Browns Branch Wildlife Management Area: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 33 deer on Browns Branch Wildlife Management Area in the 2025-26 season, 16 antlered and 17 antlerless, against 23 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR wildlife management area of about 1,175 acres in Queen Anne's 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 Browns Branch WMA. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaBrowns Branch WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 1,175 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Queen Anne's County |
| Managed by | Wildlife and Heritage Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 33 (16 antlered, 17 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 23 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | Church Hill (2 mi), Barclay (3 mi) and Sudlersville (4 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Browns Branch WMA each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16 | 17 | 33 |
| 2024-25 | 11 | 12 | 23 |
| 2023-24 | 13 | 13 | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 5 | 18 | 23 |
| 2021-22 | 9 | 14 | 23 |
| 2020-21 | 10 | 24 | 34 |
| 2019-20 | 20 | 22 | 42 |
Source: the public land table (Appendix II) in DNR's report for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive).
What is Browns Branch WMA like?
DNR describes it: "The former Ben-Lee property was acquired by the Department of Natural Resources in March 2019. The 1,172 acre tract is dedicated to wildlife conservation."
On wildlife: "Browns Branch WMA provides habitat for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, migratory waterfowl, and songbirds."
Quoted from DNR's page for Browns Branch WMA.
What are the rules on Browns Branch WMA?
- Reservations are only required for waterfowl sites, spring turkey, dove hunting during the September season, or to hunt deer during the 3-day early Muzzleloader season, the opening day of Firearms
- Season through the second Saturday, and the late Firearms season. During these times there are 10 reservations available per day. Reservations are not required for Junior Deer Hunt days or primitive deer hunt days.
- Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday. No hunting is allowed on Sundays.
- Deer hunting reservations during the deer muzzleloader and firearms seasons are limited to 10 hunters per day.
- Three goose fields are available for reservation during waterfowl seasons.
- During Spring Turkey Season reservations are required daily from opening day through the second Saturday. Three reservations are available per day. After the second Saturday hunting is allowed Monday through Saturday without a reservation.
From DNR's page for Browns Branch WMA.
When can you hunt Browns Branch 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Anne's County | 3,355 | 1,271 | 240 | 2.3% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Browns Branch WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 301, MD 313, MD 300, MD 19, MD 213 and MD 544. Nearest towns: Church Hill (2 miles), Barclay (3 miles), Sudlersville (4 miles) and Crumpton (4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Browns Branch WMA?
33 in 2025-26: 16 antlered and 17 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 23. DNR's tables go back to 2019-20 for this area.
Do you need a permit to hunt Browns Branch WMA?
DNR's page for Browns Branch WMA says: "Reservations are only required for waterfowl sites, spring turkey, dove hunting during the September season, or to hunt deer during the 3-day early Muzzleloader season, the opening day of Firearms Season through the second Saturday, and the late Firearms season. During these times there are 10 reservations available per day. Reservations are not required for Junior Deer Hunt days or primitive deer hunt days."
What county is Browns Branch WMA in?
Queen Anne's County. Queen Anne's County reported 3,355 deer in 2025-26, 1,271 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.