Managed Urban Deer Hunt Information

To participate in the program, all hunters must have the following:

• Valid Maryland hunting license;
• Maryland or other State Hunter Safety Certification. The Certification does not need to be included with application if it was previously submitted to WSSC Water.The Pre-1977 exemption is not acceptable for WSSC Water hunts;
• Current Maryland or equivalent shooter qualification certificate;
• Current WSSC Water Watershed use permit 
• 2025 Deer Hunt Application.

Please note:

• Minors (age 17 or younger) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• All Federal, State, Local and WSSC regulations apply unless otherwise noted.
• Submit one application per hunter.
• Applications for groups of four or less will be accepted. All group applicants must apply together for the same dates.
• Selected hunters are to be notify by e-mail only. Hunters must bring a copy of their e-mail notification, Shooters Proficiency Card Number and WSSC Watershed Permit to the hunt. Do not attach copies with your electronic application, they will be checked the day of the hunt.
• Current WSSC Water Daily or Seasonal Watershed Permits must be purchase at least 48 hours prior to your assigned hunt date. Permits may be purchase at the WSSC Water Headquarters, Brighton Dam Visitor Center, or on-line at https://my.wsscwater.com/selfcare/views/public/login/login.faces
• Whenever hunting, hunters and companions must wear:
  • A cap of solid fluorescent orange or pink color (worn as an outer garment on the head at all times);
  • A vest or jacket containing back and front panels of at least 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orangeor pink color (worn as outer garment at all times).
• Hunters must hunt from tree stands at least ten feet from the ground and be at least 150 yards from an occupied dwelling or roadway. There will be no exceptions.
• Hunters must remain in their tree stands until the end of the hunt. Violators will be removed from thehunt and banned from any future hunts.
• Weapons: Shotguns only (no muzzleloaders), rifled slug or sabot ammunition only.
• Deer harvested do not count against the State bag limit.
• Hunt Bag Limit: First antlered deer may be taken at any time. There is no limit on antlerless deer.
  • Quality Deer Management is strongly encouraged; hunters should target mature antlered deer (3 years or older).
  • Up to two antlered deer are to be harvest per season per hunter.
  • A second antlered deer can be harvest on a future hunt, if two antlerless deer have been harvest and the firstantlered deer is a mature animal (deemed by the watershed manager).
• Hunts may be suspended at any time by the Watershed Manager.
• Hunters are required to notify the Watershed Manager by email 48 hours prior to their scheduled hunt if they are unableto attend. Failure to do so, will disqualify them from future hunts.
• Day of the Hunt:
  • Park in designated areas only. Do not block gates or private drives. There will be no vehicle access on theperimeter access road.
  • Hunting hours are ½ hour prior to legal sunrise to 11:00 am (unless otherwise noted).
  • Registration will take place at the designated location between 5:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Briefing will occur at5:30 a.m.
  • Hunters are expected to remain in stands until the hunt is over at 11:00 am.
  • All Participants must sign out at the end of the hunt even if no deer were harvested.
  • Late arrivals will not be permitted to the hunts.
  • Only selected hunters will be allowed to participate in the Managed Hunts. No standby hunters will be allowed.
• State Tagging and Check-in requirements must be followed. It is the hunter's responsibility to field dress and movethe deer to an access road where WSSC Water personal will assist in collecting the deer.
• Deer hunters now have three ways they can register their deer. Like before, they can use the Internet at https://mdoutdoors.maryland.gov/login or the Big Game Registration Phone Line at 1-888-800-0121. They can also now use the new mobile phone app AccessDNR available for iPhone and Android phones (more information is available at http://dnr2.maryland.gov/Pages/dnrapp.aspx). All hunters must call or log on to the Internet site before checking out at theend of the hunts to officially check their deer. Each hunter will need their DNR id and county/land codes for where theyharvested the deer. 
• The public land code for deer taken on Howard County WSSC property is 604, the public land code for deer taken on Montgomery County WSSC land is 447, and the public land code for deer taken on Prince George’s County WSSC property is 489. Each deer must also have a Field Tag attached to the deer’s head.
• The following text will clarify the deer registration process. After bagging a deer and before moving it from the place of harvest, the successful hunter will start the new check-in process by immediately completing a Field Tag in ink and attaching it to the head of the deer. Field Tags are available in the “2025-2026 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland” or hunters may make their own.
• Again before moving the deer, the hunter will use ink to record the species, date, county, sex, and weapon-type in one block on the Maryland Big Game Harvest Record. The Managed Hunt Deer box must be checked for deer exempt from the statewide bag limits. The Maryland Big Game Harvest Record is included on each Maryland Hunting License. Additional Big Game Harvest Records can be obtained from license vendors or online via the hunter’s COMPASS account (https://compass.dnr.maryland.gov/dnrcompassportal).
• After correctly attaching the Field Tag and completing the Maryland Big Game Harvest Record, the hunter can move the deer from the place of harvest and complete the harvest registration. To complete the registration, the hunter may use one of the three methods outlined above to obtain a confirmation number that is recorded in the same block on the Big Game Harvest Record. Remember, hunters must register their game prior to checking out with WSSC Water personnel. Questions: Please contact the Watershed Manager at (301) 206-7489 or [email protected]