Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 20 deer on Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area in the 2025-26 season, 10 antlered and 10 antlerless, against 27 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR wildlife management area of about 3,445 acres in Allegany and Washington counties, in deer management Region A.
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 Sideling Hill WMA. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaState forestState parkNational Park ServiceSideling Hill WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 3,445 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Allegany County, Washington County |
| Managed by | Wildlife and Heritage Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 20 (10 antlered, 10 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 27 |
| Deer management region | Region A |
| Nearest towns | Little Orleans (2 mi), Hancock (6 mi) and Flintstone (12 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Sideling Hill WMA each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| 2024-25 | 16 | 11 | 27 |
| 2023-24 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 2022-23 | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| 2021-22 | 11 | 3 | 14 |
| 2020-21 | 14 | 9 | 23 |
| 2019-20 | 13 | 5 | 18 |
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 Allegany and Washington counties, where DNR lists the area in each.
What is Sideling Hill WMA like?
DNR describes it: "The overriding goal of the Sideling Hill WMA in eastern Allegany and western Washington Counties is to provide forest wildlife habitat and protection for water quality in Sideling Hill Creek. Dramatic rock formations include scenic cliffs and rocky outcrops of Devonian shale and Chemung and Hampshire sandstone."
On hunting and other uses: "In the spring, turkey gobblers strut through the forest and forest clearings, displaying their beautiful array of feathers. Black Bears are commonly seen in this area."
On wildlife: "This 3,100-acre tract of mixed oak forest with scattered stands of Virginia Pine is a must for outdoor enthusiasts who love mountain scenery and wildlife. The property has a rolling to steep topography with elevations ranging from 500 to 1,500 feet."
Quoted from DNR's page for Sideling Hill WMA.
What are the rules on Sideling Hill WMA?
- Use of Sideling Hill WMA is generally permitted seven days a week throughout the year
- Hunting is allowed in accordance with open seasons and shooting hours
- No special permits or drawings are required to hunt this area, except appropriate licenses and stamps.
- There is no disabled hunter access available on Sideling Hill WMA, but it is available on adjacent Woodmont NRMA.
From DNR's page for Sideling Hill WMA.
When can you hunt Sideling Hill WMA in 2026-27?
Seasons follow Region A: archery September 11 to January 31 with breaks, early muzzleloader October 22 to 24, firearm November 28 to December 12, late muzzleloader December 19 to January 2. Bear season in the western counties is October 26 to 31. Spring turkey runs April 19 to May 24, 2027.
| County | Deer, 2025-26 | Antlered, 2025-26 | Spring turkeys, 2026 | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | 2,924 | 1,739 | 372 | 27.7% |
| Washington County | 4,560 | 2,337 | 382 | 10.5% |
Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. County harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026.
How do you get to Sideling Hill WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 40, I-68 and MD 144. Nearest towns: Little Orleans (2 miles), Hancock (6 miles), Flintstone (12 miles) and Pecktonville (13 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Sideling Hill WMA?
20 in 2025-26: 10 antlered and 10 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 27. DNR's tables go back to 2019-20 for this area.
Do you need a permit to hunt Sideling Hill WMA?
DNR's page for Sideling Hill WMA says: "Use of Sideling Hill WMA is generally permitted seven days a week throughout the year No special permits or drawings are required to hunt this area, except appropriate licenses and stamps."
What county is Sideling Hill WMA in?
Allegany County and Washington County. Allegany County reported 2,924 deer in 2025-26, 1,739 antlered, and is in Region A.
What can you hunt on Sideling Hill WMA?
DNR: "In the spring, turkey gobblers strut through the forest and forest clearings, displaying their beautiful array of feathers. Black Bears are commonly seen in this area."
Get a Maryland hunt plan when they open
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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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