Frequently Asked Questions and Other Information

1. What are the legal requirements for someone to hunt on my property?

In general, all hunters must have a current State Hunting License in possession while hunting. Hunters must carry written permission from the landowner and all residences within 150 yards of the hunting location. (In Pennsylvania, a Safety Zone of 50 yards is the minimum legal requirement while hunting with bow-and-arrow or crossbow.)

2. Can the deer be hunted every day?

When hunted too often, deer will become wary and nocturnal (only active at night), and then are very difficult to harvest. The best strategy is to hunt sporadically and not keep to a schedule the animals will perceive.

3. Is it legal to hunt deer all year long?

In Maryland, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will issue Deer Management Permits in instances where agricultural crop damage is severe. Under DMP’s which allow off-season hunting, deer may be taken with any legal weapon from February through mid-September. DNR does not currently issue DMP’s for landscape or garden damage. Without a DMP, the Maryland Deer Hunting Seasons run from September 15 through January 31 (includes all weapons).

Pennsylvania Deer Seasons and Bag Limits are set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and are variable by regions within the state. The TCDMA will work with PGC to obtain additional antlerless deer permits when possible.

4. Must the hunters use firearms during the Firearms Deer Season?

No. The landowner has final say on which weapons may or may not be used on his/her property. Archery equipment may be legally used during any of the Deer Hunting Seasons, and is the weapon of choice in situations where the community may be sensitive to firearms discharge. Hunting from above (from a tree-stand or other raised platform) ensures the arrow will be traveling in a downward direction, and will not travel far beyond its intended target.

5. Isn’t archery deer hunting cruel?

With a precision-placed arrow, the animal loses consciousness in a few seconds. TCDMA hunters are strongly encouraged to attempt only those shots where the likelihood of success is very high; annual archery skills testing assures that each hunter has the ability to place his arrow where needed. The animal will likely succumb quickly and be recovered in a short time. Even in a few seconds, though, a deer can run several hundred yards; the hunter may be required to trail the deer via hoofprints or other sign in order to make the recovery.

6. What happens after a hunter kills a deer?

The deer must be ‘tagged’ with a Field Tag to identify the hunter and date of harvest. According to any agreement or restriction between the landowner and hunters, the deer may be field-dressed (entrails removed) at the site of harvest, or the animal may be transported whole for field-dressing elsewhere.

In Maryland the hunter must register the deer with DNR within 24 hours through telephone or internet access in order to receive a Confirmation Number. The Confirmation Number must be entered on the hunter’s Big Game Harvest Record and attached to the deer carcass before further processing.

Pennsylvania requires hunters to tag the carcass immediately with harvest and hunter information, and to notify the PGC within ten days.

7. Will all the venison be donated to charity?

It is not unusual for most of the harvested deer to be donated, but the hunters often would like to keep one or two for personal use. Hunters’ time, travel, and equipment used during the season often add up to a significant expense; the meals from venison help to offset those costs. The landowner may request any donated deer go to a charity of his choice in the local area.

8. How many deer can a hunter kill during the year?

The answer to this question depends completely upon how many deer are available at the hunting location, how often the hunter(s) are active, what the season bag limit is for the region, whether additional permits have been issued from MD DNR or PGC, and a host of other factors. Hunters will NEVER kill all the deer: some deer are active only at night, other deer will move in from nearby areas, and over a few years the annual fawn births can replace deer harvested through hunting.

9. What will this cost me?

Nothing. The TCDMA requests that the landowner sign a lease to show legal permission to enter the property (required as documentation for our liability insurance company); a lease may be terminated at any time at your discretion. There is no cost to the landowner for hunter travel, deer processing fees, or any equipment used during the activity.

For more information, contact info@tcdma.com