Maryland Hunting Laws

Deer/bear rifles smaller than .30 caliber (7.62mm) must generate at least 1,200 ft-lb of muzzle energy at the muzzle; rifles .30 caliber or larger have no minimum-energy requirement. This is the statewide default — see the straight-wall-counties zone for exceptions.

"Rifles less than .30 caliber or 7.62 millimeters must generate at least 1,200 foot-pounds of muzzle energy when fired."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal rifles for deer/black bear (statewide default counties) · verified Aug 2026

Deer bullets must be soft-nosed or expanding — full metal-jacket, incendiary, and tracer bullets are prohibited (expanding metal-jacketed bullets are allowed).

"A person may not use full metal-jacketed, incendiary, or tracer bullets in hunting deer in the State... [t]his subsection does not prohibit the use of metal-jacketed bullets designed to expand on impact."

Md. Code, Natural Resources § 10-416 — Deer hunting: prohibited methods · verified Aug 2026

In these Central/Southern Maryland counties, only straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns are legal for deer — standard bottleneck centerfire rifles are not permitted. Western Maryland and the rest of the state use the standard statewide rule instead.

"...a rifle or handgun employing a straight-walled cartridge, a shotgun, an air gun, a muzzle loading rifle, a muzzle loading shotgun, a muzzle loading handgun, or a muzzle loading revolver."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — straight-walled-cartridge counties · verified Aug 2026

Only approved nontoxic shot (no lead) may be used or possessed while hunting waterfowl and coots; nontoxic shot may not be larger than size T (0.20 inch).

"Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl and coots... A person may not use or possess any lead shot while hunting waterfowl and coots."

Maryland DNR — Non-Toxic and Unlawful Shot · verified Aug 2026

Turkey shotgun loads may be no larger than shot size No. 4 (smaller shot such as #5–9 is legal). In the fall season, a solid single projectile (slug/sabot) is also legal. Recorded/electronic calls and motorized decoys are prohibited for turkey.

"shotgun shells loaded with shot size number 4 or smaller"

COMAR 08.03.04.06 — Wild Turkey Hunting, legal shotgun ammunition · verified Aug 2026

Deer/bear handguns need a barrel of at least 6 inches.

"A handgun having a barrel length of 6 inches or longer and ammunition which produces a muzzle energy of 700 foot-pounds or more is allowed."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal handguns for deer/black bear · verified Aug 2026

Deer/bear handgun loads must produce at least 700 ft-lb of muzzle energy.

"A handgun having a barrel length of 6 inches or longer and ammunition which produces a muzzle energy of 700 foot-pounds or more is allowed."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal handguns for deer/black bear · verified Aug 2026

Muzzleloading rifles/shotguns for deer/bear must be at least .40 caliber and loaded with the equivalent of at least 60 grains of black powder; sabot loads are permitted. A single-shot muzzleloading handgun/revolver of at least .40 caliber with a 6-inch barrel, loaded with at least 40 grains equivalent, is also legal.

"Muzzle loading rifle or muzzle loading shotgun, not less than .40 caliber and using not less than the equivalent of 60 grains of black powder."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal muzzleloaders for deer/black bear · verified Aug 2026

Air guns used for deer/bear must fire a bullet or ball of at least .40 caliber.

"Air gun that: Propels one .40 caliber or greater bullet or ball at a single discharge which generates at least 400 foot-pounds of muzzle energy."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal air guns for deer/black bear · verified Aug 2026

Air-gun loads for deer/bear must generate at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy (arrow-firing air guns follow separate speed-based requirements).

"Air gun that: Propels one .40 caliber or greater bullet or ball at a single discharge which generates at least 400 foot-pounds of muzzle energy."

COMAR 08.03.04.05 — legal air guns for deer/black bear · verified Aug 2026

Firearms used to hunt deer may not use a magazine or clip holding more than 8 cartridges.

"A person may not hunt deer with any firearm that uses an ammunition clip holding more than 8 cartridges or bullets."

Md. Code, Natural Resources § 10-416 — Deer hunting: prohibited methods · verified Aug 2026

Electronic or recorded calls may not be used to hunt deer.

"Electronic calls are prohibited for the purpose of deer hunting."

Maryland DNR — Other Deer Hunting Regulations · verified Aug 2026

Hunters and companions in the field must wear fluorescent orange and/or pink (cap, 250-sq-in vest/jacket, or 50%-coverage camo garment). Exemptions apply to hunters of brant, coot, crow, dove, ducks, furbearers, geese, rails, snipe, and wild turkey, and most deer archery hunters outside specified counties/seasons.

"a vest or jacket containing back and front panels of at least 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange and/or pink color"

Maryland DNR — Fluorescent Orange and/or Pink Clothing Requirements · verified Aug 2026

Maryland's hunting rules are silent on suppressors — the deer and bear devices regulation lists legal weapon types and never mentions a muzzle device, and the hunting-restrictions statute does not mention them either. The one place suppressors appear in the regulations is the deer cooperator programme for damage control, which lists them as deer-taking equipment and leaves their possession to other agencies. Possession still has to be lawful under federal law and Maryland's weapons statutes.

Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices

"A. Except as provided in §I of this regulation, only the weapons described in §§B and C of this regulation may be used to hunt deer and black bear. All other weapon types are prohibited for hunting deer or black bear."

COMAR 08.03.04.05A — no mention of suppressors, silencers or mufflers in COMAR 08.03.04.05 or Nat. Res. § 10-410 (read 2026-10-16) · verified Oct 2026