Unlawful Methods: Migratory game birds may not be taken with traps, snares, nets,
crossbows, rifles, pistols, swivel guns, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosives or
stupefying substances. Migratory game birds may not be taken with a shotgun
capable of holding more than 3 shells unless it is plugged with a one piece filler
which is incapable of removal without disassembling the shotgun. Shotguns larger
than 10 gauge may not be used to hunt migratory game birds.
Nontoxic Shot and Unlawful Shot: Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl,
coots, rails, and snipe. Hunters may not use or possess nontoxic shot larger than
size number T (0.20 inches in diameter). Hunters may not use or possess shotshells
loaded with a material other than steel, bismuth, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer,
tungsten-matrix, or other shot determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
be nontoxic.
STEEL SHOT SIZE & CHOKE RECOMMENDATIONS
Bird Range Shot Size Choke
Teal All distances 6,5 Improved Cyl., Modified
Ducks under 40 yards 6,5,4,3 Improved Cylinder
Ducks 30 to 50 yards 4,3,2 Improved Cyl., Modified
Ducks beyond 50 yards 2,1 Modified, Imp.-Mod., Full
Brant under 50 yards 1, BB Improved Cyl., Modified
Snowgeese under 50 yards 1, BB Improved Cyl., Modified
Canada geese all distances BB, BBB, T Modified, Imp.-Modified
All geese beyond 50 yards BB, BBB, T Modified, Imp.-Modified
For Maryland Waterfowl Hunting Season information go to:
www.dnr.state.md.us
Guidelines for late seasons, such as regular duck and goose seasons,
are available in August and become final in early September.
Hunting for migratory game birds (dove, rails, coot, snipe, woodcock,
ducks, brant, geese and swans) is regulated by the federal government
under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Each year, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) establishes hunting season guidelines for
migratory game birds after reviewing data on population trends and
reproductive success. Guidelines include maximum number of hunting
days, maximum bag limit, and the earliest and latest dates the season
can start and end. States are allowed to select season dates and bag
limits from within these guidelines. State selections can be
more restrictive than the federal guidelines.
Chesapeake Goose & Duck Hunting
Chesapeake Deer Hunting
Proposed Maryland Late Waterfowl Seasons & Bag Limits
for the 2010-2011 Hunting Year

Contact: Kirby Bryan Cell - 410.310.6758
e:mail - cgdh@goeaston.net
Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers
Regular Duck Season:
Oct. 16 - Oct. 23
Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Black Duck Season:
Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag and Possession Limits 6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck (during black duck season). No open season for harlequin ducks. In addition to the duck bag limit, hunters may take 15 coots per day.
Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)
Season Dates:
Oct. 2 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 5 (no more than 4 scoters) per day
Atlantic Population Canada Geese
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day