deer may be taken during Primitive Deer Hunt Days.
In Region B, the antlerless archery limit is 15. Within Region B sits the Urban/Suburban Deer Management Zone, which the DNR says comprises Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. There, the archery antlerless limit is unlimited.
The contrast reflects different conditions on the ground. Dense suburban and agricultural areas in central and eastern Maryland are managed for heavier harvests, while the mountain counties of the west operate under tighter limits.
For a hunter, the practical effect is that the same weekend afield can carry very different limits depending on the county. A hunter in Western Maryland works under the Region A limits described above, while one in Howard or Prince George’s county falls inside the Urban/Suburban zone, where the antlerless archery limit has no cap. Anyone who hunts in more than one part of the state should check which region each property sits in before the trip, and track the running total of deer taken across all weapon seasons.
What are the antlered deer rules?
Statewide, the antlered white-tailed deer bag limit is two, with no more than one taken in any weapon season. The DNR notes that Region A allows no more than two antlered deer and no more than one per weapon season, regardless of stamps.
An antler-point restriction also applies. One antlered white-tailed deer per year may lack a three-point antler; any additional antlered deer must meet the requirement. Junior hunters, and apprentice license holders aged 16 or younger, are exempt from the restriction.
A Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp remains optional. According to the DNR, one stamp lets a hunter take two antlered deer in the same weapon season, or a third antlered deer in a weapon season in which none has yet been taken.
Which licenses and stamps are required?
An archery stamp is required for deer archery hunting. New this year, a separate sika hunting stamp is required to hunt sika deer, which are open in every county. The sika archery bag limit is three, with no more than one antlered. The DNR defines an antlered sika as one with at least one antler visible above the hairline.
Licenses and stamps can be bought through the MD Outdoors online system or app, through a licensing agent, or by calling the Licensing and Registration Service at 866-344-8889.
How should deer be reported?
The DNR asks hunters to report deer taken with a long, compound or recurve bow as harvested with a vertical bow. Crossbow hunters should register deer as taken with a crossbow.
Are drones allowed in deer hunting?
Only in a narrow way. Under the rules the DNR highlighted for 2026-27, drones may be used to locate and recover wounded or expired game. Using a drone to hunt, trap or pursue any wildlife remains illegal.
Hunters searching for a wounded or dead animal with a drone are asked to contact the Natural Resources Police at 800-628-9944 both before and after the search.
How can hunters stay safe in a tree stand?
The DNR’s season announcement puts tree-stand safety first among its reminders. Its advice:
- Inspect all tree stands before use.
- Wear a full-body safety harness in the stand and while climbing in or out.
- Use a prusik, or sliding, knot on a line secured above the stand, so the hunter is tethered to the tree as soon as they leave the ground.
Blaze orange rules matter later in the year, when firearms seasons begin. For the 2025-26 late firearms season, the DNR said hunters and companions had to wear daylight fluorescent orange or pink in one of three ways: a solid cap; a vest or jacket with front and back panels of at least 250 square inches; or an outer camouflage garment worn above the waist that is at least 50 percent fluorescent. Hunters should confirm the current requirements in the state guide.
Why does Maryland encourage deer harvests?
Deer management is a conservation task as well as a pastime. Karina Stonesifer, director of the DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service, said archery season “gives Maryland deer hunters the chance to get afield early, harvest a deer, and take an active, vital role in deer management and wildlife conservation.”
The DNR also encourages hunters to donate deer to food banks, and says a state tax credit offers an incentive for donated deer. Hunters should ask their processors about donation programs.
What else is happening in Maryland’s outdoors this fall?
Hunters share the woods with leaf-watchers, and the state’s autumn color is a draw in the same western counties where Region A rules apply. Readers heading outdoors can check our guide to where Maryland’s fall foliage is peaking. On the water, the same DNR oversees fisheries, as explained in our look at Maryland’s blue crab season and the winter dredge survey.
Anyone hunting should carry the current state guide and verify county-by-county Sunday dates, since the DNR specifically points hunters there for closures and exceptions.
What should hunters remember before heading out?
The core facts for 2026-27 are simple: archery season runs from Sept. 11 through Jan. 31, 2027; limits are strictest in Region A and loosest in the Urban/Suburban zone; sika deer now need their own stamp; and drones may help recover wounded game but never to pursue it. For exact dates, county Sunday openings and any rule changes, the DNR’s 2026-2027 Guide to Hunting and Trapping is the authoritative reference.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Regulations can change, so confirm current rules with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources before hunting.
Sources: Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Maryland DNR News
