Dorchester County, Maryland: deer harvest, public hunting areas and seasons
Hunters reported 5,106 deer in Dorchester County in the 2025-26 season, 2,338 antlered and 2,768 antlerless, against 6,074 in 2024-25. 3,440 of them were sika deer. Dorchester County is in deer management Region B. 1,053 of the 2025-26 deer came off 6 public hunting areas DNR lists in the county. 20.8% of the county is public land.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026. Seasons: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027. Land: DNR and PAD-US.
Wildlife management areaState forestState parkNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Dorchester CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Deer management region | Region B |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 5,106 (2,338 antlered, 2,768 antlerless) |
| Deer reported, 2024-25 | 6,074 |
| Sika deer, 2025-26 | 3,440 (1,640 antlered) |
| Public land | 20.8% (79,882 acres) |
| Deer taken on public areas, 2025-26 | 1,053 on 6 areas |
| Spring turkeys, 2026 | 216 |
| Firearm season, 2026 | November 28 to December 12 and January 8 to 10 |
How many deer are taken in Dorchester County?
5,106 deer in 2025-26, down 16% from 6,074 in 2024-25. By weapon season:
| Season | Archery antlered | Archery antlerless | Firearm antlered | Firearm antlerless | Muzzleloader antlered | Muzzleloader antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 198 | 170 | 378 | 611 | 122 | 187 | 5,106 |
| 2024-25 | 170 | 211 | 370 | 830 | 97 | 237 | 6,074 |
Source: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Table 1; Maryland DNR Big Game Report 2024-2025, Table 1. Weapon columns are white-tailed deer; the total includes sika.
How has the antlerless harvest changed?
| Season | Antlerless deer |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,768 |
| 2024-25 | 3,597 |
| 2023-24 | 3,103 |
| 2022-23 | 3,335 |
| 2021-22 | 2,938 |
| 2020-21 | 3,076 |
| 2019-20 | 2,914 |
Sources: DNR's reports for each season (Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive); before 2024-25 from each report's button buck table, whose county rows add up to its statewide total.
How many sika deer are taken in Dorchester County?
3,440 sika in 2025-26 (1,640 antlered, 1,800 antlerless), against 4,159 in 2024-25. Sika need a Sika Deer Stamp, and their bag limits are separate from white-tailed deer (Maryland DNR: early muzzleloader deer season opens October 22).
Which public hunting areas in Dorchester County give up the most deer?
| Public hunting area | Antlered, 2025-26 | Antlerless, 2025-26 | All deer, 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackwater NWR | 240 | 313 | 825 |
| Chesapeake Forest Lands | 128 | 142 | 301 |
| Fishing Bay WMA | 74 | 86 | 202 |
| Linkwood WMA | 9 | 18 | 22 |
| Taylor's Island WMA | 8 | 14 | 34 |
| LeCompte WMA | 12 | 9 | 25 |
Source: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, Appendix II; Maryland DNR Big Game Report 2024-2025. Linked areas have their own page.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Dorchester County?
| Season | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deer, archery | September 11 to October 21; October 25 to November 27; December 14 to 18; January 3 to 31, 2027 | Antlered deer statewide; antlerless 15 in Region B |
| Deer, early muzzleloader | October 22 to 24 | Antlered and antlerless |
| Deer, antlerless muzzleloader (Region B) | October 26 to 31 | Antlerless only |
| Deer, junior hunt | November 14 and 15 | Hunters 16 and younger, with an adult |
| Deer, firearm | November 28 to December 12; January 8 to 10, 2027 | Antlered; antlerless 10 in Region B |
| Deer, late muzzleloader | December 19 to January 2 | |
| Deer, primitive hunt days | February 1 to 3, 2027 | Longbow, recurve, flintlock or sidelock only |
| Turkey, winter | January 21 to 23, 2027 | |
| Turkey, spring | April 19 to May 24, 2027 (junior days April 17 to 18) |
Statewide, a hunter may take two antlered white-tailed deer a year, no more than one in a weapon season, plus one more with a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp. Only one antlered deer a year may have fewer than three points on one antler; junior and apprentice hunters 16 and under are exempt.
Sources: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027; Maryland DNR: 2026-27 archery deer season opens September 11; Maryland DNR: early muzzleloader deer season opens October 22; Maryland DNR hunting regulation proposals for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028.
How many turkeys are taken in Dorchester County?
| Spring season | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkeys | 216 | 226 | 211 | 180 | 170 | 197 | 211 |
Source: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026, wild turkey tables.
How much public land is in Dorchester County?
20.8% of Dorchester County is public land: 79,882 of its 384,074 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 32,375 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Dorchester County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 32,375 | 8.4% |
| Wildlife management area | 32,328 | 8.4% |
| State forest | 14,585 | 3.8% |
| National Park Service | 576 | 0.1% |
| State park | 18 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from Maryland DNR owned lands (Maryland iMAP) for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Not every acre of DNR land is open to hunting; DNR's page for each area has its rules.
Which counties border Dorchester County?
| County | Region | Public land | Deer, 2025-26 | Antlered, 2025-26 | Spring turkeys, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | Region B | 3.6% | 2,540 | 916 | 192 |
| Talbot County | Region B | 0.1% | 1,951 | 713 | 102 |
| Wicomico County | Region B | 11% | 2,787 | 1,112 | 242 |
Highways crossing Dorchester County: MD 16 (35 miles), US 50 (34 miles), MD 331 (17 miles), MD 335 (16 miles), MD 392 (13 miles) and MD 313 (13 miles). Towns inside: Cambridge, Hurlock, Vienna and East New Market.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Dorchester County, Maryland?
5,106 in 2025-26: 2,338 antlered and 2,768 antlerless (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026). In 2024-25 the county reported 6,074. By weapon, firearms took 989, archery 368 and muzzleloaders 309 white-tailed deer.
Where can you hunt deer on public land in Dorchester County?
DNR's 2025-26 public land table lists 6 areas in the county. The most deer came off Blackwater NWR (553), Chesapeake Forest Lands (270) and Fishing Bay WMA (160).
When is deer firearm season in Dorchester County in 2026?
November 28 to December 12, and again January 8 to 10, 2027, in Region B (Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027). Region B's firearm limit is 10 antlerless deer.
How many turkeys are taken in Dorchester County?
216 in the 2026 spring season, against 226 in 2025 (Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026). The 2027 spring season runs April 19 to May 24.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest: Maryland DNR Annual Big Game Report 2025-2026; Maryland DNR Big Game Report 2024-2025; earlier seasons from Maryland DNR deer and big game report archive.
- Seasons and limits: Maryland DNR Hunting Seasons Calendar for 2026-2027; Maryland DNR: 2026-27 archery deer season opens September 11; Maryland DNR: early muzzleloader deer season opens October 22.
- County boundary: Maryland county boundaries (Maryland iMAP). Public land: 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. Numbers are copied from DNR and federal sources or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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