HB 173
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2020 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Third Reader - Revised
House Bill 173 (Chair, Environment and Transportation Committee)(By
Request - Departmental - Natural Resources)
Environment and Transportation Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Natural Resources - Sunday Hunting
This departmental bill generally reorganizes and clarifies statutory provisions related to
Sunday hunting in the State. The bill also (1) explicitly states that a person may not hunt
on public lands within the State park system on Sunday, which is consistent with current
practice, and (2) authorizes the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to set the seasons
for Sunday hunting, which is generally consistent with current law and current practice.
The bill takes effect June 1, 2020.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: Since the bill primarily clarifies current law and codifies current practice,
the bill is not expected to materially affect State finances or operations.
Local Effect: The bill is not expected to materially affect local finances or operations.
Small Business Effect: DNR has determined that this bill has a meaningful impact on
small business (attached). The Department of Legislative Services disagrees, as discussed
below. (The attached assessment does not reflect amendments to the bill.)
Analysis
Bill Summary/Current Law: Under current law, hunting game birds or mammals on
Sundays is generally prohibited, with specified exceptions. The bill clarifies these
exceptions, in particular for the specific locations, times, and seasons that Sunday hunting
is allowed.
Deer on Private Property
Under current law and the bill, in Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Harford,
Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, a person may hunt
deer on private property with a bow and arrow or crossbow during open season on the last
three Sundays in October and the second Sunday in November.
Under current law and the bill, in Wicomico County, DNR may authorize a person to hunt
deer on private property on the second Sunday in the deer firearms season from 30 minutes
before sunrise until 10:30 a.m.
Under current law and the bill, in Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Harford, Queen Anne’s,
Somerset, and Worcester counties, a person may hunt deer on private property on the
first Sunday of the bow hunting season in November and each Sunday in the deer firearms
season. In addition, DNR may allow deer hunting on private property statewide (with the
exception of Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, and
Prince George’s counties) on the first Sunday of the bow hunting season in November and
the first Sunday of the deer firearms season.
Under current law and the bill, in Carroll County, DNR may authorize deer hunting on
Sundays on private property from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday
in January of the following year.
Under current law and the bill, in Montgomery County, DNR may allow a person to hunt
deer on a Sunday throughout the deer hunting season on private property. DNR may only
allow such hunting from 30 minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m., subject to specified
exceptions. The time restrictions do not apply (1) to a participant in the junior deer hunt;
(2) on private land only on one Sunday designated by DNR during deer bow hunting
season; and (3) on private land only on one Sunday designated by DNR during the firearms
season. Under current law, these provisions terminate June 30, 2022, pursuant to
Chapter 459 of 2017. Under the bill, these provisions are no longer subject to termination,
but the bill restores the law in effect prior to Chapter 459 as of July 1, 2022. Effective
July 1, 2022, DNR may allow a person to hunt deer on the first Sunday of the deer firearms
season and the first Sunday in November of the deer bow hunting season.
Under current law and the bill, in Kent County, DNR may allow a person to hunt deer on
a Sunday on private property throughout all deer hunting seasons. However, DNR may
only allow a person to hunt deer during firearms season from 30 minutes before sunrise
until 10:30 a.m., subject to specified exceptions. The time restrictions do not apply (1) to a
participant in the junior deer hunt and (2) on private land only on one Sunday designated
by DNR during the firearms season.
HB 173/ Page 2
Under current law and the bill, in Dorchester County, DNR may authorize deer hunting on
a Sunday on private property during the bow hunting season from the first Sunday in
October through the second Sunday in January of the following year. Additionally, DNR
may authorize deer hunting on a Sunday during the deer muzzle loader season on private
property in Dorchester County. Finally, DNR may authorize deer hunting on the second
and third Sunday of the deer firearms season on private property in Dorchester County.
Deer Management Permits
Under current law, deer management permit holders and their agents are explicitly
authorized to hunt on any Sunday throughout the State. Deer management permits can be
issued for both private and State-leased agricultural land. These provisions are unchanged
under the bill.
Game Birds and Mammals on Private Property and Public Land
Under current law, DNR may allow hunting on Sundays in Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, and
Washington counties for any game bird or mammal, except migratory game birds, during
the open season for these animals on specified private property and public land designated
for Sunday hunting by DNR. Additionally, DNR is authorized to allow Sunday deer
hunting in Frederick County from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday
in January of the following year on specified private property and public land designated
for Sunday hunting by DNR. In St. Mary’s County, DNR may allow a person to hunt any
game bird or mammal, except migratory game birds, on any Sunday during the open season
for these animals on private property or public land (except State parks) designated for
Sunday hunting by DNR. These provisions are unchanged under the bill.
Under current law and the bill, a person who is age 16 or younger and is participating in a
junior hunt may hunt on a Sunday.
Additionally, under current law, the following persons may hunt game birds and mammals
on Sundays: (1) a person using State-certified raptors during open season; (2) an unarmed
person participating in an organized fox hunt; and (3) a person using a regulated shooting
ground to hunt pen-reared game birds. These provisions are unchanged under the bill.
Turkey on Private Property and Public Land
Under current law and the bill, person may hunt turkey on private property in Calvert,
Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Dorchester, and Kent counties on Sundays during the
spring turkey hunting season. In Dorchester County, a person may hunt turkeys on Sundays
on public land designated for hunting by DNR during the spring turkey hunting season.
HB 173/ Page 3
Background: Because white-tailed deer thrive in habitat that is composed of woods and
openings and because hunter access in those areas is limited, suburban development has
provided excellent deer habitat in the State. This has resulted in growing deer populations
in suburban areas. Higher populations of deer can lead to a greater number of negative
interactions with suburban residents, such as deer-vehicle collisions and vegetation
damage. Deer also cause agricultural damage.
According to DNR, regulated hunting is the most cost-effective deer population control
mechanism available throughout most of the State, and Sunday hunting has contributed
positively to managing the State’s white-tailed deer population in the 20 counties where it
is now permitted. Hunters have harvested more than 70,000 deer on Sundays since
becoming a legal hunting day in 2003. DNR reports that nearly 8,500 deer were taken on
Sundays during the 2018-2019 season.
According to DNR, the numerous changes to the Sunday hunting provisions that have been
made over the last decade have made the existing statute difficult to understand. This bill
is largely intended to reorganize and clarify the Sunday hunting statute.
Small Business Effect: The department’s economic impact analysis does not reflect
amendments to the bill. As amended, the bill merely reorganizes and clarifies current law
and codifies current practice. Accordingly, the bill has minimal or no impact on small
businesses in the State.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s): Department of Natural Resources; Department of Legislative
Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - February 10, 2020
rh/lgc Third Reader - March 16, 2020
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 16, 2020
Analysis by: Kathleen P. Kennedy Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
HB 173/ Page 4
 ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES
TITLE OF BILL: Natural Resources – Sunday Hunting
BILL NUMBER: HB 173
PREPARED BY: Paul Peditto, Director, Wildlife and Heritage Service
PART A. ECONOMIC IMPACT RATING
This agency estimates that the proposed bill:
_ WILL HAVE MINIMAL OR NO ECONOMIC IMPACT ON MARYLAND SMALL
BUSINESS
OR
X WILL HAVE MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC IMPACT ON MARYLAND SMALL
BUSINESSES
PART B. ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS
Authorizing Sunday hunting, through clarification of existing opportunities, likely has a
meaningful economic impact on certain types of businesses throughout the State. The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service reports that, in 2011, the average hunter in Maryland spent $49 per hunting
day on trip-related expenditures. In 2011, the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife
Associated Recreation estimated that hunters in Maryland spend more than $260 million annually
on food, lodging, equipment, and transportation.
In addition to businesses directly affected by hunting, the bill may also affect several other types
of businesses. Most farms, for example, are small businesses. In 2011, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated that Maryland deer caused $7.7
million in agricultural damage statewide. Based on past estimates of crop damage losses, DNR
estimates that an individual deer causes $33.05 in agricultural damage annually. To the extent that
the bill reduces crop damage, farmers benefit.
The bill may also affect vehicle owners and businesses involved in the repair of vehicles. DNR
estimates that there was an average of 31,300 deer-vehicle collisions in each of the last five years
and that the average cost per collision is $4,179. The car insurance industry projected total annual
damage in Maryland due to deer-vehicle collisions is $133 million. Reducing the deer population
in the State likely reduces the number of deer-vehicle collisions, which has a positive impact on
vehicle owners and a corresponding negative impact on vehicle repair businesses.
HB 173/ Page 5


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Natural Resources - Sunday Hunting: 10-410 Natural Resources, 10-906 Natural Resources
Text - Third - Natural Resources - Sunday Hunting: 10-410 Natural Resources, 10-906 Natural Resources, 10-410 Natural Resources