Chesapeake Forest Lands: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 838 deer on Chesapeake Forest Lands in the 2025-26 season, 352 antlered and 486 antlerless, against 913 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR state forest land of about 73,904 acres in Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, 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). Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaState forestState parkNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Chesapeake Forest LandsCounty lineHighway
| Size | 73,904 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Caroline County, Dorchester County, Somerset County, Wicomico County, Worcester County |
| Managed by | Maryland Forest Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 838 (352 antlered, 486 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 913 |
| Sika among them, 2025-26 | 179 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | Madison (next to it), West Pocomoke (next to it) and Nanticoke (next to it) |
How many deer are taken on Chesapeake Forest Lands each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 352 | 486 | 838 |
| 2024-25 | 348 | 565 | 913 |
Source: the public land table (Appendix II) in DNR's report for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive). Added up across Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, where DNR lists the area in each. Totals include sika deer.
When can you hunt Chesapeake Forest Lands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 2,540 | 916 | 192 | 3.6% |
| Dorchester County | 5,106 | 2,338 | 216 | 20.8% |
| Somerset County | 1,846 | 657 | 184 | 22.2% |
| Wicomico County | 2,787 | 1,112 | 242 | 11% |
| Worcester County | 2,862 | 1,150 | 430 | 17.1% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Chesapeake Forest Lands?
Highways within five miles: US 50, US 13, US 113, MD 16, MD 313 and MD 12. Nearest towns: Madison (next to it), West Pocomoke (next to it), Nanticoke (next to it) and Eden (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Chesapeake Forest Lands?
838 in 2025-26: 352 antlered and 486 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 913.
Do you need a permit to hunt Chesapeake Forest Lands?
DNR's public land table counts deer taken here, so it is hunted; check DNR for any permit, drawing or day restrictions before you go.
What county is Chesapeake Forest Lands in?
Caroline County, Dorchester County, Somerset County, Wicomico County and Worcester County. Caroline County reported 2,540 deer in 2025-26, 916 antlered, and is in Region B.
Get a Maryland hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Maryland are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Maryland included.
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.
Maryland hunting Caroline County Dorchester County Somerset County Wicomico County Worcester County