Mckee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 50 deer on Mckee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in the 2025-26 season, 23 antlered and 27 antlerless, against 65 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR wildlife management area of about 1,971 acres in Montgomery 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 Mckee-Beshers WMA. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaState parkNational Park ServiceMckee-Beshers WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 1,971 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Managed by | Wildlife and Heritage Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 50 (23 antlered, 27 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 65 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | Darnestown (3 mi), Poolesville (4 mi) and Travilah (6 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Mckee-Beshers WMA each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 23 | 27 | 50 |
| 2024-25 | 24 | 41 | 65 |
| 2023-24 | 34 | 41 | 75 |
| 2022-23 | 32 | 61 | 93 |
| 2021-22 | 30 | 62 | 92 |
| 2020-21 | 45 | 61 | 106 |
| 2019-20 | 37 | 55 | 92 |
Source: the public land table (Appendix II) in DNR's report for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive).
What is Mckee-Beshers WMA like?
DNR describes it: "Located on River Road near Poolesville in Montgomery County, McKee-Beshers WMA is a 1,971 acre tract in a mixture of habitat types. The WMA shares a common boundary with the National Park Service Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) to the south and borders Seneca Creek State Park’s River Road Hunting Area to the east."
On wildlife: "This area provides habitat for upland and forest wildlife species including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, songbirds, and waterfowl."
Quoted from DNR's page for Mckee-Beshers WMA.
What are the rules on Mckee-Beshers WMA?
- Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday. No hunting is allowed on Sundays.
- Permitted hunting devices include all legal devices allowed in Montgomery County.
- Dove hunting is restricted in the month of September to Monday-Saturday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. After September, dove hunting is allowed all legal days and times.
- Trapping is allowed by permit only. Contact the Gwynnbrook Wildlife Office at 410-356-9272 for more information.
- Use of the dog training area and pond is allowed year round. This area is indicated on the map and by signs in the field. No reservations are required.
- If releasing live birds, a Retriever Dog Training Permit is required.
From DNR's page for Mckee-Beshers WMA.
When can you hunt Mckee-Beshers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 3,069 | 1,229 | 137 | 5% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Mckee-Beshers WMA?
Highways within five miles: MD 28, MD 107, MD 190, MD 112 and MD 118. Nearest towns: Darnestown (3 miles), Poolesville (4 miles), Travilah (6 miles) and North Potomac (7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Mckee-Beshers WMA?
50 in 2025-26: 23 antlered and 27 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 65. DNR's tables go back to 2019-20 for this area.
Do you need a permit to hunt Mckee-Beshers WMA?
DNR's page for Mckee-Beshers WMA says: "Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday. No hunting is allowed on Sundays. Permitted hunting devices include all legal devices allowed in Montgomery County."
What county is Mckee-Beshers WMA in?
Montgomery County. Montgomery County reported 3,069 deer in 2025-26, 1,229 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.
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