Prince George's County - Natural Resources - Sunday Deer Hunting and Archery Hunting Safety Zones
Summary
HB882 would authorize the Department of Natural Resources to allow deer hunting on each Sunday of the deer bow hunting season in Prince George’s County. The bill also adds Prince George’s County to the list of counties where archery hunters are subject to a reduced safety zone of 50 yards, rather than the general 150-yard safety zone that applies to firearm hunting.
In addition, the bill makes a conforming change to the regulated shooting ground permit statute so that the Sunday hunting authorization cross-reference matches the new numbering in § 10-410. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and is limited to hunting rules in Prince George’s County and related administrative provisions in the Natural Resources Article.
Impact
The bill amends the Natural Resources Article, specifically § 10-410 governing Sunday hunting and safety zones, and § 10-906 governing regulated shooting ground permits. Its practical effect is to expand Sunday deer bow hunting opportunities in Prince George’s County and to reduce the archery safety buffer around occupied structures in that county to 50 yards, aligning it with several other counties already listed in the statute. It does not broadly change hunting law statewide, but it does alter local hunting access, hunter safety rules, and Department of Natural Resources authority in one county.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or partisan division. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be a targeted wildlife-management and hunting-access bill rather than a controversial statewide policy change. The absence of recorded opposition or support in the provided materials prevents a firm conclusion about legislative sentiment, but the proposal is framed as a routine county-specific adjustment.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the expansion of Sunday deer bow hunting in Prince George’s County, which may raise concerns among residents about noise, safety, trespass, or neighborhood impacts. A second issue is the reduced archery safety zone from 150 yards to 50 yards, which could be viewed by property owners and non-hunters as a greater encroachment near homes, churches, and other occupied buildings, while hunters and wildlife managers may see it as a necessary alignment with neighboring counties and a tool for deer population control. No specific stakeholder positions were included in the provided record.