Prince George's County - Natural Resources - Sunday Deer Hunting and Archery Hunting Safety Zones
Summary
SB272 would expand Sunday deer hunting authorization in Prince George’s County. Under current law, Sunday hunting is allowed in a limited set of counties and under specific seasonal and time restrictions. This bill adds Prince George’s County to the list of counties where the Department of Natural Resources may allow deer hunting on each Sunday of the deer bow hunting season. It also updates a related cross-reference in the regulated shooting ground permit statute so that Sunday hunting authorization aligns with the revised Sunday-hunting provisions.
The bill also changes archery hunting safety-zone rules for Prince George’s County. For archery hunters, the safety zone around dwellings, churches, and other occupied structures would be reduced from the general 150-yard rule to 50 yards, matching the treatment already applied in several other counties. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and would amend the Natural Resources Article provisions governing Sunday hunting and safety zones.
Impact
SB272 would amend Sections 10-410 and 10-906 of the Maryland Natural Resources Article. Its practical effect is to authorize the Department of Natural Resources to permit Sunday deer bow hunting in Prince George’s County and to extend the reduced 50-yard archery safety zone to that county. It would also update the regulated shooting ground permit statute to reflect the new Sunday-hunting authorization reference. The bill affects deer hunters, archery hunters, landowners, and residents in Prince George’s County, particularly those living near hunting areas.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral-to-supportive in design, with the bill presented as a targeted expansion of existing hunting allowances rather than a broad policy change. The measure is framed as a county-specific adjustment consistent with similar rules already in place in other Maryland counties. No opposition, amendments, or recorded vote history is provided in the materials supplied.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the expansion of Sunday deer hunting in Prince George’s County, which may raise concerns among residents about noise, safety, and proximity to homes or other occupied structures. The bill addresses some of those concerns by also extending the 50-yard archery safety zone already used in other counties, but that change could itself be debated by hunters, landowners, and nearby residents over whether it adequately balances access and safety. Because no committee transcript or vote record is included, no specific stakeholder positions are documented in the provided materials.