Elk Neck State Forest: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 50 deer on Elk Neck State Forest in the 2025-26 season, 23 antlered and 27 antlerless, against 52 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR state forest of about 3,848 acres in Cecil 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 Elk Neck SF. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
State forestElk Neck SFCounty lineHighway
| Size | 3,848 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Cecil County |
| Managed by | Maryland Forest Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 50 (23 antlered, 27 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 52 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | North East (next to it), Elkton (3 mi) and Charlestown (3 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Elk Neck SF each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 23 | 27 | 50 |
| 2024-25 | 21 | 31 | 52 |
Source: the public land table (Appendix II) in DNR's report for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive).
What is Elk Neck SF like?
DNR describes it: "Elk Neck State Forest covers approximately 3,571 acres in central Cecil County. The forest is made up of four separate tracts and is open for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, target shooting, wildlife observation, and nature study."
Quoted from DNR's page for Elk Neck SF.
When can you hunt Elk Neck SF 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil County | 3,159 | 1,320 | 130 | 6.1% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Elk Neck SF?
Highways within five miles: US 40, I-95, MD 272, MD 213, MD 7 and MD 279. Nearest towns: North East (next to it), Elkton (3 miles), Charlestown (3 miles) and Chesapeake City (5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Elk Neck SF?
50 in 2025-26: 23 antlered and 27 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 52.
Do you need a permit to hunt Elk Neck SF?
DNR's public land table counts deer taken here, so it is hunted; check DNR's page for Elk Neck SF for any permit, drawing or day restrictions before you go.
What county is Elk Neck SF in?
Cecil County. Cecil County reported 3,159 deer in 2025-26, 1,320 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.