South Mountain State Park: deer harvest, hunting rules and map
Hunters reported 140 deer on South Mountain State Park in the 2025-26 season, 64 antlered and 76 antlerless, against 151 in 2024-25. It is a Maryland DNR state park of about 7,718 acres in Frederick and Washington 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); DNR's page for South Mountain SP. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027.
Wildlife management areaState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)South Mountain SPCounty lineHighway
| Size | 7,718 acres (measured from DNR's map) |
|---|---|
| County | Frederick County, Washington County |
| Managed by | Maryland Park Service |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 140 (64 antlered, 76 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 151 |
| Deer management region | Region B |
| Nearest towns | Sandy Hook (next to it), Jugtown (next to it) and Pondsville (next to it) |
How many deer are taken on South Mountain SP each year?
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 64 | 76 | 140 |
| 2024-25 | 67 | 84 | 151 |
| 2023-24 | 44 | 50 | 94 |
| 2022-23 | 27 | 47 | 74 |
| 2021-22 | 29 | 41 | 70 |
| 2020-21 | 34 | 61 | 95 |
| 2019-20 | 22 | 43 | 65 |
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 Frederick and Washington counties, where DNR lists the area in each.
When can you hunt South Mountain SP 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County | 6,342 | 2,900 | 294 | 5.2% |
| 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 South Mountain SP?
Highways within five miles: I-70, MD 17, US 340, US 40, MD 66 and MD 67. Nearest towns: Sandy Hook (next to it), Jugtown (next to it), Pondsville (next to it) and Fort Ritchie (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on South Mountain SP?
140 in 2025-26: 64 antlered and 76 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II). In 2024-25: 151. DNR's tables go back to 2019-20 for this area.
Do you need a permit to hunt South Mountain SP?
DNR's public land table counts deer taken in the park, so it is hunted. Check DNR's page for South Mountain SP for where in the park and on which days hunting is allowed, and whether a permit or drawing applies, before you go.
What county is South Mountain SP in?
Frederick County and Washington County. Frederick County reported 6,342 deer in 2025-26, 2,900 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.
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