Deer Archery Season Underway
Deer archery hunting began on
September 15, 2007 and continues through January 31, 2008. Archery
Hunters are an important part of how Maryland manages their deer
population. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) notes in a
recent press release that in 2006, license sales showed that 50,600
residents and 7,100 non-residents purchased archery stamps as
required to bow hunt deer. When combined with the muzzleloader and
firearms seasons, deer hunting contributes more than $150 million to
Maryland’s economy. During the 2006-07 season, 21,991 deer which was
comprised of 8,631 antlered bucks, 11,498 does and 1,862 button
bucks, were harvested with archery tackle. Vertical bow hunters
harvested 18,649 deer and crossbow deer hunters harvests were as
follows: disabled hunters, firearm season, muzzleloader season, 4
week crossbow season)3,342 (1,375 antlered, 2,285 antlerless).
Crossbow hunters also harvested 1,057 deer during the 2006-07 4-week
crossbow season.
Maryland’s DNR lists the top ten
Maryland counties for the 2006-07 total bow harvest as follows:
Baltimore (2,591); Montgomery (1,783); Washington (1,736); Harford
(1,547); Frederick (1,350); Carroll (1,119); Garrett (1,104);
Allegany (1,064); Howard (987); Charles (937).
All but two Maryland Counties are
in Deer Management Region B where archers may take 2 antlered
white-tailed deer. 2 antlerless deer must be taken before attempting
to hunt a second antlered deer. The bag limit for antlerless deer in
Region B is 10 antlerless deer, but archery hunters in the Suburban
Deer Archery Zone of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery,
and Prince George’s Counties may take an unlimited number of
antlerless deer. The white-tailed deer archery bag limit for Deer
Management Region A which is comprised of Garrett and Allegany
Counties is 2 deer, 1 antlered and 1 antlerless. Sika deer archery
season is open from September 15, 2007 through January 31, 2008 in
Caroline, Dorchester, and Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester
counties. The sika deer bag limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless
sika deer. An antlered sika deer is a deer with at least one antler
visible above the hairline.
Archery deer hunters check in
their harvested deer by calling 1-888-800-0121 or online at the
website, www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us . DNR instructions
state that as soon as the deer is harvested, hunters are to
immediately place a "…Field Tag" on the deer’s head and complete the
Maryland Big Game Harvest Record." Hunters receive a
confirmation number when they register by phone or the website. This
number must be recorded on their Big Game Harvest Record.
This must be done in ink. Instructions for the process of checking
in a deer and recording the information are also on pages 32 – 33 of
the "2007-2008 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland".
Information on bag limits, season dates, deer registration
procedures and bow hunting regulations is also available at DNR’s
website, www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/.
On Sunday, November 4, 2007, bow
hunting on private land is permitted in the following 12 counties:
Allegany, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Garrett,
Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Washington. Five Sunday
deer bow hunting days are scheduled for private lands in Dorchester,
St. Mary’s, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties on October 14,
October 21, October 28, November 4 and November 11.
Deer archery hunting with crossbows is permitted
from October 1 – October 15, 2007 and January 15 – 31, 2008.
Crossbows are also legal during the firearm and muzzleloader
seasons. Any deer taken with crossbows counts toward the hunter’s
appropriate Regional Bow Bag Limit. Both Crossbow hunters and those
who hunt with vertical bows (including straight limb, recurve or
compound) must possess a Bow Stamp with a valid hunting license in
order to hunt deer during Maryland’s Bow Season. Bow hunters must
purchase a Muzzleloader Stamp in order to hunt with a bow (vertical
or crossbow) during the Muzzleloader Deer Season. Deer harvested
with a straight limb, recurve or compound bow are registered as
taken with a vertical bow. Deer harvested with a crossbow are
recorded as taken with a crossbow.
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 4/27/07
BIG STRIPERS ROCK SOUTHERN MARYLAND WATERS
Southern
Maryland anglers are into a great trophy rockfish season
with big rockfish providing action across Chesapeake Bay and
Lower Potomac River waters. With more predictable weather
conditions and seasonal temperatures, the fishing action has
moved into high gear. Previous cold snaps may have slowed
the migration of both pre and post-spawn stripers, making
the next few weeks a likely window of great fishing. It's
trolling time with big lures for big fish being the best
strategy to follow.
Work
the Channels
Fishing the edges of deep
channel waters with lures in the upper water column are the
favored strategies. Big baits popular last spring season are
again the most likely rigs to fish. Umbrellas rigged with
large sassy shads or parachute lures are a continued
Jeff and Emily Creasy join Doug
Boarman in showing their trophy rockfish catches
from an April 22 fishing trip with Joe Boarman.
Chelly Scala photo
favorite
but so are tandem rigged jigs in 4 to 6 ounce sizes. Little
or no weight should be used as these big fish are cruising
the upper water column of deep channel waters. Trolling east
to west across the channel in the Chesapeake Bay and north
to south in the Lower Potomac is a good strategy to consider
if you find signs of bait fish or big stripers.
Rock
On!
The current 2007 PRFC recreational striper time continues
through May 15. During this first PRFC season, the area open
for possessing stripers is limited to Potomac River waters
downstream of the Harry Nice (Route 301) Bridge. Daily creel
and size limits are one fish per person per day from 28
inches to 35 inches or one fish over 41 inches. For
additional information call 1-800-266-3904 or visit the PRFC
website at, http://www.prfc.state.va.us/index.htm.
Maryland's current recreational striper season continues
through May 15. During this time, one fish per person per
day between 28 inches and 35 inches in total length or one
fish 41 inches or greater can be kept. All striped
bass between 35 inches and 41 inches must be quickly
released to the water, unharmed. DNR Fisheries notes
that it is illegal to cull or exchange, a striped bass
already in possession for another striped bass later caught
that same fishing day. Eels may not be used as bait until
May 16. To see the areas in which striped bass fishing is
restricted during the first 2007 season, visit,
www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/frmapindex.asp
Release Certificate
Maryland’s DNR Fisheries Service provides an incentive for
anglers to release a striped bass 40 inches or larger. Doing
so makes them eligible to receive a striped bass
conservation certificate from the Governor of Maryland.
Applications for the citation should be available on charter
boats, at bait and tackle stores and at the website,
www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/recreational/tournament/rockconserawardform.html.
Gobblerockers
The statewide 2007 spring
turkey season continues through May 23. Legal hunting time
is one half hour before sunrise until 12:00 noon. The daily
bag limit is one bearded bird with a maximum of two per
season. Enjoy this premiere sport by staying
safe. Identify your target as a bearded turkey, before
pulling the trigger. Avoid wearing the colors red, white and
blue from any clothing you wear while hunting. These are the
colors of a gobblers head. Hunters are encouraged to wear a
fluorescent orange cap while moving to and from the hunting
site. Tying an orange ribbon around a nearby tree from your
hunting location can provide warning to another hunter who
could be walking into your area. Harvested turkeys must be
field tagged and recorded on the Maryland Big Game
Harvest Record portion of the hunting license. Register
the turkey harvest by calling 1-888-800-0121, or via the DNR
internet at
www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us. The detailed instructions
for checking game and information about turkey hunting
regulations and public land opportunities can be found in
the 2006–2007 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland
or at the DNR websites,
http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/hntgp.asp or
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/
Crab
Survey Results
The 2007 overwintering crab survey conducted by the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries
Service and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
resulted in a stable count of crabs. A recent DNR press
release presented the results as being similar to data
collected during the 2006 survey. Abundance of female crab
expected to spawn in 2007 is said to be unchanged from 2006.
The DNR notes that while the abundance of spawning age
female crabs has been steady since 2003, their numbers are
below the historic levels of previous collected data. The
April 23, 2007 DNR press release further states,
"The abundance of young of the year crabs
(less than two inches across the carapace) declined
significantly in 2007, and is among the lowest levels
observed in the survey. It is important to note that
fluctuations from year to year in the juvenile blue crab
index are unpredictable and not uncommon. As in 2006, total
abundance remained below the 17-year survey average."
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