Wicomico County - Sunday Hunting Time Restrictions - Repeal
HB 780 repeals the special Sunday hunting time restrictions that currently apply in Wicomico County for certain game birds and mammals on private property and on public land designated for Sunday hunting. Under current law, Wicomico County is subject to a limited Sunday hunting window, generally from 30 minutes before sunrise until 10:30 a.m., with some seasonal exceptions. This bill removes those Wicomico-specific time limits from the statute, allowing Sunday hunting in the county to follow the broader Sunday hunting rules that apply elsewhere under the Natural Resources Article.
The bill also makes conforming changes to the public-land Sunday hunting provisions so that Wicomico County is no longer listed among counties with restricted Sunday hunting hours on public land designated for hunting by the Department. The effective date is July 1, 2026. In practical terms, the measure would expand hunting access and flexibility for hunters in Wicomico County while leaving the general statewide Sunday hunting framework intact.
HB 780 amends § 10-410 of the Natural Resources Article, removing Wicomico County from the list of counties subject to Sunday hunting time restrictions on private property and on certain public lands. It also deletes related exception language tied specifically to Wicomico County. The bill would affect hunters, landowners, and the Department of Natural Resources by broadening when Sunday hunting may occur in that county, while not changing the overall prohibition on Sunday hunting in certain counties or the existing rules for migratory birds, state park land, and other special categories.
The available record shows no committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no documented formal opposition or support in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s structure and sponsor, the measure appears to be a targeted local hunting access bill intended to relax restrictions in Wicomico County. The overall tone of the legislation is administrative and permissive rather than controversial, though Sunday hunting measures often draw interest from both hunting advocates and residents concerned about noise, safety, and land-use impacts.
The main point of contention is likely the balance between expanded hunting opportunity and local concerns about safety, property use, and Sunday quiet hours. Support would typically come from hunters, sporting groups, and landowners who favor fewer time restrictions, while opposition would more likely come from residents or community members who prefer tighter limits on Sunday hunting. Because the bill is narrowly focused on Wicomico County and only removes time restrictions rather than authorizing Sunday hunting where it is otherwise prohibited, the dispute is likely about degree of access rather than the basic legality of Sunday hunting.