Avondale Wildlife Management Area: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 12 deer on Avondale Wildlife Management Area in the 2025-26 season, 5 antlered and 7 antlerless, against 17 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR wildlife management area of about 184 acres in Carroll County, in deer management Region B.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II. Area: Maryland DNR owned lands (Maryland iMAP); DNR's page for Avondale WMA. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaAvondale WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 184 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Carroll County |
| Managed by | Wildlife and Heritage Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 12 (5 antlered, 7 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 17 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | Westminster (next to it), New Windsor (4 mi) and Union Bridge (8 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Avondale WMA each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 11 | 17 |
Source: the public land table (Appendix II) in DNR's report for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive).
What is Avondale WMA like?
DNR describes it: "Located on the outskirts of Westminster, Maryland, Avondale Wildlife Management Area was deeded to the Department of Natural Resources by the estate of Mildred M. Tarkington in January 2005."
On wildlife: "This area provides habitat for upland and forest wildlife species including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, and songbirds."
Quoted from DNR's page for Avondale WMA.
What are the rules on Avondale WMA?
- Hunting access is restricted to seasonal permit holders from September 1st through February 28th and during the Spring Turkey Season.
- Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday. No hunting is allowed on Sundays.
- The opening day of Deer Firearms Season is drawn by lottery.
- Permitted hunting devices include all legal devices allowed in Carroll County.
- During Spring Turkey Season, hunters must sign in at the parking lot with their Free Public Hunting Permit. Three hunters may sign in at a time.
- Trapping is allowed by permit only. Contact the Gwynnbrook Wildlife Office at 410-356-9272 for more information.
From DNR's page for Avondale WMA.
When can you hunt Avondale WMA in 2026-27?
Seasons follow Region B: archery September 11 to January 31 with breaks, early muzzleloader October 22 to 24, firearm November 28 to December 12 and January 8 to 10, 2027, late muzzleloader December 19 to January 2. Spring turkey runs April 19 to May 24, 2027.
| County | Deer, 2025-26 | Antlered, 2025-26 | Spring turkeys, 2026 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | 5,270 | 2,340 | 130 | 1.6% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Avondale WMA?
Highways within five miles: MD 140, MD 97, MD 27, MD 31, MD 852 and MD 32. Nearest towns: Westminster (next to it), New Windsor (4 miles), Union Bridge (8 miles) and Manchester (9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Avondale WMA?
12 in 2025-26: 5 antlered and 7 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 17.
Do you need a permit to hunt Avondale WMA?
DNR's page for Avondale WMA says: "Hunting access is restricted to seasonal permit holders from September 1st through February 28th and during the Spring Turkey Season. Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday. No hunting is allowed on Sundays."
What county is Avondale WMA in?
Carroll County. Carroll County reported 5,270 deer in 2025-26, 2,340 antlered, and is in Region B.
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Where these facts come from
- Deer by area: the public land tables in Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive. Boundary: Maryland DNR owned lands (Maryland iMAP).
- Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027; Maryland DNR: 2026-27 archery deer season opens September 11. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
- Public land around it: Maryland DNR owned lands (Maryland iMAP) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.