3/15/2019 I Own a Small Horse Farm in Frederick County, Maryland. Deer Herds Often Pass Through My Property, and My Horses and I Both Welcome Them As Guests

Home , Catoctin Mountain Park, Elk Neck State Park, Lake Roland (park), Mushroom hunting, Oregon Ridge Park, Pocomoke State Forest

3/15/2019 I own a small horse farm in Frederick County, Maryland. Deer herds often pass through my property, and my horses and I both welcome them as guests. To the extent that the deer population requires management, I would like to see an emphasis on non-lethal methods such as contraception. In addition to my ethical objection to hunting, research indicates that any short- term population reduction from killing some adult deer simply leads to compensatory reproduction among the surviving adults.

3/15/2019 I think that WMA's should be open, in all counties, for Sunday hunting. These lands are purchased primarily by the sale of hunting licenses. Hunters should not be limited during their season, and forced to take time off of work to enjoy the lands they paid for. Leave the state parks closed on Sundays for the general public to ride horses and hike on. The three day muzzleloader season should be pushed further into October and extended for a full week (post bear season). Limit out of state hunters to one whitetail buck and one sika stag, plus does/hinds. Develop a better way for hunters to connect with farmers who need help shooting deer for crop damage. Too many farmers complain of deer damage and when asked, they have only shot a couple does through the entire year.

3/15/2019 As a farmer in MD I feel that it should not be our responsibility to be the ones paying for feeding the deer population. The state says they own the deer then they should pay farmers for the crop damage we suffer from the deer. Anything they eat comes right out of our profit. DNR should also plant food plots on state owned land to help feed the deer. I also feel DNR should loosen standards to help control the population. I feel that if a deer is in a field with an active growing cash crop we should be able to shoot them. Thank you

3/15/2019 The Deer Management Plans for property owners need to be easier to obtain; also, there should be a function and process at DNR to link up property owners that have a DMP with certified hunters willing to help the property owner solve their crop damage problem.

3/14/2019 1. Increase the nonresident hunting license from $130 to $260. Increase the nonresident junior hunting license to $65. Increase the nonresident senior hunting license to $130. Limit all nonresident hunters to two antlered deer. 2. Offer a lifetime resident hunting license, using the VA model. 3. With this increased revenue, increase the pay for DNR officers and purchase more public hunting lands. 4. In the MD GUIDE to HUNTING & TRAPPING, publish the cost for common game violations. 5. Start deer archery season the third Monday in August and end it on the second Saturday in February.

3/14/2019 We need to stop treating deer as a pest or liability and recognize that they are an economic asset that hunters have been paying for, for many years. We need to increase the doe bag limit or perhaps institute an “earn a buck program” which requires 1 or 2 doe to be harvested prior to any buck. This has worked in other states. Additionally we need to reduce the buck bag limit (possibly to 1) which will in turn allow more bucks to reach maturity. The whitetail deer generates a ton of money from lease fees to equipment and deer corn. Additionally the state should recognize that hunters buy tons of deer corn throughout the state. The hunter pays sales tax on this corn. This is tax money which would otherwise be lost if it was sold to grain brokers for livestock & poultry feed which is not taxed. Maryland needs stricter enforcement especially for folks that exceed the bag limit, shoot bucks with crop damage permits and trespass on private property. The state also needs to realize that farmers are getting paid thousands of dollars for leases. Most of this money is in the form of cash which is never talked about. Farmers also get a ton of tax advantages that the average MD citizen does not get not to mention acres of tax free land! It is time for the state to get real about this! Yes, there is crop loss but there is also a lot of untracked money paid for lease fees that offset a lot of the loss. Farmers do nothing to manage deer as an asset yet they reap many of the dollars for hunting them. You can’t have it both ways. The only stakeholder that pays his own way for deer management is the sportsman and the sportsman should have the main seat at the table when it comes to a long term management plan.

3/14/2019 More antler restrictions.

3/14/2019 End the farmer slaughter of deer, (if they want deer numbers down they should allow hunters on their property) put a bounty on coyotes , (they are becoming a problem) I took thousands of trail cam pics last year I did not have one picture of a doe with two fawns ,make the tagging/ license process harder to cheat, and reduce the # of bucks allowed, I think antler restriction is ok to a point, however you can have a very mature six point that may not be allowed to be harvested because he doesn't have enough points.

3/14/2019 Let's face it. Any comment or post about hunting reduction is a one sided political attack. Hunters not only help with herd reduction, but they also provide ample amounts of money with licenses, fees, etc. These nature lovers' would rather have sterilization? LOL! Then you don't know nature. For the deer plan, implement antlerless only seasons, bring back live check in stations, have DNR officers actually ENFORCE whitetail regulations! Hunters care about this issue and want what's best for the herd and farmers alike. The savage approach comes from the agriculture side.

3/14/2019 I live in Montgomery County and there is a wooded section near my house that is populated with deer. Every year, they caused several car accidents in our neighborhood. I would like to see a change in allowing bow hunter to hunt from a Tree stand in those areas, within 50 yards of a dwelling.

3/14/2019 Crossbows and Airguns should be limited to use during rifle and Muzzleloader season and/or require a medical reason if they are allowed during archery seasons.

3/14/2019 Antlered should be full season and not down for antlerless. 2 bucks per season w 3 pt or greater restriction.

3/14/2019 Many of us rely on deer meat. BELIEVE it or not we are financially bound. I BELIEVE ONE BUCK FOR BOW, ONE FOR RIFLE AND ONE FOR MUZZLE LOADER. ALONG WITH YOUR DOES. I SEE THIS ENTIRE THING OF BIGGER BUCK THEORY AS A WAY FOR THE GUIDE MOSTLY HUNTS ONLY...THE GUYS WITH THE DOLLARS ARE LEASING UP ALL THE GROUND NOW. WHEN YOU ASK TO HUNT YOU CAN’T GET PERMISSION...

3/14/2019 As a farmer we get crop damage permits so I see no need for a bounty, point restrictions are in almost all states that have big bucks, the current regulations of youth being able to shoot any size great, we as QDMA members have been working hard for this, farmers who have problems need to let hunters come in during doe season and kill some of their does don't change what some of us have worked so hard to get.

3/14/2019 I hunt in Region A (Hancock) would like to see no bucks less than 3 points taken unless senior over 65 or Junior hunter and no more than 2 bucks per year taken same as current law except the point restriction I have mentioned above.

3/14/2019 Allow antlerless hunting at night with archery equipment on private lands only. They do it for hogs down south and its legal for predators so why not whitetail with archery equipment? Once they go nocturnal they will no longer be safe.

3/14/2019 Recreational deer hunting has already been expanded to a ridiculous length of time considering hunters don't use the days they already have for 5 long months. The last thing MD DNR should be doing is trying to expand Sunday hunting when the majority of Marylanders are against it. Recreational hunters are the ones that make our lives miserable in our neighborhoods. They need no proficiency test and maim too many deer. Hunting is a dying sport and more modern tools need to be used like sterilization. Costs are easily lowered when veterinarians and other volunteers work together. Considering the development that is taking place in Maryland safety zones should not be decreased but increased with all the new weapons that are legal to use during deer hunting. DNR needs to work on more non-lethal solutions for the 98% of Marylanders that do not hunt. I hope you are listening to comments from the non-hunters and not just the hunters who benefit DNR. It is unfair that the majority of the general public doesn't know they can even comment. Thank you

3/14/2019 Allow two (2) antler deer per year and no more than one (1) per weapon.

3/14/2019 Continue to maximize sustainable harvest while maintaining a healthy heard. I trust the biologists when it comes to determining antler restriction benefits and tag allocation based on population and herd health. CWD management should continue and I also trust the biologists to make decisions based on up-to-date science. I would love to see a private property access program, many states have varying programs increasing access that can further help meet management goal objectives as well as create opportunities for hunters. I thoroughly enjoy feeding my family on venison. Thanks for everything!

3/14/2019 I live in western Md hunt in both Allegany and Garrett counties, I would like to see a bonus buck tag and possibly a bonus doe tag brought back, some of us lucky guys that live to hunt don’t want the season cut short because we took our 4 deer...not a lot of people tag out every year so what would it hurt? Plus extra revenue for DNR.

3/14/2019 I would like to keep the antler restrictions. Allow 6 doe per hunting season. And 3 buck per hunting season. No bonus stamp. Way to any deed are allowed to be harvested.

3/14/2019 I have hunted in Pennsylvania my entire life and only started hunting in Maryland a few years ago. I hunt on private land right on the border of Frederick and Washington Counties. I am commenting to share my experience as a hunter who has seen the good and the bad in two different states with two different approaches. Although I hunt in two different states, the areas I hunt are in relative close proximity to each other because they are both near the Mason Dixon Line. Pennsylvania made some big changes a few years back and the ramifications of those changes are becoming clear in the area I hunt in south central Pa. I think a lot can be learned from this so I would like to share. Pennsylvania took the steps to drastically minimize the deer herd while also implementing antler restrictions. It has been my experience that one of these decisions was a major success that should be considered in Md but the other I would greatly caution against. Antler restrictions have done wonders for the quality of bucks we see at our camp in Pennsylvania. Since they were enforced, the number of mature bucks we see has sky rocketed. This is something I would love to see considered and implemented in Maryland. I spend approximately equal time scouting and hunting each state. I have several trail cameras in each state. In each of the last several years, the number of 3.5+ year old bucks I have seen or gotten pictures of in Pennsylvania vs Maryland are staggering. For example, this past year, I had sightings of 6 different bucks that I estimated to be 3.5+ years of age. I had one in Maryland. The number of bucks I saw or had pictures of in each state was roughly the same but the quality was unbelievably different. I understand some of this deals with outside factors but there is no doubt in my mind that antler restrictions are the main factor. Each year I have hunted in Maryland I have passed up many young bucks (spikes, 4 points, basket rack 6's and 8's) but I have yet to see those bucks the following year as more mature deer. I can only surmise that they are being legally taken in the rifle season. I would ask that antler restrictions be considered for all except junior hunters in an effort to increase the number of mature bucks in high hunting pressure areas. The second change Pennsylvania made was to drastically reduce the deer herd by killing a lot of doe. While I have read some of the other comments and see that many are written by individuals (some of which I presume are non-hunters) who are advocating for minimizing the deer herd. Some of these comments site vehicle strikes or not wanting the animals to suffer due to over population as their reasoning. This approach is very concerning to me as a hunter who loves our sport and hopes to pass it on to my children in a few years. While I love the change Pa made with antler restrictions, I feel they made a big mistake in thinning the herd to the point they did in Pa. There is no doubt there are bigger bucks but the number of deer sightings are few and far between since they got very aggressive on killing doe. I don't care what anyone says, hunting isn't much fun when you sit all day and only see one or two deer (even if one of them is a mature buck). The main reason I hunt in Maryland is because I know I have a good chance at seeing some deer each time I go out. I feel very confident that my sons will enjoy hunting in Maryland when they are old enough because we will see deer (assuming you don't follow Pa's example and kill all the doe). I am grateful for this opportunity in Maryland because I feel it will be much harder to grab kid's interest in hunting in Pennsylvania because the numbers just aren't where they used to be and you do not see many deer at times. If you decide to thin the herd I would ask that you take a very cautious approach so that we don't fall into the same numbers problem that I feel we now have in Pa. I might add that even with reduced numbers in Pa, vehicle strikes are still among the highest of any state. It is my opinion that many of the vehicle strikes and over population issues in both states are occurring mostly in pockets of suburban areas where hunting is not as popular. When we begin killing deer statewide, all we do is thin deer to dangerously low levels in rural areas (where everyone hunts and wants to see deer) and the deer in the suburban areas (which were the ones that accounted for most of the deer overpopulation to begin with) are not affected because not as many people hunt in these suburban areas anyway. I think another key factor that happened in Pa and should be considered in Maryland as well is fawn mortality rates. At the same time Pa killed a lot of doe to reduce numbers, coyotes and bears were also becoming more populous. So now not only did we have fewer doe, but the doe we had were not producing the same success rate of fawns that they used to. I believe that should be considered in Maryland as well. There seems to be more and more predators (especially bears) and with more predators comes lower fawn survival rates. Again, this is going to hit the rural areas harder than the suburban areas because we have more bears in the rural areas. I appreciate the input you have allowed and hope my experience from Pennsylvania helps. I truly feel that antler restrictions would be a good thing for Maryland but would hate to see any large changes in the numbers of deer in rural areas. I think Pennsylvania went too far in reducing their numbers to the point it will be hard to get young hunters interested in the sport. I really do not want to see the same thing happen in Maryland, especially as predator numbers continue to increase. Thank you!

3/13/2019 Being a landowner and avid hunter, I primarily hunt to feed my family. I truly enjoy hunting in Maryland every year. I would like to see some slight reduction in doe being taken, maybe by one or two. I would also like to see more access for bow/crossbow hunting on government property to non-government personnel. I know it is a far flung idea, but it could open up access to a wider segment of hunters that are not employed at, e.g., Beltsville ARC or other non-sensitive government lands. My 2 cents. Also I want to say thanks to MD DNR for all the hard work that they do and endure every year.

3/13/2019 I would like to see a one buck a year limit. All Sunday hunting. Earlier bow opener reduce youth hunt age to 13 get rid of early muzzleloader season keep doe limits the same put cross bows in its own season. Limit out of state tags to a lottery preference points similar to Iowa.

3/12/2019 Start shotgun first or second weekend in Nov run every Thursday thru Sunday private land on Sunday thru Jan 31 do a doe only in Jan.

3/12/2019 The recent changes to the DCP do not allow enough time to provide our Federal Mission to the Residents of MD. Since 2001 we have been able to manage deer with an approved permit from DNR from Sept-March and now are limited to Feb-March. We would like to see this extended to Nov-March. For closed populations surrounded by high fences and not effecting hunters we would like to be able to work outside the Feb-March time frame. Additionally we would like the antler restrictions lifted on these properties as again they do not effect hunters’ ability to take these individuals. WS had to turn away/cancel 4 Cooperators this year and we were not able to meet our work load. Thank you for your consideration.

3/12/2019 I am the Site Manager for the Federal Research Center (FDA) at White Oak, Silver Spring, MD. We are a secure facility with an 8 foot fence completely surrounding the 650 acre site with a large White Tail deer population, there are 12,000 employees and frequent auto/deer encounters along our 17 lane miles of roadways. The APHIS division of the Department of Agriculture is the only agency with permission to have firearms on our campus with the exception the Department of Homeland Security and our armed guard force. The new, shorter hunting period restriction policy will create long delays in our deer cull program resulting in an increased Whitetail population and the ramifications that will follow. Since we are on a secure campus and no outside personnel will be permitted to hunt here, I am asking that there be a special exception for secure Federal properties such as ours and extend the time period to hunt so that we may continue to properly manage the Natural Resources here at the White Oak Campus. Thank you for your attention to this problem.

3/12/2019 I agree on management of healthy Deer herds. I agree on helping out the farmers and their crops. Nobody is in business to loose many. I can see where there is a problem with automobile accidents. Short story is I agree with everything but the land use. I am 50 years old and I have been hunting since I was 12 years old. In all of those years one thing has not changed but has got worse. (Unethical hunters). I have hunted public lands for years. I have been shot at, walked up on in the middle of a hunt, stands stolen, cameras stolen, trash everywhere, hunters shooting anything that moves deer, turkey, crow, groundhog , small birds the list goes on and on. I do hope the Chesapeake forest lands stay intact.

3/11/2019 Do whatever it takes to reduce the overpopulation of deer. When I moved into Gaithersburg in 1986, children played safely along the creek and woods out back and homeowners had flower and vegetable gardens in their yards. Now, the herds of deer and the Lymes they have spread into every wooded area and backyard of the county have made children playing outside a thing of a past era. I know so many people in my family, neighborhood and church that have contracted Lymes disease, and continue to battle the devastating effects of it. Most neighbors have given up on any kind of gardening, and those of us that keep trying fight a losing battle against the voracious herds that roam freely. Please please please - whatever it takes to get the population of deer back down to normal levels, and restore our quality of life.

3/10/2019 Both of the counties where I hunt have a fair amount of deer. I believe the existing harvest rules are perfect. Do not over manage or change what's working. Keep it simple and don't add more rules. Micro managing does not change the big picture. Have not heard ANY hunters complain about their hunting situation. Let's keep it that way. I feel the current regulations have reduced the deer population over the last 15 years or so. If you go overboard you will just lead people to breaking the rules. ALL of my friends that hunt don't mind the rules you have now, let's keep it like that. Thank you and let's hope our opinion matters.

3/10/2019 when deer get 40% of the crops we do something

3/9/2019 As a hunter I think we should not be able to bait animals it's not ethical and gives more chances to spread disease. Also I think we should do away with Sunday hunting. Only day people can hike ride horses etc. and feel save. Most of all it's the LORDS day

3/8/2019 First I would like to commend the Maryland DNR for its dedication. I have been a member of a hunting club for 45 years. Deer hunting and deer camp is my favorite recreational sport. I have many cherished memories with my family and other club members. I have made it my responsibility to introduce other people to hunting and have sacrificed my hunting to do so. It’s just that important to me to share something that has brought me so much pleasure over the years. I would love to see more effort in educating the public. The DNR publishes some very informative articles but only hunters read those articles. How about before next deer season we get one of the TV station managers to do their commentary on how important hunters are and the relationship hunters have with the DNR? We need to do something.

3/5/2019 I neglected to include in my post the link that cites numerous studies that hunting does not reduce the herds of deer long term It is: http://www.deerfriendly.com/deer-population-control/effect-of- hunting-on-deer-reproduction

3/5/2019 I would like to see the population controlled so there are less deer getting hit by cars. It's not only a hassle and dangerous for the driver but the poor deer has to suffer a horrible death as well. I feel terrible when I see them hit by cars on the side of the road. I also feel bad when I see them suffering from lack of food? Or maybe chronic wasting disease, just looking skinny and unwell. Chronic wasting disease worries me because it is in the same family as mad cow disease. I know NIH has managed its deer population by capturing, tagging and spaying the females. This would probably be too expensive but if there was some way to control the population that way it would be ideal. Otherwise, humane hunting should be practiced because we just don't have room in this small state to have a deer over population.

3/4/2019 There needs to be a major increase in population reduction methods, either by hunting, contraception or rounding up herds - this method was not mentioned as a method but given the overpopulation I'm suggesting extreme methods need to be considered. I read the report and could not find a specific target for population size but noted that the population should be at roughly 20/sq. mile to minimize habitat impacts (the NIST section). Is the population at this level anywhere in MD? I know it is much higher than this in the Derwood area where I reside and the toll on habitat is significant. Given that native plants are at the base of the food web and provide significant ecosystem services including managing stormwater and given the current high rate of loss of plant species and diversity due to habitat loss and deer browsing I strongly believe that the deer populations need to be significantly reduced through humane methods (hunting/contraception/other) before the populations reach levels that result in habitat collapse and before the deer become so abundant that starvation and disease are the major source of loss. My primary concern is the ecosystem as a whole, deer populations are too high and are a major source of habitat destruction. Thank you!!!

3/4/2019 I would like to see hunting minimized as a management strategy, and see nonlethal methods explored, such as contraception, sterilization, and relocation. The current reliance on hunting is short-sited, unethical, and ineffective. Although deer culls result in fewer deer in the short term, deer populations respond to a cull with increased fertility, producing more twins and triplets, and a larger proportion of female fawns that will further increase the deer population. In addition, recreational hunters focus on killing males, rather than females, which does not help to reduce future births.

3/4/2019 Please use sterilization, contraception, and citizen education instead of killing. Deer do not deserve to die because of our over population.

3/4/2019 I wanted to send the following link that sites numerous studies that show hunting does not reduce the herd of deer long term: http://www.deerfriendly.com/deer-population-control/effect-of- hunting-on-deer-reproduction Would the DNR please look into this? There's a little wooded area next to my condo complex and there are deer. I've lived here for over 20 years and the deer population never changes and there is zero hunting. They are managed by their natural food supply. It is the same with the deer on the property of a rescue where I volunteer. Why do these deer not have to be managed and the deer at the parks do? It would be the same at all of these parks if we just leave the deer alone and it wouldn't cost anything! I also want to point out that hikers and other users of these parks get one day, Sunday, during deer hunting season to use the park without having to worry about bow or gun shooting. We pay our taxes too and should get more than one day of relief. I have to worry if I go to a park with my dog to hike and have to pick areas where I'm hoping they won't be so I don't get shot.

3/3/2019 There are too many deer in Bethesda where I live and garden. The MD plan should reduce the number of deer in southern Montgomery county. Plant destruction and damage by deer in densely populated suburban areas has increased substantially over the past 20 years. The large deer population has also destroyed native plants in Montgomery county parks, negatively affecting the entire ecosystem. Other negative effects of the large deer population include car crashes, spread of tick-borne illness, and unhealthy deer.

3/3/2019 As a Howard county land owner I think we should be allowed to hunt deer on Sundays on private land.

3/3/2019 I am a resident of Takoma Park, MD, and enjoy seeing deer in my neighborhood. I find the claims that they are a nuisance to gardens vastly overstated, as there is enough vegetation in the area to sustain them. I understand that management needs to be carried out and think that in this day and age we should resort to non-lethal methods. I would love for Maryland to engage in contraceptive methods. The Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control have discussed such initiatives, as well as HSUS. . British Columbia has invested heavily in this alternative. The nonprofit Science and Conservation Center in Billings, Montana, has many years’ experience working with horses, deer, and other animals. On July 6, 2017, the EPA approved an application to register ZonaStat-H, a fertility control vaccine that will provide a humane management tool for managers of deer populations. These are all avenues for investment whose costs can be decreased with community volunteer involvement.

3/2/2019 Definitely need to thin the deer over-population first! Few native plants get to sprout, the deer invade neighborhoods and drop ticks, and deer jump across highways. Maybe after greatly thinning the numbers, that plan for sterilization could be part. I'm not so keen about reintroducing wolves and cougars to keep deer population in check.

3/1/2019 Promote hunting reduce crop dmp abuse.

3/1/2019 Completely in favor of reducing the population of white tail deer in Mo Co. The number of car accidents involving deer plus the tick and Lyme diseases associated with it should be enough evidence to use much more population control. The property damage is not discussed or mentioned enough either. Take out the deer in any methods possible. Long overdue. Thank you!

3/1/2019 Open full day Sunday deer hunting for every Sunday in all counties on private land only

2/28/2019 There are far too many deer in the suburban areas of the state. I live on 3 acres in Howard County and allow bowhunters access to my property, but my neighbors look down on me like I am allowing axe murderers free reign on the neighborhood. These are the same neighbors complaining about the deer in their yard eating their plants and gardens. I think it would be beneficial for the state to increase awareness of small parcel hunting across the state. Perhaps a mailer sent to landowners with 1-10 acres in the suburban counties (Howard, Montgomery, PG, Baltimore, Harford, Carroll, etc.) telling them the risks of and damage deer create as well as the safety of hunting and bowhunting specifically. Just about everyone I know in my area has had a family member or friend who has gotten Lyme Disease.

2/28/2019 On our Baltimore County farm, field corn harvest has dropped to about 13 bushels/acre due to deer crop damage. Sunday hunting, use of straight wall rifle cartridges, and night hunting for crop damage would all be beneficial to maintain the overcrowded deer population. Someone literally hit a deer in our driveway.

2/28/2019 I am not in favor of Maryland's policy to kill deer to manage issue caused by too many animals in a space occupied by humans. Deer and other wildlife are part of an ecosystem domain that does not belong to humans. When the overpopulation of deer, whether for reasons of human intervention or natural causes, results in conflicts, and infringement on human spaces, it should be the goals of government and population to intervene in the least invasive manner possible, even if the cost for doing so is higher than for other options. In the case of deer, and overpopulation, using sterilization methods to manage the population would be the least invasive to individual deer. I believe that we all have an obligation to seek out options which preserve the life of wildlife and which have the least impact on any given animal.

2/28/2019 I am very much opposed to the plan to control the deer population in Maryland Parks using sharpshooters. I dispute whether it's actually effective -- I've noticed an increase in twin births to does after a cull, for example. It's also cruel and unnecessary. Maryland claims that birth control programs are ineffective but I can't imagine how pr why that is justified, given that Maryland has actually not tried such a program. It's easy to default to what people know - i.e. killing - but there are humane methods of controlling populations that actually happen to be more effective than shooting animals. https://undark.org/article/birth-control-for-bambi/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/downloads/faq_gonacon_07.pdf Thank you

2/28/2019 I'm for much more deer management. First, we've now had 4 deer die or have to be put down on our property, which isn't much fun. Second, I've read that they prevent reforestation near waterways, which is so important to the health of Chesapeake Bay. When Parks did a survey a while back about this, I said that I would favor the reintroduction of wolves, but failing that, supported the hunting and distribution of venison to our food security centers.

2/28/2019 I realize most of the hurdles DNR faces with regards to deer management are largely out of the agency's control - the legislature controls the safety zones and Sunday hunting and the counties control county property. If possible, the agency should support increased hunting opportunities when presented in the legislature - Sunday hunting and decreasing the archery safety zone to 50 yards, at least in the Central Maryland suburban areas (Montgomery, PG, Howard, Baltimore and Anne Arundel at the very least). Additionally, the Department should work with the counties to increase hunting opportunities on county properties, specifically on the M-NCPPC properties. There are a ton of county-owned properties that are supporting large suburban deer populations that are causing massive problems. But therein lies part of the rub - too many folk are too separated from the natural world right outside their door and if they saw a hunter in camo they'd feel very uncomfortable. Hunters need to be cognizant of that - we're allowed to pursue our quarry and assist in population control measures only because it remains tolerated by society as a whole. Maybe there needs to be an educational initiative. Somehow I doubt it reaches the people it needs to though. Getting back on track - public lands should be open to all uses, every day. That includes State Parks. There has never been a non-hunter injury suffered in an archery incident. The joggers, horse folk, and mushroom pickers need to understand THEY ARE NOT IN DANGER. Archers must positively identify their target and it has to be so dang close, there just isn't a way for it to happen. Open up archery opportunities in all of the suburban areas (again, I know this needs to be done through the legislature and counties). The tax credit is helpful for donated deer, but finding a butcher is still hard. Especially outside of the season when hunting on DMPs. The Legislature needs to come up with money to fund the FHFH program better to make it easier to donate extra deer to the needy. Within the Department's sole control, though, I'd go back to unlimited harvest with archery equipment. I get there were a small handful of folk who that confused, and that putting a limit of 10 does with archery equipment limited a very small handful of people, but it foreclosed the potential for other folks who maybe are new to hunting, maybe are only getting more confident hunting, whatever, from reaching those levels. Short of coming up with an extra day of the week for hunters to hunt, rather than work, I think DNR is doing a good job controlling what it is able to control, even though many folk don't understand just how tied your hands actually are. Keep up the good work.

2/28/2019 With deer permanently established in the state, we need permanent management of deer herds in the most efficient manner possible. DEP should do everything possible to bring populations down to a number smaller than that which lets plant species be destroyed. We are even losing the regeneration of native woods in places such as Sligo Creek Park in Silver Spring, where deer have already done critical damage. It is irresponsible to let deer continue the decline of forests, not to mention the enormous number of animals that depend on them. Whatever management rules are needed, put them in place.

2/28/2019 The situation with the enormous surge of deer in AA County is a serious problem, causing automobile collisions and Lyme disease, to say nothing of the landscape/forest destruction that concerns many, including wildlife organizations. We have created a habitat, suburbia, in which deer live well and reproduce rapidly: ‘deer heaven,' as the Washington Post put it a few years ago. In the article linked below, Mr. George Timko of the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Association, explains what kind of damage can occur with over-population. When trees and other flora are harmed, so are many other animals. If our County is not yet concerned, it needs to be awakened.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/04/17/AR2009041702115_4.html Timko writes: and it's not just individual landowners who are seeing their flora endangered. In the South Mountain area, where deer number as many as 45 per square mile, they inflict catastrophic damage to local forests, denuding them of future growth. Timko stops at a patch of woods to show the impact: a browse line, below which there is little vegetation. A mountain laurel has been eaten to the point where there are leaves only at the top. On the forest floor, an oak seedling has been stripped of early shoots. Deer will nibble the shoots until the plant loses the energy to grow. The result is a dead forest that will not replace itself, Timko says, and can't provide shelter for songbirds and other wildlife that depend on cover. Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club are increasingly alarmed by the devastation deer are wreaking on the landscape.

2/28/2019 This is a good juncture to reverse any adversarial nature of the relationship between DNR and the general, non-hunting public, and between people and deer. Here are good suggested ways to do that: 1) Protect no-hunting Sundays. People (including some hunters and their families) appreciate having 1 day a week to be able to be outdoors hiking and camping without encountering hunting and weapons, and to know that even where we aren't outside, the animals are getting a Sabbath day of rest and peace from human pursuit. Our forebears were wise to establish this tradition.2) Honor no-hunting Safety Zones, without trying to reduce them. 150 yards is minimal given that arrows can go much farther, and no one wants to look out from their backyard and see an unwanted sniper in a tree-stand, which could go on for months with no recourse. Different county delegations need to represent the distinct views of their own districts, and people could give written permission for individuals to hunt closer to their homes if they want it, but the general principal of protecting and not reducing Safety Zones is something very important to residents, hunters and non-hunters alike. 3) Stop the 'expansionist' tendencies of hunting in this state. What unnerves people is the sense and continual fear that hunters want 'more days' and 'more space' for hunting (even closer to our homes!), when the seasons are already stretched beyond the max for most people to tolerate, and many of our prized public spaces that were loved as sanctuaries for wildlife and people have now been turned into hunting grounds (e.g. Soldier's Delight, and even the National Wildlife 'Refuge'). These are deep grievances, and people would appreciate it if the DNR were not seen as advocating such expansions, and even sometimes gave back some of these places and days that were lost, perhaps employing non-lethal methods of living with deer instead. 4) Encourage appreciation for living deer, for deer photography and viewing, and for living peacefully with deer.

2/28/2019 I come from a country where it is an annual event that the deer population will be maintained by organized hunts, and I am in support of this practice in Maryland. There are too many deer and there are no healthy herds anymore as a result. I live in an area where there is no new construction that would push them out of their natural habitat. But there are too many deer in this natural habitat. They do not have enough food, they get sick and injured because they run into traffic, it is all around not a good situation. I believe the goal should be to maintain a healthy deer population, and for that, annual hunts to control overpopulation are a viable option.

2/28/2019 I reside a block away from Sligo Creek Park in Silver Spring, MD and for the last ten years have experienced deer walking up the street I live on, decimating plants and flowers in my yard (as well as in neighbors yards) and walking into traffic both on my street and Sligo Creek Parkway. These problems only began to occur in the past ten years but worsen with each passing year. The county needs to develop a better plan to control the deer population, given public health concerns, the wellbeing of the deer population in Sligo Creek park who are forced out of their natural habitat given over population relative to food sources and to preserve the yards and gardens of residents. It is far more humane to cull the deer population than allow them to roam into areas that are not safe for them due to local traffic and seek to subsist on food sources that are not optimal. Many of the deer that appear in My yard and on my street are sick looking or injured. Given the current spread of the deer wasting disease across many states, a weakened deer population would be far more susceptible to this wasting disease than if healthy. Consequently I suggest the state and county develop rigorous approach to culling the deer over population so that that they are able to subsist in a natural habitat without having to go in search of food.

2/28/2019 I do not consider the deer to be a positive addition to the Carole Highland's neighborhood. I have lived here since 1997 and the situation has gotten worse each year. The deer have destroyed the plantings that were in my yard when I arrived -- old azaleas are now gone; hostas and daylilies are eaten; my yard is so full of deer excrement that I hate going into it; I have had to erect fencing to attempt to keep some plants growing in beds in front of my house. There have been as many as eight deer in my yard at one time. They will come practically to my back door and have no fear. This is an unacceptable situation in a neighborhood as densely populated as ours. Due to the lay of my property, I would have to erect an extremely high fence along one side and box myself in on another to keep the deer out -- basically creating a garrison around my house which do not want to look at and I cannot afford.

2/28/2019 Encourage and implement non-lethal, humane methods of managing deer where needed: birth control, contraception, and sterilization. Please stop the hunting in public parks and reservoirs where people want to be outside with wildlife in peace. These are places where sterilization or birth control would make a lot more sense, or even just leaving the deer alone to sort out their own populations based on food supply.

2/28/2019 I own and manage an orchard over 100 acres in northern Harford County. The deer pressure here is so intense that it was impossible for me to plant trees without losing an uneconomical number to browsing and buck rubs. It was so bad, I was forced to install a deer fence about two miles long around 3 sides of my farm. Deer still encroach through the fourth side, and I still have some problems, though things are a little better. Driving in the autumn is very dangerous here, as there is a high rate of accidents. The goal should be to reduce the size of the herd to 1980's levels. I thank the DNR for making it easy to obtain permits to shoot deer. Those permits should be expanded to include antlered deer during the period that the deer are rubbing my trees. I can show you pictures of entire rows of trees where a buck has rubbed every tree to the point that it will die. Grain farmers here see them as their number one pest, ahead of all other insects and weeds. I think the season should be expanded, with no limits on doe, and multiple bucks allowed. There is absolutely no chance that deer are going to be hunted to extinction here, and a very high chance that their numbers will continue to increase as their expansion is funded on the backs of farmers who feed them all year long. Limiting the harvest to appease trophy hunters is unfair to those of us who have to live with the consequences.

2/28/2019 Bow/archery Season is too long - it starts now in late summer and lasts over four months! This is hard on people who want to be outdoors hiking in peace and also on deer and other wildlife, who need to be about their fall and winter feeding business rather than being constantly pursued.

2/28/2019 Stop the hunting that seems to be going on near roadways. I see 'hunter ribbons' near busy roadways like the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and other roads. This is very dangerous: hunters in the woods startle deer and this makes them run out into the roadways when they normally would not, even during the rut season. This causes a jump in deer-car collisions and it has been documented. Please strengthen and enforce the 'no-hunting near roadways' rules.

2/28/2019 For farmers who want to protect their crops, please encourage them to put up high fences, rather than engaging hunters who must then return for more hunting year after year. A good fence is effective. Consider providing funding grants to help farmers with fencing. (Farmers could even elect to plant some year-round plots to help support the deer and other wildlife.)

2/28/2019 Help people understand that Lyme disease is not carried by deer but rather by ticks, which are mostly carried and spread by small animals like rodents. In fact, deer help control the underbrush, where ticks are most likely to be encountered.

2/28/2019 We want to have, and see, more large, old and mature antlered Bucks in the suburban deer population. In the Fall, bucks grow antlers, and this is for a reason: to attract females and to spar with one another so that the biggest bucks win the chance to mate. But if many antlered bucks are killed off early in the season year after year, it leaves little chance for most people to see bucks, or for them to be able to carry out their natural sparring and selection behaviors. In a natural population bucks would even be able to carry out their natural role of shepherding and protecting the herd throughout the winter. I miss seeing this from what I observed years ago in an area with a larger deer population filled with more mature bucks and does. Is there a way to give the deer population a 'rest' from hunting so that their numbers can even out and there can be more older bucks and does in the family groups?

2/28/2019 There are more deer in the Maryland area around DC since before English settlers came here. I am for hunting the deer. It would be great if more deer could be culled from areas that are more populated but know that will not happen. I am near Northwest Branch. Deer are destructive to farms, homes and vehicles.

2/28/2019 I am totally against killing the deer. There are other ways to manage the numbers, like contraceptives, sterilization. I find the management by hunting offensive and out-dated.

2/28/2019 Please increase the safety zone and add notification requirements to lessen the impact of bow hunting to non-consenting neighbors - or recognize bow hunting as inefficient and inhumane and remove it as an option especially within residential communities. Increase education and resources to promote better peaceful co-existence with the deer population. Complete research into deer population growth to see if hunting only creates a temporary population reduction and an increase in births the following year will create an ongoing problem. Find long term solutions including exclusionary fencing in critical areas and research other humane options including sterilization and birth control. Thank you. 2/28/2019 I've lived in Carol Highlands for approx. 20 yrs. The neighborhood needs some kind of deer management. Deer population are out control. This morning walking my dog I saw over 11 deer in less than a half of acre stretch of land. Deer pose a danger to moving vehicles and a health hazard to people. My self being a person who was bitten by deer tick and having to undergo a month long oral treatment of antibiotic to prevent lyme disease. I don't allow my 4 kids to play on my back yard since that is where I was bitten by a deer tick and my back yard borders Sligo creek and the power line towers. Deer destroy are garden every summer and have decimated are fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs. Maryland and Carole highland needs a long term plan to control the out of control increase of the deer population. Best regards.

2/28/2019 When I purchased my home in the Carol Highlands neighborhood (bordering Sligo Creek Park) back in 1981 I rarely saw a deer in our neighborhood. I knew that they were living down in the park, but they didn't come in our backyards to forage for food. Now it is the opposite - they are quite comfortable enjoying my hostas, impatiens, daffodils, pears, etc. I've kept my sanity for the past years with the liberal use of deer netting on areas close to my house. As I was driving through Takoma Park in the morning one year ago I had a frightened doe jump on the hood of my car about 3 blocks away from Sligo Creek. She was limping as she ran away and I don't know if she survived. That upset me for several days. I have seen groups of 5-6 deer grazing on my neighbors’ front lawns and shrubbery it the morning when I leave for work. Last summer a neighbor took a photo of a group of 7 does strolling down the middle of 15th Avenue in the afternoon and posted it on our list serve. It was sad to see all had scars on their legs and some seemed to have misshaped legs, perhaps due to getting caught up while trying to jump backyard fences? It's the opinion of all of us that they are not finding enough food in the park to thrive, and perhaps not enough food in the backyards either. When a large wooded lot was leveled on the south side of University Boulevard to build the LaUnion Mall retail and entertainment center, University Plaza, and Wendy's, the deer and other animals were 'evicted' from their homes and migrated through our neighborhood to find new homes (possums, raccoons and rats too).I believe that the herds need to be reduced for their own livelihood and I hope that you will take some action in that direction. Thank you.

2/28/2019 I live in Takoma Park, MD, Carole Highlands, along Sligo creek. I do believe nice front yard garden are important. Not only because it is beautiful but it also offer a sense of conviviality with neighbors, a sense of security, and a pleasure to be outdoor. Unfortunately deer are destroying our landscape garden and neighbors are discouraged and retreat inside. Now our streets are more covered with litter and cars are speeding through the neighborhood. Please do regulate the deer population in our neighborhood and in Sligo Creek Park. Thank you

2/27/2019 Relocate deer from urban/suburban areas to rural areas and state/national forests. EVERY YEAR: Estimate the deer population in the summer by conducting field surveys. Issue each autumn area- specific per head deer hunting licenses of a number calculated as adequate for reducing the deer population to levels appropriate for the deer winter food resources in the specified area. Monitor during the winter and if deer in an area are starving, mobilize bow-hunters to reduce the population and prepare meat for charity/church free meal programs.(Finance surveys and annual calculations with revenues from deer licenses, the total number of which will vary from year-to- year.) Intervene on disease epidemics a with capture-release vaccination programs. Encourage plantings of deer-resistant vegetation in suburbs and deer edible vegetation in state forests.

2/26/2019 EDUCATION - HISTORY OF MAXIMUM SUSTAINED YIELD - - The shift to maximum sustained yield for white-tailed deer management in North America is recognized as the most significant development in wildlife management in the last 50 years, only exceeded by the overwhelming success story for the recovery of white-tailed deer populations in the last century. The history of deer management provided in the last Maryland Deer Management Plan does not discuss the implementation of maximum sustained yield in Maryland during the 1980s and 1990s. As in most states (without prior notification or the consent of hunters), the majority of state deer managers shifted the management philosophy from compensatory mortality (surplus system) to maximum sustained yield. In broad terms, compensatory mortality seeks to sustain the population at 100 percent of the carrying capacity while maximum sustained yield is usually achieved at about one- half the carrying capacity. During implementation, Maryland lowered deer densities to about 50 percent of carrying capacity. Within a decade, the deer harvest dramatically increased. Both the antlered and antlerless harvests benefited from the dramatic increases in fawn production. The basic tenet of maximum sustained yield is the recognition that reproductive rate, population size, and carrying capacity are interrelated. In other words, the limited resources of high quality, protein-rich food consumed by a deer herd at carrying capacity can be redirected to improve the health and reproductive rate (fawns per female) of the remaining female deer. Maximum sustained yield is made possible by the high reproductive rate of healthy white-tailed females. Multiple births (twins and triplets) are common for healthy adult does. In addition, a healthy female fawn is sexually mature at 7 to 8 months of age and may conceive (fawns bearing fawns). As the reproductive rate for each age group (adults, yearlings, and fawns) increases, the number of fawns born exceeds the production from a deer population at carrying capacity. The general rule is half as many adult does for twice as many antlered bucks, a factor of four. The shift to maximum sustained yield radically reduces the number of adult female sightings by hunters. Higher harvests are required to offset the higher production of fawns to maintain a deer population at 50 percent of carrying capacity. Longer seasons with higher bag limits for female deer are required. Maximum sustained yield requires the higher hunting pressure to be sustained year after year. Otherwise, the deer population would revert back to 100 percent of carrying capacity. In addition to the reduction in deer density, the sex-age distribution of the deer herd is much different. Maximum sustained yield lowers the average age of the population as fawns comprise a large portion (40 to 60 percent) of the pre-season population. The sightings and subsequent harvest of smaller (than normal) fawns increase under maximum sustained yield. The smaller size of the young fawns (fawns of fawns) is observable during hunting season and may generate misplaced concern for the health of the population. Education of the general public, including landowners and hunters, on the logic and science behind maximum sustained yield will provide numerous benefits, including: (1) an immediate increase in the motivation of hunters to harvest female deer (including female fawns) to provide additional bucks for future harvest. The strong emotions of antlerless deer hunting are deeply rooted in tradition. A number of avid deer hunters, after decades of bucks only harvest restrictions, refuse to shoot antlerless deer and actively encourage others to do likewise. Although a deer herd with a high percentage of fawns is a healthy deer herd, many hunters are reluctant to shoot fawns. 2) An increase in the approval of hunting by the general public with the knowledge that hunters are providing a valuable ecological service by restraining the deer population at one- half the carrying capacity, and (3) promotes the retention and recruitment of a new generation of hunters by recognition of the need for future hunters to maintain healthy wildlife populations. RECOMMENDATION - - Educate the general public, including landowners and hunters, on the logic and science behind maximum sustained yield in the Maryland Deer Management Plan.

2/26/2019 CWD RESEARCH - - The spread of CWD remains a threat to the health of the deer population in Maryland. Limited funding from Maryland is available for dedicated research. Rather, Maryland is force to watch others drive CWD research. RECOMMENDATION - - Include a requirement in the Maryland Deer Management Plan to actively support CWD research, such as assisting in the collection of samples and providing data to researchers. 2/26/2019 Yesterday there were 36 deer out my window. The deer over-population is an environmental disaster, occurring right in front of our eyes. The worst problem is that they are destroying the forest understory for all other parts of the ecosystem. Besides consuming what is there (and leaving non-native invasive plants to proliferate), they are eating all the tree seedlings that must replace those lost. We are losing our future forest--an ecological nightmare. This is all in addition to car accidents, Lyme disease, and home landscape losses. Do not listen to those sympathetic to deer because their habitat has been lost. We have replaced it with suburban landscape a thousand times more nutritious, thus does are birthing twins and triplets successfully and they are so healthy that they are surviving bitter cold winters just fine. More coyotes would be a blessing. More hunting should be encouraged. Hunting programs for kids beefed up (our hunter population is declining), and hunting days and allowed kills increased. Sale of venison should be make easy! Part of the plan must be to publicize the destruction deer do in terms the public understands. Telling them that deer have a negative impact on the environment does not mean anything to most people. They need to know deer are destroying the habitats and eating the food supply for all the other wildlife. Bambi is killing his forest friends. :) I'd recommend striving to return to the population levels here when the settlers arrived, which is tremendously lower than today's levels. This is also something that would sense to most Marylanders. Do not think that tree huggers are against deer management--any self-respecting environmentalist is in full support. Thank you!

2/26/2019 As a woodland and farm owner I would ask that a science based approach be used with deer management. I have talked with many people who think that all deer should be left alone and nature create a 'balance', while on the other hand I have spoken to hunters who express a concern that there are two little deer. We often have herds of deer of well over 20-30 on most days come through our approximately 100 acres. I can attest that very few tree sapling survive. About 8 years ago some of the woodland was harvested and since that time there has been no oak, hickory or maple saplings survive. Deer have either browsed them or the deer have selectively eaten native plants allowing invasive stilt-grass, mile a minute and barberry to crowd out and smother anything that may have evaded the deer. We need more trees for all the obvious and historic reasons, but also as a carbon sink, and a biologically diverse 'lifeboat' to allow for re-population of flora and fauna after waves of destruction such as the EAB and Spotted lantern fly that are, or will, engulf our region. A deer heavy forest seems a much simpler and denuded biological 'lifeboat'. That's how I see the forest remnant I am lucky enough to steward. More deer, less diversity. There are too many deer. There seems to be a cultural divide here too, one that is widening. This expresses itself in the way each side sees the deer problem. If even any side believes there is a deer problem! With much of Frederick county disappearing under blacktop and concrete, this divide becomes more apparent each day. Only a policy based on science, without bias, can be a solution. The deer that the new residents see as a beautiful addition to their daily commute, browsing at the edges of the remaining green areas, are eating what's left of our forests and woodland. I see hunters planting invasive honeysuckle to attract more deer, which strangles out any new tree growth. I've heard complaints that the deer are disappearing. In the area I live this is patently not true. Could we somehow come up with a fact based approach that does not vilify or alienate each side? It seems that there is ignorance on both sides. Public education, for both hunters and anti-hunters, has to be the way forward. Our wooded areas are now islands, when once they were the ocean. And thank you, you all do a great job!

2/26/2019 Yesterday there were 36 deer out my window. The deer over-population is an environmental disaster, occurring right in front of our eyes. The worst problem is that they are destroying the forest understory for all other parts of the ecosystem. Besides consuming what is there (and leaving non-native invasive plants to proliferate), they are eating all the tree seedlings that must replace those lost. We are losing our future forest--an ecological nightmare. This is all in addition to car accidents, Lyme disease, and home landscape losses. Do not listen to those sympathetic to deer because their habitat has been lost. We have replaced it with suburban landscape a thousand times more nutritious, thus does are birthing twins and triplets successfully and they are so healthy that they are surviving bitter cold winters just fine. More coyotes would be a blessing. More hunting should be encouraged. Hunting programs for kids beefed up (our hunter population is declining), and hunting days and allowed kills increased. Sale of venison should be make easy! Part of the plan must be to publicize the destruction deer do in terms the public understands. Telling them that deer have a negative impact on the environment does not mean anything to most people. They need to know deer are destroying the habitats and eating the food supply for all the other wildlife. Bambi is killing his forest friends. I'd recommend striving to return to the population levels here when the settlers arrived, which is tremendously lower than today's levels. This is also something that would sense to most Marylanders. Do not think that tree huggers are against deer management--any self-respecting environmentalist is in full support. Thank you!

2/25/2019 I think that the use of crop damage permits should continue. The use of Rifle should be allowed on crop permit. If catastrophic damage night hunting on permits should continue to be allowed

2/25/2019 I have had three collisions with deer and almost totaled my car with one of them. In addition the danger of Lyme disease is of concern and I was tested for it. I live next to a wildlife management area and every day I see deer - last night about 12 to 15 deer in a neighbor’s field. Consider contacting the owners of property under wildlife management to place some salt blocks with deer birth control on their property. Hiring sharpshooters. Expand times and days of hunting. Encourage hunters to donate meat to FFTH. 2/25/2019 I would like to see more Sunday hunting for deer on public and private land.

2/25/2019 The deer population in my area has increased tremendously. The destruction to the various plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers is devastating. With all the time, effort, and money put into Landscaping, the deer come and destroy it overnight. I have large boxwoods that are 40 years old they have trampled and broken. While planting many different types of flowers, shrubs, etc. that are supposed to be deer resistant, you may know that does not deter the deer. They still eat many of the items that the deer are not supposed to like. The other concern is Lyme disease. Last year I was bitten by deer ticks more than 55 times. Luckily, I have not gotten Lyme disease. Others in my neighborhood have not been so lucky and have Lyme disease. While I enjoy being outside and working in the yard, the fear of Lyme disease is always prevalent in my other mind. There needs to be better management of the deer in this area. There is an overabundance of deer. Hunting needs to be increased by either adding Sundays or adding more days to the full year. I have seen 30 to 40 deer at one time by my house. I also will mention that I live on a farm. The destruction by the deer to the crops is tremendous. I live close to Sandy Point State Park which is the problem. The deer eat the majority of the crop on approximately 7 of 8 acres. This property is very close to the woods from where the deer enter the farmland. They destroy the crops on the remaining acreage of farmland as well. There are too many deer. Please institute improved management to eliminate the multitude of deer population. Thank you.

2/24/2019 I am vehemently opposed to lethal 'management' programs of any kind and support sterilization, instead. Not only is the hunting program dangerous to people trying to enjoy the public lands their taxes support, it is a hazard to people whose properties abut the parks, as bullets and arrows know no borders. I understand that there are too many deer for their healthy survival, but murdering innocent animals is an unfair fight and morally reprehensible. We should do better by these majestic creatures; they were here first, after all, and the density of their populations has been caused by human encroachment on their habitats.

2/24/2019 As a lifelong resident and farmer in Poolesville I can see just from ever growing crop and forest damage that the deer population has exceeded sustainable levels. A few things can be done to help: 1.) Increase shotgun season to 4 weeks. It has been 2 weeks only for decades and the population will not be controlled with bow and arrow alone. 2.) Open up hunting on more public lands. These lands become safe havens for deer during hunting season only for them to return at night or spring. Land bordering parks cannot be farmed profitably, this makes them ripe for development. 3.) Bag limits for does need to be unlimited, especially in suburban counties. Crop damage permits help but will not solve it all. It will take a village to fix it. 2/24/2019 I am a twenty-year plus homeowner in the Carol Highlands subdivision in Takoma Park, Maryland. My property backs to Sligo Creek and is bordered by wooded and open land owned by Maryland National Parks and Planning in Prince George's County and PEPCO. Our yard is full of wildlife - hawks, pileated woodpeckers, foxes, raccoons, rabbits, owls, heron, wild turkeys, possum and white-tailed deer. I understand that I must make adjustments in my expectations when living in such close proximity to wildlife. However, the deer population has grown to a level where their impact on the woods and on our residential lives is outsized. Since moving here in 1998, I have witnessed an untenable explosion in the number of white tailed deer. I have counted as many as sixteen deer at one time in my average-sized backyard yard. These deer, with no natural predators and confined to a relatively narrow strip of wooded area, aggressively graze gardens and destroy young saplings and other native growth in the woods. A combination of invasive plants and overgrazing by deer make it difficult for the woods to regenerate. I have watched the tree cover slowly thin over the past several years. Ticks are so prevalent in my yard that we can no longer sit in the yard. We must check for ticks after any length of time spent outside. My husband contracted Lyme disease a couple of years ago and is still dealing with lingering side effects of the virus. I have found deer carcasses in the woods directly behind residential dwellings, which attract carrion scavengers. I would like to see some level of herd management so that the deer, living in such close proximity to us, are more proportionate to the limited space and resources that we all share.

2/24/2019 The deer population in this area is out of control. It's bad enough having them eat our gardens. Lyme disease is a lot worse. And who needs to worry about hitting - or having their car hit by - a deer on the roads? Deer carcasses are not exactly a pretty sight along our roads, either - especially when they have been lying there for a while. A sensible hunting policy is probably the only way to manage the deer population, since people aren't likely to want to reintroduce natural predators like wolves into the DC suburbs!

2/24/2019 As a property owner in a region where rifle hunting is not allows I would like to see DNR take an aggressive stance towards managing deer populations. We routinely suffer damage in the hundreds of dollars to shrubs and gardens at various points during the year. Herds of up to 10 deer are not uncommon to see. Rutting bucks are also a frequent hazard in fall with the limited bedding areas. Deer should not be an expected sighting with a denuded landscape. I fully support managed hunting by sharpshooters and the associated venison donation programs.

2/24/2019 In the areas I live and travel regularly, mostly Howard County, deer seem to be overpopulated. First, I see what I believe to be far too many deer - for example, in less than a one mile drive along Sand Hill Road I've spotted roughly 60 deer (4 herds of roughly 15 each). Second, they show little restraint or fear, foraging against houses and within a couple feet of highway traffic. I don't believe deer populations should be this dense, and their behavior indicates to me they are struggling to find sufficient food/areas to forage. I believe the remaining deer will be healthier if their numbers are reduced. I would strongly support a program that properly manages deer populations at healthy levels.

2/23/2019 My family and I reside in Carroll County. We hunt archery and Black powder in Carroll, Baltimore, and Howard counties. We hunt Rifle on our property in Allegany. Unfortunately the way the bonus deer wording is now, if we harvest a buck during each of the first 2 seasons we cannot hunt on our property in Allegany. If the wording could be changed so that the bonus buck could be taken in Allegany as long as it is the 1st buck taken in Allegany. It would then allow for our family to hunt as a family on our own land in both areas without over harvesting in Allegany and still allow to hunt the more primitive methods close to home. Without the change we can't hunt together rifle season 2/23/2019 I farm 2000+ acres in Prince Georges. Over the years the deer damage has gotten so bad on some farms I lose 100% of the crop. Many farms I have crop damage permits and on those farms we harvest 40-60 deer a year with little effect on crop damage. All of the deer are now coming out at night on these farms. I would like to be able to hunt at night to further reduce the population. I understand this would have to be on a per farm basis and approved by DNR for safety. Sunday hunting should be allowed because many of my crop damage hunters can only hunt on weekends. Coyote populations should be encouraged to grow to help with the deer population as well. Open hunting on public park land where reasonable. Classify does as varmints in certain high deer population areas. The problem with the deer is it is causing many farmers to stop farming the land or reducing the rent to land owners. If the landowners do not receive rent income anymore they may be forced to sell their land to development. I have given up farming 100 acres of land for that reason this year and probably more after this year. Thank you for your time

2/23/2019 Below is a further analysis of why it is clear that MD-DNR's reduced bag limits won't even accomplish their desired goal of increasing hunter satisfaction in rural Maryland . MD-DNR's action will do nothing more than make it look like they are taking action to enhance rural hunters' satisfaction while having no real impact. MD-DNR's desire to look like they are doing something in rural Maryland should not be a reason to hamstring the one means by which we are taking action to help residents of Montgomery County.MD-DNR Arguments Against Restoring the Suburban Deer Archery Zone: we strive to keep things as simple as possible in our regulations (and make them simpler whenever possible). Adding back the urban archery zone will require additional explanation, more table space, and another map in our annual hunting and trapping guide (which is space limited and costly). And it will require re-educating our hunters. Problem: We had an urban archery zone. It fit in the hunting guide just fine. In fact, the 2010-11 MD Hunting and Trapping Guide (http://mdstatedocs.slrc.info/cdm/singleitem/collection/mdgov/id/3357/rec/40) shows that it required no added table space or maps. On page 45, and already existing map added an asterisk to the names of 5 counties (Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore) with the small text below the map * Suburban Deer Archery Zone of Region B: For vertical bow and crossbow hunting only; unlimited antlerless deer may be taken in these counties during the open bow season only.' Similar information was added to the text on a few existing tables. As for re-educating hunters, DNR's proposed elimination of unlimited archery antlerless deer is yet another of these that requires hunter re-education. Restoring the Suburban Deer Archery Zone would restore a system most MD hunters have already encountered. Brian Eyler's statistics on deer shot by those hunters who exceeded 10 archery antlerless deer in the 2017-18 season shows that most of these deer were shot in the old Suburban Deer Archery Zone: 167 of 250 deer, taken by 13 of these 18 hunters. County # of Hunters # of deer taken Montgomery 7 103Howard 6 27Prince Georges 1 2Anne Arundel 3 23Baltimore 3 12Note: Many of these deer management hunters shot deer that counted against the archery bag limit in multiple counties formerly found in the Suburban Deer Archery Zone as well as some deer in other parts of the state. It is clear that over 100 deer from Montgomery County would have a significant impact on the suburban areas where these hunters operate. Most deer management hunters work over restricted areas, so the almost 15 deer per hunter applied in suburban neighborhoods can have a major local impact. Impact of Unlimited Deer Archery on the Rest of the State The rationale for eliminating the unlimited archery antlerless bag limit has been the impact these archers have had on deer in rural parts of the state. Again, let's look at Brian's numbers: County # of Hunters # of deer taken % of County Antlerless Harvests*Carroll 3 11 0.3%Cecil 3 22 0.9%Harford 1 7 0.7%Talbot 2 22 1.1%Queen Anne's 1 2 0.07%Allegany 1 1 0.08%St. Mary's 1 12 0.7%Frederick 1 1 0.02%Washington 1 11 0.4%Wicomico 1 2 no data*Based on DNR 2016-17 Annual Deer Project Reporthttp://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/md_annual_deer_report16-17.pdfAt the highest, Talbot county's take by these hunters represents 1.1% of the annual antlerless harvest. These deer are an insignificant part of the overall harvest and eliminating their take would have no perceivable impact on the deer numbers seen by hunters in those counties. That indicates this is all about DNR wanting to look like they are doing something to increase hunter satisfaction but not being able to. If I were DNR, I'd be finding out how it is that two hunters in Talbot County were able to take 11 deer each .DNR Concerns over Poaching Emails from both Paul Peditto and Brian Eyler have raised the specter of poaching and that the return of the Suburban Deer Archery Zone will somehow increase poaching. While there are multiple references in these emails to the potential of poaching, MD-DNR presented no evidence that the Suburban Deer Archery Zone resulted in any poaching. A scan of multiple years of the DNR Annual Deer Project Reports indicates no MD-DNR concerns over poaching. Similarly, reviews of MD-DNR annual work reports show no reference to concerns over archery poaching. There are plenty of ways for poaches to cheat any system. If poaching was a significant concern, why did MD-DNR not raise this as a concern prior to now? Bottom Line - I see no evidence that DNR has presented that indicates the new reduction of antlerless archery deer bag limit to 15 will significantly enhance deer numbers in the rural part of the state. Also, no evidence has been presented that the Suburban Deer Archery Corridor resulted in any poaching. In contrast, the MD-DNR 2016-17 Annual Deer Project Report states: High deer numbers lead to a greater number of negative interactions with suburban residents, decreasing the residents' tolerance of deer, and increasing the demand on DNR to somehow regulate the population. DNR is currently investigating additional ways to control deer in the suburban corridor ‘and Deer populations have escalated in these suburban landscapes where exceptional habitat is available and hunting becomes limited. Effectively addressing these suburban deer herds remains a significant challenge for Maryland deer managers. These or similar statements have existed in MD- DNR's annual report for close to a decade.MD-DNR appears insistent on conducting a 'feel good' change in antlerless archery bag limits, requiring reduction of hunters, and significantly hampering deer management in Montgomery County as well as other parts of the Suburban Deer Archery Zone. If DNR plans to go forward with this, by not restoring the Suburban Deer Archery Zone, they will be intentionally hampering one of the few deer management mechanisms they have to help with what their own report calls 'one of the most difficult challenges facing wildlife agencies throughout the country .The only remaining argument is DNR's desire to simplify the regulations. I don't think any of 3,676 Montgomery County residents who reported deer-car collisions in 2016 would find simplified regulations to be a good reason to increase their risk of death or injury. In summary, the need for MD-DNR to continue to allow an unlimited number of archery antlerless deer to be taken in Montgomery and the surrounding suburban counties is clear. If MD-DNR wants to restrict deer harvests elsewhere in MD it should only be allowed with simultaneous reinstatement of the Suburban Deer Archery Zone that allows unlimited antlerless deer harvest during the archery season.

2/22/2019 Land owners who have deer management permits (DMPs) should be permitted to harvest deer at night, under certain conditions. Deer have changed their foraging from early morning or late evening to nighttime. Holders of DMPs should be permitted to harvest deer at night, from sunset until 10:00 pm and only when the regular deer hunting seasons are all closed. This change to the regulations would allow harvest of deer that are destroying crops during the nighttime hours.

2/22/2019 Please incorporate Non-Lethal Sterilization Management in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Deer Management Plan. 2/22/2019 I live in the Montgomery County in a neighborhood near Great Falls National Park. Deer wander up into the neighborhood along an inviting green space with a stream running through it. I have seen 8 deer at one time in my yard beneath a tree eating fallen flower petals. I have had to go around the yard with a plastic bag picking up deer droppings before being able to mow the lawn. Even the 'deer resistant' plants we try to grow succumb to hungry deer appetites. One cold winter, deer were so hungry, they even ate what they could of a tough, stringy yucca, along with mature rhododendron. A deer once ran into the side of my husband's vehicle. The car was damaged, so the deer that sprang away was no doubt similarly injured and may have had to endure a painful and slow death. I look with dismay at the forest floor that has been cleared by the hungry deer of emerging native plants that have no chance to repopulate and restore mature trees and other plants that are lost to disease and other forces of nature. Please restore unlimited antlerless deer hunting in the Suburban Archery Corridor in Montgomery County, as well as in other counties-- Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore where it is needed to bring about a more natural balance for all the plants and animals that inhabit the corridor.

2/22/2019 The only solution is to kill the deer. If populations are permitted to grow, Maryland will have to say goodbye to its forests. It is not possible to 'maintain The balance of nature' since there are no longer predators available to balance The hordes of deer.

2/22/2019 I'm writing to urge you to preserve some safe days in our public parks for horseback riding. I know deer management is critical and efforts toward that end are appreciated. But there has to be some balance, particularly on Sundays when most folks have their best chance of getting out to visit nature. My friends and I look forward to Sundays in Prince George’s county for trail rides with no fear of gun shots. Thanks for your consideration in this matter.

2/22/2019 I lived in Fairfax County for over 30 years. I don't think I ever heard a gunshot. Last year I was in the Poolesville area and heard gunfire. Someone said it was deer hunting. This creates an environment that is completely violent. It makes the idea of buying a home in the county so undesirable. People are afraid of their children and spouses getting killed by a gun. Children shouldn't have to hear guns going off when they are in their homes. Staten Island's deer sterilization program is a better approach.

2/21/2019 My only concern is the amount of feet being hit by cars makes it dangerous to drive, especially at night with such a large herd. The amount of habitats has dwindled greatly over the years but the population of deer has increased. I would like to see the herd thinned down some for the safety of humans and deer.

2/21/2019 I do not support any change that will allow hunting on Sunday or any change that will reduce the distance in the number of feet a hunter must be from a residence or residential area.

2/21/2019 Not a hunter but I believe in the concept. I do enjoy the areas where there is hunting so I stay away 6 days of the week during hunting season. I Think it totally unfair to citizens that love the outdoors to take away Sunday (one day of the week)!

2/21/2019 Extending the January firearms season would be helpful to control the deer population. Maybe coinciding the firearms season with some of the holidays...I.e. New years and/or the Friday before thanksgiving in order to encourage more people to hunt. Allowing property owners to control deer population similar to deer management permits but allow the property owner the discretion to manage the deer without a DMP.

2/21/2019 LOVE TO SEE THEM,WE ARE TAKEN ALL THE LAND FROM THEM ALSO NEED BIRTH CONTROL TO CONTROL POPULATION 2/21/2019 As a homeowner in an Owings Mills neighborhood surrounded by other homes, I would like to have a controlled deer population decline. They might be beautiful, but because I don't live in the woods, it is not helpful to drive in the area or try to use my garden space where deer wander day and night. The potential to have my car hit by a deer is likely when they wonder the neighborhood streets. I'm in favor of a planned decline in the deer population. Thank you

2/21/2019 To Whom It May Concern, my family and I have been a resident of Takoma Park, MD / Carole Highlands (PG County) for over 30 years. Approximately 7 or 8 years ago, give or take, I observed several deer grazing at the back end of my backyard on the land maintained and used by PEPCO. The PEPCO land runs basically parallel to the houses with odd addresses on Drexel Street. Most, if not all, the backyards for these houses on this side of the street are not fenced-in which enables the deer to travel from the PEPCO strip of land to and through the yards of the homeowners. As the years progressed the deer population has multiplied exponentially. The deer travel from the PEPCO land through many of the backyards that is adjacent to the PEPCO land. As the deer search for food and travel through my backyard to my front yard they have eaten many of my wife plants and flowers, periodically eat my border shrubbery that I planted over 15 years ago, leave hoof prints on my lawn and deer feces on both the back and front yards. I even stumbled on a small deer antler that was left in my front yard. Two years ago I experienced a pain in the back of my knee. After unsuccessfully trying to determine what the pain was attributed to, I had my wife check the area of the pain. My wife determined that a tic was embedded in the back of my knee and I went to my doctor to have it removed. Since I am in my mid-sixties, and have medical problems, the last thing that I need is to obtain Lime disease from these deer that roam through my yard and the neighborhood. I have several friends that acquired lime disease and I was informed that it was not a pleasant experience. This deer population is out of control. They travel through the homeowners land and roam through and to other areas of neighborhood and have become accustom to being close to and around people and cars. At this juncture, to my knowledge there have been any accidents associated with deer and cars in the neighborhood YET. As recent as one week from this writing in the early hours of the morning, my wife observed as many as 11 deer grazing in the back end of our backyard slowing moving in the direction to my front yard into the homeowners yards across the street and beyond. There needs to be a deer population management policy implemented immediately to enable the homeowners to revert back to their normal way of living without the disruption of the deer population taking a strong-hold on the homeowners land and foliage. Anything that you could do would be greatly appreciated.

2/21/2019 Financial assistance for safe deer management practices on ag properties exhibiting extreme plant damage.

2/21/2019 We live in The Folly Farm neighborhood in Reisterstown. We have found bow hunters in trees in our property within 50 feet of our homes. Our children were not allowed to play in the back or side yard in season. Sunday was a day to explore the reservoir trails. I would like to preserve one day to be free of the dangers of walking where an area has hunters. Balance is worthy of consideration. The need to control the number of deer in the area is necessary. For 10 years we had no issue. Once Owings Mills Was developed and the wildlife displaced our gardens are under daily attack. Using liquid Fence helps. Planting what they are not supposed to like has had mixed results. Contraception yes. Hunting is part of the solution but consider letting non hunting public treasure our open land without fear as well. Thank you. 2/21/2019 I urge you to increase culling and hunting by whatever means, longer hunting season, minimizing limits on animals taken, type of weapon, looser restrictions in suburban areas, etc. would like DNR to post a list of hunters with excess meat, and a list of those people who would like to obtain venison meat, so that the two groups can find one another. It would make for a win-win situation. Farmers should be allowed to kill deer during the growing season to protect their crops. Then a mechanism needs to be instituted such that the carcasses can be obtained rapidly from the fields and put into refrigeration for processing, as opposed to the meat left rotting in the sun or buried in the field. This would result in fresh venison available almost year round. Maryland has an excess of deer. Venison meat is healthy delicious and overly abundant. The state should develop venison as a natural resource, just as the crab and oyster have become synonymous with Maryland. I note that your 2017-18 report documents Montgomery Co has by far the highest vehicle deer mortality in the state, 3364, followed by Howard Co which had only 1398. You should have held one of your meetings in Montgomery County. In contrast, the counties in which you did hold meetings had vehicle mortalities of only a few hundred. That suggests to me that you will not hear from a large portion of the population who is directly affected by the deer overpopulation, and who may have some strong opinions on the issue.

2/20/2019 Driving deer has become a little out of hand in the past few years I think driving deer on state lands should only be allowed after the first week of firearms season.

2/20/2019 I am a grain farmer in western Talbot County. I farm approximately 1400 acres of corn, soybeans, milo, and wheat. During the last several years I have experienced the worst crop damage from deer in my 40 plus year career as a farmer. This past growing season I figure the economic cost of crop damage from deer is approximately $100,000.00. It was $75000.00 in 2017.We utilize crop damage permits and hunting during the season in hopes of making dent in the ever increasing deer population. We are shooting approximately 100+ deer each year if I count my crop damage harvest plus what is taken by hunters on the land that I farm and we are not reducing deer numbers at all from one year to the next. The crop damage is getting worse every year. The whitetail deer is the biggest threat to my livelihood of anything I do farming.

2/20/2019 I am opposed to Sunday hunting for white-tailed deer as the deer season is 5 months long and would restrict use of parks for hikers, walkers, runners, bird-watchers and horse-back riders for 19 Sundays. Hunters will have the weekdays and Saturdays for hunting.

2/20/2019 I believe buck season should be closed for 5 years, and open up the doe season. Too much inbreeding and nutritional challenges. Also, there is just too many deer.

2/20/2019 Please open hunting to out of state hunters free. it cost them now and they want to hunt in md

2/20/2019 As a resident of Prince George's County, I am against deer hunting on Sundays. As it is, I live in a rural area and cannot go in the woods from September until January for fear that someone is hunting. That means I only have that option on Sundays. Hunters have plenty of opportunity to hunt already. Please save Sundays for the rest of us 2/20/2019 Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Deer Management Plan update. Below are my comments on the goals, objectives, and strategies for your consideration: 1. Update population trends, by county, biennially. The study ordered in the current plan (by February 2010) will likely be out of date.2. Within the current plan, Strategy 5 of objective 3 states to 'Maintain or increase the ability of deer hunters to access public and private land without prohibitive fees or other barriers.' While this is a good strategy to maintain, reductions in the antlerless bag limits enacted for the 2018-2019 archery season are incompatible with that strategy. It created artificial barriers to hunter access and certainly did not *increase* their access. Continue this strategy by ensuring that any proposed regulations are viewed against plan objectives and strategies, and do not create barriers or decrease access.3. Maintain or add within any education goal strategies to encourage potential new hunters, to bring youth into hunting.4. The current plan notes that, in 2007, '72% of deer hunters in Region B moderately or strongly supported the liberal antlerless bag limits enacted to stabilize the deer population.' The document further notes that the deer population was reduced with liberal bag limits and seasons (see page 16). Yet, for 2018, DNR enacted strict “and unnecessary” archery limits in Region B. Such limits seem incompatible with the plan and historical information, which shows that more liberal limits are effective at achieving desired population reductions. Liberalize bag limits.5. Related to #4, Region B encompasses most of the state of Maryland. It includes disparate locations such as rural Frederick and Carroll Counties, urban Baltimore and Montgomery Counties, and geographically distinct Kent and Talbot Counties, and yet the same management applies throughout. It is inconceivable that the management needs of Howard County can be met with the same regulations as Wicomico County. The upcoming plan MUST include a goal and objective to establish “or restore “the Suburban Archery Corridor (SAC) covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties. Strategies should include surveying not just hunters but other stakeholders in Region B to identify concerns, identifying technology and tools to address implementation and enforcement concerns of a SAC, and identifying SAC deer population objectives distinct from Region B, and establishing regulations to affect them - such as including an unlimited antlerless limit. Such a change would likely also be consistent with any considered population, damage, and operational goals.6. A higher buck limit and removal of antler-point restrictions must also be a permanent part of any deer management plan, particularly in a suburban managed area which maintains problematic deer numbers.

2/20/2019 Hopefully, the new plan will include some method of culling the number of deer down to a sustainable level in Maryland. Too many deer are laying waste to native vegetation. I recently read about the fact that deer wasting disease has recently entered Maryland. This disease prion-based disease could be infectious to humans. Deer meat should be prohibited from human consumption?

2/20/2019 Deer carry disease and they destroy forests. They should be classified as an invasive species. Maryland should legalize having hunters provide venison for restaurant menus.

2/20/2019 I find watching the white tail deer delightful. When we are surrounded all the time by technology, development, traffic and discord, it is uplifting to observe nature.

2/20/2019 Dislike deer because of potential Lyme Disease

2/20/2019 I hunt deer with archery tackle through an organized group that has been around for 13 years -- ACDMT. We harvest deer almost exclusively on private suburban properties in Montgomery County. In addition, we are also one of the groups selected to manage deer populations in a county park. As a result, we have a well-founded appreciation on deer harvested and the restrictions imposed and based on harvest limits. Remove the unfounded limits on antlerless harvests for Montgomery County. Increase the number of bucks that can be harvested in Montgomery County. 2/20/2019 It is unfair for my comment to be considered. I am 89 years old, retired, and living in a senior community. I enjoy occasional sighting of deer in the wooded area of our community. My garden is behind a tall fence.

2/20/2019 I am in the Great Seneca/Goshen Valley watershed and we are overrun with deer who destroy our gardens. Would love to see the herd culled in this area. The only predator that can do this is us (humans). No other in this area.

2/20/2019 I live in Heritage Harbour, a residential community in Anne Arundel County. Deer come into my yard several times a day to graze, as many as 8 at a time. I had to replace many shrubs this past fall due to deer damage and am now only planting boxwood, which they seem to leave alone. The community allows controlled hunting in the nearby woods but this hasn't helped; in fact, the herds seem to have grown larger. I also visit Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Montgomery County regularly and always see herds of deer. Flowers left at graves are eaten minutes after being placed - the deer watch and wait for you to leave. Artificial flowers are not allowed most of the year - the only thing the deer won't eat. Whatever can be done to reduce the deer population would be most appreciated. Also, it would be helpful to provide residents and local nurseries with tried and true lists of deer resistant plants. I have researched this myself but it is not easy to do and the lists I found are not consistent. Also, nursery staff is not always knowledgeable about what works.

2/20/2019 In the plan it states there were goals of developing county goals but it seems contradictory to do so while only having an A and B zone. I think it was a better management plan to have additional zones such as was done with the A they D zones in the past. On the topic of Sunday hunting it is stated that more large landowners were against Sunday hunting than for, if I remember correctly. That would seem to be irrelevant. By at least making it allowable to hunt on private property on Sunday it allows those property owners the choice of what to do on their own land. Also, has nobody in DNR realized that one of the reasons the horse council doesn't want Sunday hunting , even on private land is because they want to remain able to trespass on those private land riding and chasing foxes.

2/19/2019 From New Hampshire Ave. to East-West Highway, Sligo Creek runs along two neighborhoods, Hillwood Manor (Montgomery County) and Carole Highlands (PG County). The creek and its surrounding wooded park create a corridor of natural habitat that is at some point crossed by Pepco's ROW, an almost undisturbed open grassland area, offering valuable local biological diversity. The conservation of this urban ecosystem necessitates protection from multiple threats, one of them possibly being a lack of deer population regulation plan for our Sligo Creek watershed section. Would you please include a deer population regulation plan for the fast growing deer population within our urban wooded park? Thank you.

2/19/2019 I would like to see more hunting opportunities, such as managed hunts through the county, with bow or shotgun.

2/19/2019 I am a small farmer in Cecil County in Fair Hill. The deer do so much damage to our corn, beans, grain and hay. I should not have to put my name on a damage permit and even get training to shoot. We need to be able to shoot bucks. They smash down so much with impunity. Butcher shops are not open in the spring. Hold the hunt in the spring, when all the damage is being done. Too many laws and not enough help for us. A farmer should be able to shoot the deer on his property without a license/permit. I've read about deer traps perhaps that could be a solution to control the deer population. This would help the neighbors who fear the shooting of deer close to their homes.

2/19/2019 We support increasing Crop Damage Permits. Encouraging hunting and using excess harvested deer to feed the hungry. We have a small farm and I am an active equestrian. Yet I strongly support hunting to control deer population. 2/19/2019 I am a farmer in Montgomery County growing corn, wheat and soybeans. The deer population continues to grow and is our biggest yield robber. DNR needs to assist farmers by allowing hunting year round

2/19/2019 Get rid of big game phone check in, harvest does only next five years. There’s too many small deer.

2/19/2019 Deer population is down. Numbers are low and DNR is still reducing population. Crop damage permits are being abused. Thank you.

2/18/2019 The state needs to cap the number of does one person could take. I also believe that an alter restriction needs to be put into play in order to better the quality of bucks taken. The sika bag limit also needs to be raised as they are an evasive species but are treated more strict than Whitetail's.

2/18/2019 If the average hunter had Sunday's to hunt on public I believe they could be more of a manage hunter when I worked all the time Saturday was my only day in the woods so I harvest smaller deer if more time allowed I am more likely to let small deer go

2/18/2019 I support extending the gun season and expanding the use of rifles. Many places in MC including parts of the Ag Reserve would be safe for rifles and there is a great need to reduce deer populations.

2/18/2019 I have a farm in Montgomery County and at any given time you can see one or two herds of deer grazing my fields. Sunday hunting, crop damage permits are helpful .I encourage bow hunters. Still you see multiple dead deer on the roadside that have been hit by autos causing significant economic damage and sometime physical damage to the driver.

2/18/2019 1) Antlered deer should not be taken under Crop Damage / Deprivation Permits. 2) Continue to expand Sunday hunting opportunities - they are currently not only too limited but too complicated. 3) Please do not spend additional DNR funds on contraception or other non-lethal controls until it becomes clear that an effective and fiscally responsible technique exists. Currently available methods show no statistical impact on deer herds in non-fenced environments, and are absurdly expensive.

2/18/2019 As an avid outdoor person and retired Maryland state park ranger, I am asking you to not allow Sunday Hunting. Thank you

2/18/2019 As a pediatrician I am very concerned about the out of control deer population. The spread of Lyme disease can be directly tied to deer population. Lyme disease can be a very serious acute illness as well as a chronic health issue. As a suburban property owner, I am also very concerned about the incursion of deer into backyards. They decimate gardens and also cause accidents. Thirdly, as an environmentalist, the exploding deer population is wrecking the important understory of our forests. In my area Oregon Ridge park has seen the very negative effects of this on not only the vegetation but on their wildlife that depends on the vegetation. I have previously requested Baltimore County do something about the deer, but they have done little. Please use multiple measures to reduce the deer population, including increasing hunting options year round Thank you

2/18/2019 Deer are a serious public nuisance in Davidsonville. They brazenly come right to our door and pose both health and safety problems. Deer frequently cross the roads in our area thus creating a driving hazard. They feast on all the costly shrubs in our yard, but perhaps the worst outcome of a large deer population, is the spread of Lymes disease. I suffered a serious case of Lymes last summer and it frightens me to think it could occur again. PLEASE TAKE SERIOUS MEASURES TO CULL THE HERD IN OUR AREA!! 2/18/2019 Deer are defiantly over populated the extensive deer damage we had as farmers this year was ridiculous. We had fields of corn that were a total and complete loss. These were fields that have had damage before but NEVER this bad. We just hope permit numbers won’t be reduced and that we are still able to hunt year round.

2/18/2019 I would like to see an increase the total number of (completely) public CFL's and WMA's. Also concerning the Whitetail bag Limit, I would like to see the total number or Bucks aloud to be taken, change from three (two bucks and a bonus buck) to two (one buck with a bonus buck). In the county (Wicomico) that I hunt in, I’m also seeing a decrease in the amount of deer. This trend has occurred for several years. Because of this trend, I would like to see the total number of does able to be taken per weapon, change from 10 to 5 (a total of 15 per person, a year). Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns

2/17/2019 I have been deer hunting in Maryland since 1999 and while every year has ebbs and flows, overall I am satisfied with the status of our deer herd and hunting opportunities. The reduction of the deer herd over the past years, while we do see fewer deer, has resulted in the harvesting of larger bodied deer and more mature deer. Going forward I think holding steady with current antler restrictions and perhaps increasing the opportunity to fill antlerless tags would be beneficial. I predominantly hunt Region A public land, mostly in Garrett County. My goal every year is to fill two of the four tags (I hunt with a muzzleloader and firearm) I am provided to supplement my family's freezer (antlered or antlerless does not matter to me). With that said, I am not a supporter of antler restrictions as a deer management tool to grow larger bucks. I do support antler restrictions to help promote a balanced age structure however. Our current antler restrictions I feel support balancing age structure. Allowing me to harvest any legal buck as one of my two-buck tags helps get me half way to my annual deer season harvest goal. This is important for years such as this past year where I had trouble-locating bucks that met the three points to a side restriction. If an individual's personal preference is to allow a smaller buck to walk to wait out on a larger one, that is their option but I do not feel that the opportunity should be taken from those who do not share this passion. I support the two-buck tag limit as well and do not feel that we should reduce this any further. Further reduction I feel may negatively affect hunter numbers (already an issue) and perhaps even reverse some of the positive impacts of the deer herd reduction. I would support longer antlerless seasons, particularly on public land. I am satisfied with the two antlerless tags provided each year but the time to fill those tags is limited. Opening the early muzzleloader season to antlerless harvest on region A public land was a step in the right direction. This change actually made me consider waiting for a buck that met the antler restriction (which I did) since I knew I could take an antlerless deer if I did not find the right buck in that early season. However, after this season there are only two days you can harvest antlerless deer on public land with a firearm (one in general firearm and one with late muzzleloader). Conditions (especially in Garrett County) can be highly variable and difficult on these single day seasons. While I know these short seasons are intended to help limit harvest, it can make it difficult for those who are trying to harvest antlerless deer. I would support going back to a system where we purchase antlerless tags (we did this in the late 90's I believe) assuming that the seasons are made a few days longer (like 3 days in firearm season and 3 days in late muzzleloader). Purchasing these tags would serve to limit harvests and there can even be a sellable tag limit set to prevent over harvest. I would certainly purchase tags if this were the system. I spend countless days in the field each year with my family enjoying the hunting seasons and public lands. Regardless of changes, I will continue to support Maryland's hunting heritage and do my part to support deer management in the state.

2/17/2019 Provide for night time bow hunting. Require at online check-in of a kill a picture of the do killed. Require four doe kills before you can shoot a buck four points or better on at least one side.

2/17/2019 1 buck limit 2/17/2019 1 buck limit or change point restriction to 6 points on both bucks

2/17/2019 1) Sunday hunting throughout the state. On public and private lands...The horse lobby against Sunday hunting should not be given attention. Hunters fund the programs and property for hunting. And should not denied Sunday hunting by a group who fronts 'No Funding' They are welcome to use the properties off season.2). Archery stands should have a setback of 50 yards not 150 yards. Allow them to be mounted where deer damage inhabited areas 3) Chesapeake lands leases should be recycled every 5 years. Current lease holders are allowed to renew leases every 5 years. With no end in sight. With the reduction of hunters excluding public lands from lottery access does not serve the residents of Maryland. These leases need to enter the lottery. Currently the only properties that enter the lottery are those with poor quality hunting. If the public was aware that private clubs controlled thousands of acres of public land, even though they pay a fee, they would be upset. It was suggested last year in Delaware and it was rejected.

2/17/2019 Increase points regulation. Open more areas bow only.

2/17/2019 I understand that Maryland's deer herd means different things to different groups. As a hunter, I value the time afield that hunting provides as well as the meals that is provided to my family. I have paid farmers through leases an incredible amount of money to remove what they consider a pest to them as they feed on their crops. I am disappointed to learn that the crop tag program is funded and paid for my sport hunter’s license fees. The Maryland deer herd is a renewable resource that needs to be managed to provide outdoor opportunities for Marylanders. I live in the suburbs and we have an unhealthy population of deer in our neighborhood. They are unhuntable because of the 150 yd. rule. If that could be shortened to 50 yds. for archery, the suburban deer herd could be greatly reduced.

2/17/2019 I would like to see the whitetail limit reduced to 5 total no more than2 antlered. Also open Sunday hunting on public land. And I would like to be able to carry an open carry handgun in area B. Thank you

2/17/2019 Sunday hunting in all Eastern Shore Counties during all Seasons. Wicomico County

2/17/2019 I would like to see a shotgun season. Maybe during bow and muzzleloader but longer like Delaware has also I would like to see check in station there too much lying on sex of deer for bonus stamp I know a lot of bucks being checked in as does also

2/17/2019 I am an avid deer hunter who would like to help in anyway with the control of our deer population on the lower shore.

2/17/2019 Go back to one buck per weapon type, one with bow, one with muzzleloader, and one with rifle. With one extra buck with weapon of choice.

2/16/2019 1. Farmers can kill deer all year long including all Sundays 365 days a year under a Deer Management Permit. So these bills are just a backdoor way of taking away our Sundays for recreational hunting, not to effectively manage deer .2. Deer hunting has already been increased in Maryland over the years from a few weeks to almost 5 months every year from September until January 31st. 3. Public parks were opened for Sunday hunting in some counties even after they said they wouldn't be.4. Children and students are in school Monday to Friday. They only have Saturday and Sunday to play outside, run, horseback ride, hike with their dogs, etc. They have lost Saturdays, please do not take Sundays too. 5. Bullets and Arrows do not stop at private property lines endangering citizens on their own property and on public lands, which adjoin private properties! Every year hunters accidentally shoot innocent people and their pets. 2/16/2019 Land owner and farmer in Dorchester County the economic devastation to my crop yields and loss of revenue has become astronomical over the past several years. I have to give up rented landed due to the deer population and destruction Something needs to be done to control population and reduce herd numbers totally out of hand. Part of the problem is most hunters are now looking for the prize buck so to speak and will not shoot anything else The food program to feed the hungry needs to be promoted more with more locations across the lower shore to drop animals at for participation, start a bounty program of some sort If the issue is not addressed nature will take care of the problem sooner or later that is what happens when you get to many but what will the cost be to farmers trying to make a living

2/16/2019 I have been hunting Garrett County private land for 30 years. Have seen a lot of deer early on and it seems in the last ten years it has been declining, least not seeing as many deer during the fall and winter. In my opinion in Garrett County we have more of a predator problem (Black bear, coyote) than an issue with too many deer. I would like to see the black bear season moved to a week before the early muzzleloader season and open up more permits resident property owners. Move early muzzleloader to first week in November. I am good with current bag limits. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

2/15/2019 I feel that the firearm seasons should be set up as legal weapon of choice instead of two week shotgun, two weeks black powder and so on. We have less hunters now so we need to make it more accessible like the allowance of Sunday hunting in some countries. If we just have a general firearm season starting after thanksgiving and going thru January would benefit everyone. The crop management permits do help to relieve pressure on the crops. Thanks

2/15/2019 To the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, I have a few inputs regarding current white- tailed deer management. First off, I would like to commend you all for maintaining a healthy herd of deer throughout the state with appropriate harvest limits and season lengths. I know it takes a lot of research and expertise to properly evaluate a state-wide resource like that. I believe the future of hunting in Maryland is in public lands. Hunting hear in the U.S. and especially in the populated and more affluent state of Maryland, acquiring land to hunt can be a challenge. If you do not own or have a friend/family member that owns land, or do not have deep pockets, it can be almost impossible to find private lands to hunt. In a way, hunting here in Maryland has started to emulate the European model where hunting is reserved for the more affluent class. I would like to see a program as seen in other states such as Pennsylvania, where if a property owner wants someone to come hunt, say for crop damage purposes, their property can be put in a lottery like we already do for waterfowl locations. This would help our farmers, which agriculture is the number one industry here in Maryland, and also help hunters gain access to hunting lands. More public land is always a blessing, and I believe more could be acquired for recreational purposes if the state would work with landowners such as Exelon energy by the Conowingo dam, who own thousands of forested acres. I know it might be a bit of a challenge to work up a deal, but possibly introducing a tax incentive to property owners would certainly sweeten the deal. Also, the money acquired from increased public land permits would benefit the DNR and natural resource management. Liability I'm sure would also be a concern for potential damage to a person or property. Regarding this potential concern, I would think that an insurance policy associated with what we have already for state parks and wildlife management areas would suffice. Some other potential locations for this private to public proposal is in my home county of Cecil. These locations include the boy and girl scout camps that are usually vacant in the late fall and winter months, the extensive quarry lands, forest ground on warehouse lands (probably would only be archery), and the 1200-acre Bainbridge naval training center. Most of our public hunting lands here in Cecil our in the southern part of the county, but there is not a whole lot in the larger northern portion besides Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area where there is only archery in a few portions and a two-day lottery gun hunt. Most hunters get into hunting cutting their teeth pursuing small game, so I think it would be nice to see more opportunities for this besides only white-tailed deer archery in most of our public lands. Sunday hunting here in Cecil has been a topic for debate here recently. I am in favor along with many others for the opening of Sunday hunting. Many folks only have the weekend off to hunt on Saturdays, which is tough to fit in for most individuals who use that day to get the plethora of other things completed that couldn't be done during the work week. With the vast majority of wildlife not being pursued during the typical work week, I think it would be acceptable to open Sunday hunting. Thank you for your time and consideration.

2/15/2019 Consider more humane ways of controlling the deer population such as birth control in deer food. These options should be explored from areas that do implement humane deer management.

2/15/2019 The overall goal should be to reduce the size of the deer herd. One day of rifle doe hunting is Not Enough. And there should be more concern over the damage caused to agriculture. It is we farmers who provide habitat and food for your precious deer!

2/14/2019 The primary deer management mechanism should be licensed private hunters.1. Hunters pay fees for their license to help fund DNR.2. Private Hunter bear all the costs associated with their kill.3. DNR focus should be safety and enforcement.4. State employees should NOT be hired to control Deer Population by hunting. The public hunter will perform the service for free.

2/14/2019 With the massive deer population, particularly in region B. There should be expanded hunting opportunities, especially Sunday hunting. Many folks only have one day a week to go out and this would greatly increase participation. Maryland is one of a handful of states in the country that does not allow universal Sunday hunting, and many of those other states offer ample evidence to disprove claims that Sunday hunting is somehow more dangerous or negatively impacts wildlife populations.

2/14/2019 Over the last 25 years, my 200ac farm has seen the deer population explode. It peaked a couple of years ago (not unusual to see 50+ in one field). Many area hunters began taking a dozen during hunting season in addition to what they got with crop damage permits. Over the last two years, population (and subsequent damage) here has dropped significantly. Now seeing no more than a dozen at a time. It's still tough to raise a soybean crop, but at least now it's economically feasible.

2/14/2019 In Heritage Harbour, Anne Arundel County, we are beyond overrun with deer. We have an annual harvest that is not performing well and are seeking to improve it (more hunters, larger bag). My car was hit this year, costing $3500. 2/14/2019 We strongly support more effective and aggressive means of culling the deer population in Maryland, particularly southwest Montgomery county. While I agree that deer are an important part of the local ecosystem, over the last decade the uncontrolled growth of the deer has become worse than a nuisance. Deer are now a health and safety hazard. Deer were not a significant problem in the Carderock neighborhood between Potomac and Bethesda, just north of the Beltway, when we moved here in 2000. Incrementally, however, the deer have overrun the area, carrying disease such as Lyme's (my wife was diagnosed with Lyme's disease a couple of years ago) and grazing and destroying plants, even deer-resistant varieties, such as Aucuba japonica and Liriope muscari. About a decade ago, we removed all the plants deer like, such as Hostas, and planted only deer-resistant varieties to no avail. Deer will eat just about anything when hungry, and deer repellents do not work consistently. Deer routinely push down fences and tear the netting we use to protect young plants. They have also destroyed several bushes and a young tree in our yard by rubbing their antlers. We now see small herds of deer grazing in our yard or resting in our neighbor's yard. Unafraid of humans, these deer stand their ground and refuse to move, even when we make loud noises. A scared buck almost ran over our teenage son when he was walking a small dog. The only way to chase them away is to let our dog go after them, which is not safe. Not surprisingly, there have been several accidents involving deer, and several instances of a deer being taken down by a dog. These are clear indications of a deer population out of control and signs of a greater problem in the making. Drastic action is needed now. While I seethe every time I see white tail deer, I understand that they are part of the ecosystem, and I do not wish them to suffer unnaturally. Therefore, we urge Maryland to take a more proactive and aggressive approach to culling the white tail deer population. I welcome expanded use of sportsmen and hunters, as well as other effective and humane means of pushing populations out of suburban areas.

2/14/2019 There is no understory remaining in most of our forests because of hungry deer, and therefore, invasive plants have taken over. I am concerned that we may never rid the forests of the stilt grass and garlic mustard. I believe there should be unlimited hunting of does in many areas until deer populations are under control. However, we need greater enforcement of poaching and hunters in areas of parks where hunting is not allowed. We boarder Patuxent park near Hipsley Mill Rd and Annapolis Rock Rd in Howard County. There are deer stands and feeders along trails in our side of the park where hunting is not allowed. People walk and ride horses daily along those same trails. When we and many of our neighbors have contacted DNR about poachers there doesn't always seem to be an interest in aggressively pursuing them.

2/14/2019 In Region B (private land); I am solely an archery hunter. I've seen deer numbers slightly increase because I hunt suburban areas. Continue to damage residential property. I am in favor of Sunday hunting as this provides an additional day to harvest, and does not impede during most common 9- 6pm work hours. I have been encourage from homeowners to freely bait deer if so choosing to harvest more often. This portion is more likely to fall under the biennial reg process, but would like to voice my concern. In Region B, the distance permitted to discharge a weapon is 150 yards from a dwelling (with not permission). I recommend this distance be decreased, by half as a minimum, to 75 yards. This would substantially increase the deer harvest numbers in areas having the highest deer density, suburban areas. This can be applied to archery only, and even from elevated positions from the ground. I do feel this is a very safe alternative to alleviating overpopulated areas, seeing that most property is private. Thank you 2/14/2019 Dear Maryland Department of Natural Resources, I support deer management and oppose the current bow restrictions. White-tailed deer populations in my area of Maryland are too high, threatening human health by increasing the risk and incidence of Lyme disease from deer ticks and causing deer-car collisions. In addition to damaging gardens and farms, deer eat native plants, killing small trees and new growth, causing soil erosion, degrading water quality, and destroying forest ecosystems, food and habitat which native birds, insects, and mammals such as raccoons, foxes, and other animals depend on to survive and to raise young. Since we no longer have predators like wolves and cougars to return deer to the natural density, the deer become unhealthy and so it is our responsibility to manage their populations. I support hunting to keep deer population levels in check. Alternatives such as birth control pills are expensive and ineffective. I support eliminating limits on Bow Hunting in Urban and Suburban areas to utilize best practices deer management. The 'bag limits', the number of deer allowed per hunter, should be removed in suburban and urban areas as there are less hunters and higher deer overpopulation in urban and suburban areas than in rural areas. The types of hunters in suburban areas who can hunt with a bow are very skilled and there aren't that many of them. Thus, there should be no limit to the number of deer an individual hunter can kill. This could be revisited if there ever comes a point when we no longer have such deer overpopulation with sometimes several 100s of deer where the carrying capacity of the land is 15 to 20. We should restore the unlimited archery antlerless deer limit in and make permanent the Suburban Archery Corridor covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties. We should also raise the buck limit and remove antler-point restrictions in suburban areas. Best practices should be used throughout the State, and given the high density of deer in the suburbs, we need a permanent Suburban Archery Corridor allowing the harvest of unlimited archery antlerless deer. Thank you for your consideration.

2/14/2019 Please do something to sterilize the females. I heard of a salt block that could be put at base of trees. When licked, it made the females sterile. That seems like a very humane way to control population! Please do not put any more coyotes in the area. They are killing livestock.

2/14/2019 I think deer overpopulation is a really big problem. They are a driving hazard. They carry ticks that spread Lyme disease which I've had. And they eat my shrubs. I think the number of deer should be reduced drastically since they have no natural controls.

2/14/2019 I would like to see more opportunities to hunt does In Region A with a muzzleloader and rifle on public land. Stop the buck season and have two weeks buck or doe whatever you choose. Be like other states and let you take your limit with your legal weapon say bow or whatever. Don't let special interest groups influence the entire state!

2/14/2019 The white tailed deer population has exploded in our Clinton, MD area [Dangerfield Rd./FLETC/Fox Run Park] over the past 3 years. They are a driving hazard and destroy our small farm's crops - both creating economic loss - as well as stripping bare the surrounding homeowners' and businesses' ornamental plants. Many of the local deer population have sustained birth defects and/or injuries - several are visibly lame. On any given night we may see small (2-6) to large (10-15+) groups feeding on our property and those nearby or crossing the roads. The last few winters have not been harsh and it is apparent a bad winter will result in deer starving and/or becoming so desperate for food they will end up further endangering themselves and humans. Please consider MD State controlled culling in this area to thin these herds and put the lame/suffering out of their misery. This is very desperately needed for public safety, so I would implore the State to consider a -very- hard cull in this area as soon as possible, with regular follow-up to ensure the population is controlled in this increasingly built-up area. THANK YOU. 2/14/2019 I have been a Maryland bowhunter for 9 years. I have lived and worked in Baltimore City for 23 years. Whitetail population in the urban corridor between covered by the proposed changes is a serious problem. Problems include: potentially lethal traffic accidents; the spread of lyme disease; and damage to fragile urban ecosystems, especially the understory in woodlots that provide cover and forage for a large variety of species. DNR has done an outstanding job of managing the deer herd overall, but in the urban counties antler point restrictions and bag limits, along with light hunting pressure have meant a concentration of deer in areas that cannot sustain this growth. Please consider relaxing bag limits and antler point restrictions in these counties - it will improve health and safety, and provide a richer urban woodland ecosystem for all species. Thank you.

2/14/2019 It seems few people are considering that perhaps human over population is the issue as we continue to intrude into their natural habitat, leaving them with very little. Of course they're going to eat your landscaping and cross our roads. What else have we left them?

2/14/2019 Whatever I grow whether is vegetables, fruit trees or flowers they eat everything. I love gardening but I’m so helpless because of these deer. Please send them to Mexico.

2/14/2019 Increase bag limits on doe. Open all areas where safe to hunt with bow and arrow

2/14/2019 I vote/prefer for non-lethal sterilization. Thank you

2/14/2019 I will not be able to make the DNR meeting but would like to share some important information with you concerning deer population. In the past several years people and/or horses on our farms have contracted the following disease due to the white tail deer bring the infected ticks on the farm. Lymes Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever Anaplasmaehlirichea Celulitus as a secondary infection from tick bites. Each of these costs people hundred if not thousands of dollars to treat themselves and or the horses. The humans lose work time which is loss of income and they also spend more on their medications. We lose time to ride the horses which means lost income if the horse can’t be used to teach lessons or go to a horse show. Some people and or horses do not fully recover from the above mentions disease and have to live with the symptoms forever. Also Chronic wasting Disease is in Maryland Deer. There are positive lab test on record. There are proven facts that people will become affected by eating CWD deer meat. Our family has a long history of hunting deer and always eating what we hunt or providing deer meat for the needy in the community. But we no longer feel we can carry on that tradition safely for our family or the needy with CWD being in Maryland Deer. So with fewer hunters the deer population will rise making matters worse.

2/14/2019 Deer have overrun our neighborhood in Takoma Park, MD. They are destroying the landscape and spreading disease to humans. I know of three neighbors who have had Lyme disease, one of who lost her house and has been confined to a nursing home for the rest of her life because of it. (Not a scientific survey--it is extremely likely that more people have had Lyme in my neighborhood. I have been treated with antibiotics for tick bites multiple times.) The Plan's promise to investigate nonlethal methods of controlling the deer population is not enough! People's lives are being destroyed because of these deer. There are places where hunts can be set up on private and/or County property, albeit smaller areas than up county areas, and perhaps more controls to keep humans out of hunt areas would be needed. Holding hunts only in more rural areas is NOT ENOUGH! It is critical that you protect the human populations of Maryland from this critical health threat! 2/13/2019 1. In urban area, where shooting can be a serious safety concern, why not trap deer? It works and it is safe, quiet and discreet.2. Deer donations need to be made easier. I live in Harford county and there is only one butcher that accepts them. Plus their requirements are so labor intensive, I have mostly butchered the deer after I complete the steps.3. DNR should work with landowners who lease their property. Most are farmers or they lease the ground for farming. Help set harvest goals for the hunting lease. I understand the move toward QDM and I like it but the doe population must be controlled. The landowners can set harvest goals for the lease to help with crop damage and overall deer population. Most landowners have no idea of the land capacity or deer herd size. The state has biologist that could assist greatly in setting a target harvest. Most landowners miss the fact that they can control the harvest by their hunting lease. No one wants to lose their lease and if killing more does will save it, the hunters will shoot the does to keep the lease.4. If the state is moving toward trophy deer hunting then move the gun season back during the first week of November to coincide with the rut. This will increase the opportunity for big buck harvest. Maybe it should be one buck only during that week.5. Change the rules to allow for hunters to harvest the total buck harvest in any season. Why does it matter what season I kill a buck? Is it more important that i kill one in bow and one in gun? It's two dead deer.6. Extend the gun season. It is the most popular season. So make it longer. This will result in more harvest7. DNR should pair farmers with crop damage permits to hunters who need a place to hunt. Great opportunity to bring two parties together that need each other.8. DNR provide deer management to private property owners who want to reduce the herd without hunting.9.Implement mandatory doe harvest for hunters. No more call in to record harvest. Must have it tagged at check in station.10. Open early gun season on public lands for doe harvest only.11. Offer incentives for landowners to increase doe harvest. Tax credit, free forest management, pond building, planting of trees, etc...12. DNR sponsored hunter training. How to become more effective.13. DNR should promote hunting to property owners, its benefits, etc. Encourage utilization of the resource. Help manage concerns of landowners who might allow hunters if the risks are removed. 14. Set a public plan in place for managing the deer herd by county. Zones are too big. Western bay and eastern shore are totally different habitat and the residents have totally different views on deer management. They are both Zone B

2/13/2019 There needs to be more public meeting locations. I would need to drive an hour to show up at a meeting? That isn't good for turnout or a broad opinion base

2/13/2019 I appreciate the public opinion phase of things. I would however want for DNR to be allowed to have science driving the management plan. So, I guess my intent of submitting comment is to simply state that I am supportive of our Natural Resource professionals determining the appropriate course of action. I'd be happy to chime in on specifics as they are developed but for now I'd want the science to drive policy. I am supportive of managed hunts, if that is a helpful tool in population control.

2/13/2019 Add sterilization of deer to list of non-lethal options for deer management in urban and suburban areas. It is legal in MD. It has been successfully used in Baltimore County and at NIH in Montgomery County. It should be in the code and supported by the state. There are many residents who pay taxes and do not want killing in their back yards and/or who don't support the killing.

2/13/2019 Our grain farming operation is located at Perryville, MD. We suffer from deer feeding crop damage every year ranging on a farm wide basis between 27-41% crop loss. We prefer a much more aggressive deer control policy to limit crop feeding damage by the local deer herd. We allow hunting, but hunters are not interested in significantly reducing the deer herd size by harvesting doe. We appreciate high deer harvest bag limits and prefer that hunters must be required to harvest six doe before attempting to harvest a second buck. We feel that this change would add significantly to controlling deer herd size. Thank you. Grant 2/13/2019 Would like to see increased Sunday hunting opportunities(muzzleloader) and would like to explore usage of straight walled pistol cartridges as are used in Del, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan during shotgun season .This would provide a safe more accurate substitute for slugs guns. Most other regs are good buck limit is acceptable .Thanks once more for the youth hunting opportunities.

2/13/2019 to many deer

2/13/2019 Start the Firearms season the First of November for 3 weeks during the mating season

2/13/2019 I think a more accurate population count is needed. Determining the population by the amount of deer killed is not very accurate. A lot of hunters do not check in deer on the automated system. I think with the technology we have access to today, drones with thermal imaging cameras, as well as riding around farm fields on a summer evening can provide a more accurate count. The deer are a huge problem facing farmers, and saying that the deer kill is down simply means the deer kills are down. Does not accurately represent population numbers.

2/13/2019 I would like crop damage to be included with fencing as the deer are constantly destroying my fencing that I need to be intact for my livestock.

2/13/2019 Hello, I have some major concerns about the management of the deer population in Montgomery County. I live off the Sligo Creek trail system and my section of the trail is currently closed for deer population management. I have sent multiple emails stating my concerns about this project. I went to the trouble of reading through the Montgomery County Park's website explaining the necessity and procedures of deer population management that did not address all of my concerns. I tried to get in contact with the parks department using the contact information that was buried on the website. One of the emails does not work and I get a failure to send notice. The other is a basic info address and I have gotten no response. It angers me that Montgomery County would go through with these measures claiming that they take feedback from the residents when in actuality, it is very difficult to get in contact with the department and get any sort of response. So my first suggestion would be to be transparent in your operation and listen and respond to the community feedback. Here are my concerns as stated in my original email(s): I live in the neighborhood right off of Arcola Ave. There are several signs up around our neighborhood about deer hunting that will close Sligo Park every night for two months. I want to take the opportunity to voice my displeasure with this action. It is very disruptive, dangerous, and wholly unnecessary to our area. I have looked at the Montgomery County parks website about deer population management and found this contact information. If there is someone with whom I can explore the issue with more in-depth, I would be very interested in doing so. My street ends with the Sligo Creek bike path and park. I use this route daily in getting to and from work, as do many people in the area. We will no longer be able to access this route if you are closing the park mornings and evenings for deer hunting every day for two months which is a major disruption and inconvenience. If you want to help the Sligo Creek Park, your efforts would be much better spent in trail repaving and repair, not in deer management.(Or how about that terribly designed water drainage pools and pipe roughly at the end of Orebaugh Avenue? It is just a mosquito breeding ground! If you want to improve the park, fix that!)Our neighborhood is set up in such a way that the wooded stretches are very narrow and your hunting would be taking place right next to peoples' houses. Right next to my house. I really don't want to see or hear that, and I am very concerned about the safety of shooting so close to homes, playgrounds, and a school. I understand this is why you are closing the park, but it is heavily used. You can't close the school, Arcola Elementary, right off the park that is used regularly at night and on the weekends. You can't close the many Synagogues and places of worship nearby that people walk to for evening services. You can't close the shopping center that people use the trail to walk to for their shopping. People will be out, signs or not, and I am worried about the potential for someone to get hurt. Not to mention that there are many people who have pets in the neighborhood. Is it unreasonable to think that in a two-month span, someone's dog will get out and go running through the woods? I know my own dog has escaped our yard before, she runs straight for the woods. While this is rare, I'll be living in fear that some hunter will mistake her motion as a deer. I know this seems an unlikely situation, but not wholly unreasonable when you live just feet from a park that has just been deemed a hunting ground. Are there no restrictions on how close this can be to our homes? Now I understand the hunting would likely be bow hunting and not guns. That has been done here before with horrifying results. A few years ago one summer someone, although I have to confess I do not know if this was park-sanctioned or not, used the woods for their bow hunting of the deer. I was walking my dogs and they became very interested in something off the path. I went to investigate and it was a bloody sinewy deerskin. Do you have any idea how disgusting and shocking that was to find, right off of a heavily used public path? A woman who lives a block away in a corner lot right off the woods found dead deer in her front yard impaled with arrows. Her front yard. She took pictures and posted it to our neighborhood list serve looking for an explanation. Can you guarantee such things would not happen again? This is an absurdly long time to shoot deer. While I'm sure that the white-tailed deer population in the county is high, I can assure you that it is not here in this immediate area. As I said, the wooded stretches are narrow, and the deer just don't have the same amount of room to live that upper parts of the county would provide. I have lived here for 26 years, I am no stranger to seeing deer around the neighborhood. But the population is not out of control here, especially this year. From what I see the deer population seems to be down, there hasn't even been any dead deer hit by cars along the side of Arcola Ave. There hasn't been any deer wandering around our yard as they have in the past. You have been carrying out your culls in Wheaton Park, and I'm sure that has already had a major impact on the population. Please, do not carry that operation across Arcola Avenue and into Sligo park. You can much more easily close Wheaton Park, which does not have people living so close, or schools, and is generally not integrated so much into the neighborhood. Beyond these reasons of inconvenience, disruption, and safety, we love seeing the wildlife in Sligo Park. They help keep down invasive plant species and control the Greenbrier that is out of control here (another good area to be focusing your efforts on). When I'm walking my dogs along the path, people and kids get really excited when they spot a deer in the woods. They are beloved here and are not a problem in our lives. I understand your arguments for deer control, as I mentioned, I read your webpage about it. But I am strongly adamant that this is not the neighborhood to be carrying this action out in. It feels cruel and unnecessary. I would be very interested in a discussion on the subject if you have any town halls or forums, or any other channel where the issue may be pursued. There were signs posted in the neighborhood earlier in the year, but when they were taken down for an extended period, I had hoped the issue was dropped and the cull would not progress. Then a few weeks ago, they reappeared. I appreciate the warning, but I feel we were not given an adequate amount of time to protest the plan .Thank you for your time, I look forward to your response.

2/13/2019 Can you develop a program as used elsewhere to shoot the female deer with infertility darts? The alternative is to drop feed with infertility drugs in it. The more deer you kill, the more the fertility rate goes up among many species. This very likely accounts for why we are seeing more multiple births. Under such a plan, hunters get to have their fun and shoot deer, but there is actually a potential reduction in the deer population which we are not seeing no matter how long the hunting season is extended, how much the danger distance for firing a weapon is reduced, nor how many special night-shoots occur.

2/13/2019 1. For Bow hunting, I think DNR should reduce the distance from an occupied dwelling from 150 yds. to 75 yds. Or even 50 yds. Additionally, the distance from an occupied dwelling for the suburban archery zone should be reduced from 100 yds. 50 or even 10 yds. Since the deer population in high density areas is so bad, I think it should be drastically reduced in the suburban zone so you can sit on someone's deck and hunt. I think more deer would be taken.2. The suburban archery zone needs to be expanded. 3. Allow Sunday hunting in Howard County 4. Expand areas for use of rifle. For example upper Montgomery County Agricultural area up to Buckey's Town. 5. If more does/antlerless need to be taken, expand the season. Allow Doe/antlerless only on every weekend in January and maybe extend archery to the middle or end of February if need be until target goal are met. This could be adjusted from year to year too.

2/13/2019 I live near Lake Needwood and there are too many deer. I've had one give birth in my yard and another die there (with disposal problems). I can no longer grow vegetables. To alleviate the problem I suggest the hunters concentrate on male deer to reduce herd size.

2/13/2019 The tree population in urban areas like Takoma Park and Silver Spring needs to be reduced significantly. I loved them when they first appeared but now there is an exponential population explosion going on. It’s dangerous to have so many on the roads at night. They have become a major pest in front and back yards. I suggest feeding stations be set up in empty lots, the immediate neighbors be consulted and unless there are significant concerns, notified of bow and arrow hunts for them via community meetings, listserv emails, and postings of dates for hunts that are held in the late night/early morning hours. The meat would be given to local shelters for consumption. Or maybe the National Zoo could use it? The only other alternative is to try and use hormone shots to sterilize them. NIST has experience with that.

2/13/2019 I would like to see Check-In station brought back. I think it helped with some honesty in hunters, hopefully help with a more accurate number of actual harvest totals on antlered/antlerless deer taken legally. I think it also probably helped in revenue for some mom and pop shops! I would also entertain more Sunday hunting. The working person sometimes only gets the weekend to hunt, and no matter which county you’re hunting in, having Sunday’s open on private land only would be nice. Furthermore, I'd like to see shotgun season be in longer, possibly brought in earlier as rut seems to be trending earlier and if shotgun could hit that time frame we might have more hunters into the excitement. Deer have been pushed hard into certain spots and areas due to development so I think something should be addressed to help manage those areas better to not have over population. Farmers get hit pretty hard with deer damage to crops, insurance or no insurance it's still money out the pocket. Something should be looked at to aid farmers in the devastation and loss. It's all a viscous cycle from the hunter to farmer, to wildlife enthusiast who just likes to see deer, to the person who plows into one on the road. It's tough to find the happy medium but we got to consider everyone's feeling, wants, and losses when it comes to deer management and related issues.

2/12/2019 We have too many deer, and need to reduce the number. The danger to drivers is significant. Destruction of plants has led to erosion which results in serious flooding of property and damage to the watershed.

2/12/2019 Only 1 antlerless deer for entire season on MD Public Lands.

2/12/2019 I live in the Baltimore City--adjacent to public property called Uplands Park on the west side of the city. (4700 block Edmondson Ave---extending to an area short of Frederick Rd---Uplands Pkwy runs through the middle of wooded area) Deer are living in this wooded area and visit homes adjacent to the wooded area for additional feasting. Their palettes are expanding and include many shrubs and, of course, flowers and plants (including, but not exclusively, English Ivy, Acuba, Azaleas, evergreens, etc.) in our yards. We have tried many different means of discouraging them to no avail. It would be appreciated if something could be done to remove the deer from city life!

2/12/2019 WE HAD 80 ACRES OF SOYBEANS WE DID NOT CUT THIS YEAR. AROUND THANKSGIVING THEIR WERE 65 DEER AT 2 O'CLOCK IN AFTER NOON IN FIELDS.WE ARE LOSING 25 TO 30 PERCENT TO DEER AND GEESE. DEER NEED TO BE LABELED A VARMINT IN CENTRAL MARYLAND. THAT WAY THEY CAN BE SHOT ANY TIME OF YEAR. THANKS 2/12/2019 no.1 what is the plan please post it.no.2 antler size 6pt.or more would be legal let them grow.no.3 for those with gardening problems with deer buy irish spring soap cut in half place every 30 to 50 feet around garden or property guaranteed.

2/12/2019 1) Hunters per acreage limitations/out of state hunters. There has been an influx of number of hunters per acreage causing safety issues when hunting both public and private lands. For instance; I live, work, and hunt on a family/private farm and it is backed up to another farmers land. This farmer in particular rents his land out to some out of state hunters from PA who come by the truck load every weekend. They have between 4-10 hunters on a 40 acres of land and have deer stands, blinds, and climbers every 50 yards. They shoot everything that they see and ruins the 15+ years of management my family, other neighbors, and local hunters have been working on to increase mature bucks, maintain healthy number of does, and unharmed young animals. This management is ruined by these large numbers of hunters and by out of state hunters with lack of regard towards local hunters. 2) Poaching: There needs to be more regulation and surveillance on poaching. We lose a number of large bucks every year from poachers who spotlight fields, hunting with rifles in areas where rifles are not allowed, and people hunting out of season. This is not proper management, puts hunters in risk who are hunting with proper firearms, and has not been monitored well in QA county. 3) Prices for processing: with the increased number of deer on farm lands, the more deer we need to harvest. The prices of processing are limiting the number of deer we can financially support. We harvest, eat, and donate as many deer as possible but there needs to be a solution to the increasing prices of deer processing for hunters who manage large properties and harvest a larger number of white-tail.

2/12/2019 We own and live on a farm, and have had the Deer Management Plan for five plus years. It benefits us greatly in cutting down the damage the deer cause to our crops after planting. Pull up young plants, then bedding down in the fields around the corn crops and causing extensive damage. Having the capability to hunt the deer (does/buttonless bucks) has helped to cut down on the amount of damage/loss to our crops. Our family would like to see the program continued to help the farmers not loss revenue from the increasing deer population. We also now have turkeys migrating in the last few years onto our farm, and they go down the corn rows eating the seeds and plants are they are planted and grow. It appears this will be another species now affecting our crops and revenue. Please continue the hunting permit for farmers that is currently in place. Thank you for your time in consideration to this matter.

2/12/2019 As a landowner with a 300 acre farm I am on three sides of the debate over managing the deer population. I am in favor of controlling the deer population through hunting because it provides recreation for hunters and can be financially lucrative for landowners, hunting suppliers etc. I rent 124 acres to a farmer, I lease hunting rights on the whole property to a group of hunters and I like to use the land myself for recreational riding, dog-walking, mushroom hunting. The goals of the deer management program need to continue to give equal weight to these three interest groups. Farmers may be better served by a strategy that allows for removal of more deer earlier in the fall. Hunters should continue to be incentivized or required to take more antlerless deer to reduce the population by preventing reproduction. Recreational users of the land should not be denied equal partition of prime weekend access to the woods with hunters. The strategy needs to recognize that farmers and hunters can safely co-exist on the land, farmers and recreational users can also safely co-exist on the land, but hunters and recreational users cannot safely be in the woods at the same time. Prioritizing the interests/access of hunters over other recreational users should not be a goal of the white-tailed deer management program. 2/12/2019 I live in a rapidly urbanizing area that is adjacent to the southern part of Patapsco State Park. There are too many deer for the forests-there is minimal forest regeneration or understory. One aspect of this that isn't talked about is the resultant runoff of stormwater-very similar to impervious surfaces. I know of a stream that shows indication of heavy runoff, (erosion of its streambanks) that is entirely within a woods-no recent development-just no understory. If we want better water quality, we need to control deer populations in the forests. The other concern that needs to be talked about is the rise of alpha gal allergies and the linkage to tick bites-I have 2 friends that have it. People need to become aware of it. Your report should mention it.

2/12/2019 Deer population is increasing in mid-Worcester County. Hunting seems to be declining. Don't like the idea of killing animals for no reason, but the herd is too big. Deer are more nocturnal, particularly during hunting season. Night-time hunting needs to be legalized. Not sure why shooting a deer in daylight is ok but not at night, the result is the same. Crop damage permits need to be valid for multiple years, not just one.

2/12/2019 Dear MD DNR, I support deer management and oppose the current bow restrictions. We all know deer populations in Southern Maryland are too high, leading to increasing deer-car collisions, Lyme disease from deer ticks, the impossibility for our neighborhoods to support native life with native plants, and ecosystem destruction in our parks, especially Japanese Stilt grass lawns in the forests. 20 deer per square mile is natural. Bring back the wolves and cougars to return us to the natural density of 20/square mile. Military installations can do this, but otherwise we need to substitute hunters for wolves for a balanced ecosystem that includes raccoons, foxes and other mammals that have food again on the ground. Please restore the unlimited antlerless harvest in the Suburban Archery Corridor covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and other counties. Make this a permanent part of their deer management plan. Maryland currently applies these same limits for the deer from Washington County to the Atlantic Ocean---90% of Maryland. This makes no sense to apply the same bag limits for all the deer from Washington County to the Atlantic Ocean, 90% of Maryland's area.

2/12/2019 I live in the Windsor Mill area. Although this is a suburban area, there is still a lot of rural conservation land, of which our farm is part. We have seen a steady increase in the deer population over the last decade as urbanization increased. Not only is this a problem for our crop production and the increased cost to mitigate deer damage, the amount of property and landscape damage has also increased. Additionally, the number of deer struck by vehicles in this area has been on the increase. I would recommend that is be made easier to obtain crop damage permits and include landscaping vegetation in the decision to grant damage permits. We have permitted hunters that hunt our property during the regular seasons, but if they could hunt at other times of the year it would help to thin the herd here.

2/12/2019 Several People have Commented that our Whitetail Deer Herds has become Dwarfed. Unbelievably Small. I call them Suitcase Deer, Meaning that you could a handle on them and check them as Luggage at the Airport! 1 I believe it's because of the CONSTANT use of ROUNDUP!! I am a Viet Nam Veteran and Roundup is the Same as Agent Orange! I am also a Gen Hunter, So I am going to ruffle some Feathers. The Blanking Bow Season Starts Too Early and Last Too Long. Let's be Fair, Bow, Rifle/Shotgun and Muzzle loader al Start the same Date. The Bow Hunters start in August Scouting and Corn Baiting. Killing the best Deer First and Scaring the Remaining Bucks up to make them go Nocturnal. Screwing it up for everybody else! Let's all Start the Same Day, Make it Fair!! Thanks 2/12/2019 I support the right of farmer and hunters and believe hunting is necessary to keep a HEALTHY population. With that said, I am a horse rider and hiker and would like to preserve Sunday as a hunt free day for people to enjoy the outdoors in the fall for at least one day per week.

2/12/2019 My land is in forestry conservation. The state forester said I need to 'thin the herd' because there is no undergrowth. We have shot, 16 deer over 2 seasons and yesterday saw a herd of 25 out my kitchen window. They are strolling bark, eating all young trees, eating all acorns...there is not enough food for this continually growing herd.

2/12/2019 As a farmer in Montgomery County who currently holds a crop damage permit, I have to appreciate the invitation for comment. While Sunday hunting has made progress, the deer pressure in many locations across the state has made high value crop farming nearly impossible when it comes to profitability. When evaluating the possibility of expanding our operation to an additional property, the investment of an 8' deer fencing at over $6/linear foot is required before we would even consider planting fruit or vegetable crops. There needs to be a real aggressive effort to lower populations where they are the highest, which seems to be in many county or state owned parks. All options need to be on the table for farmers as many sport hunters are not taking the numbers needed to make a difference. Thank you.

2/12/2019 Hello, I lease a 330 acre farm in Kent county Md. My group practices QDM. Our main goal is to balance the buck doe ratio. The last 3 years our neighbors who lease their small farm for tilling rights let the lessee get crop damage permits & after the hunting season is over they SLAUGHTER the deer by baiting. We pay BIG DOLLARS to lease our farm & I don't think it’s fair for them to come in AFTER the season is over & shoot does that are carrying babies & bucks that they CANNOT tell if they are bucks being that most have dropped their antlers by now. I would appreciate a RESPONSE back. Thank you

2/12/2019 I own 240 acres in Wicomico and Worcester County. We need to reduce the deer population to reduce the damage they do.

2/12/2019 I farm more than 500 acres in Damascus, MD area. The white tailed deer population in this area of Montgomery/Frederick/ and Howard counties is 90% more than it should be. I lost more than $20,000 worth of corn yields in 2018 due to deer damage. Example: on one 13 acre field of corn, I combined a total of 100 bushels = less than 10 bushels/acre. Herds of >50 deer roam freely into and out of this 13 acre field - literally devouring the entire crop. DNR spokesperson said the right density for w.t. deer is 85/square mile. B.S.! No way in hell should farmers have to feed 85 deer/square mile? The farm economy is very fragile without deer damage. DNR should admit that funding their salaries from permit money is an inherent conflict of interest. Any plan to manage deer should consist of elimination of 90% on the existing population in this region. If you don't, we'll take matters into our own hands. I welcome bow hunters and wish there were no bag limits on female incubators. Get rid of them! I also feed as many as 2000 Canadian geese on farms that I rent. They pull up cover crop plants and corn plants.

2/12/2019 Why deer are not considered a food resource like fish or crabs. The sale of venison should be allowed and could be regulated just as other naturally occurring food sources are. 2/12/2019 I don't see why after first trying to drastically cut down on the deer population thru non-lethal sterilization methods, we could not then transfer the deer that remain to a more suitable environment. In other words, shoot the remaining deer left after sterilization efforts with a BAM immobilization anesthesia (see more about this method at www.zoopharm.net) (I mean after all to shoot them with a lethal weapon would take a similar amt. of work and funds, wouldn't it?). Then find a location to take the deer for their new home--surely there is a place for them--in the Shenandoah Mountains, in western Maryland, in West or western Virginia--and transport them by truck while they are unconscious and them this anesthesia can be reversed and they can be released into their natural habitat.

2/12/2019 Please consider allowing Deer Management Plan shooters to use rifles in Howard County. 150 Yard Safety Zones do limit stand positions and in some circumstances only allow for long range shots. Limit hunting to a tree stand to prevent stray shots. I would accept more governance in order to take longer range and ethical shots. Thanks.

2/12/2019 Please consider Sunday hunting during the regular Deer seasons for hunters that work during the week. Also consider reducing the safety Zone for Bow to 50 Yards as it is in Montgomery county.

2/11/2019 Dear Deer Management Committee, My husband and I reside in Colesville (near the corner of New Hampshire and Randolph Road). We are extremely concerned about the extremely large deer population for two reasons: 1. The significant risk for tick-borne diseases, especially for the many children who play outside and 2. The deforestation the deer are causing (i.e. inability of younger trees to mature because they are eaten to the ground). We count the number of deer living in our yard each year. We've had up to 17 deer living in our yard alone! And each of our neighbors has their own deer. As you may know, the presence of deer profoundly increases the risk of life- altering tick-born disease. Children are no longer allowed to play outside for this reason. Additionally, our beautiful forests which help to reduce global climate change are disappearing. As the older trees die, they are not replaced my smaller ones because the small trees are eaten to the ground. We spent an extreme amount of money trying to plant a deer resistant tree â€” we used fencing and multiple deterrents, and yet within a month the tree was gone. There are no appropriate predators to deer left in our county, which means they multiply unchecked. They need to be removed given the severe health risks and their direct effect of our forests and global climate change. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Respectfully submitted

2/11/2019 In urban areas deer need to be culled and birth control used. They are a menace to drivers even in daylight hours. As a gardener I find they are eating even deer resistant plants. I am also concerned about the deer ticks as a human health problem. Unfortunately I live in Leisure World where the deer lovers don't want anything done to the deer.

2/11/2019 To make things interesting and the control over the deer population. I longer Muzzleloader season should come into action. Making it a week longer for the late season or a week after the late shotgun season.

2/11/2019 I support non-lethal sterilization as a means of keeping the population down.

2/11/2019 Since Blandair Park was changed to have numerous ball fields instead of forested area, the number of deer in our neighborhood has skyrocketed. Is there a way to use birth control to reduce the number of deer in the neighborhood? They have decimated our landscape. I am very aware that there are some plants that are deer resistant; however, there are so many deer now that they will eat anything. Can we round them up somehow? 2/11/2019 It is critical that Maryland incorporate Non-Lethal (Sterilization) Management in their plan for urban and suburban areas, particularly in the various neighborhoods in Silver Spring. I live in White Oak, and families of deer overtake my yard and garden, eating all my bushes and trees. I am no longer able to plant many plants or flowers, and certainly can't plant any vegetables any more. My front yard bushes look emaciated. There is also deer dung in my driveway and yard. Thank you.

2/11/2019 I am a member of a wildlife habitat team, and we try to protect all species. But, it has become clear that our limited green space on campus is too small for the number of deer we have. We cannot support them all. However, we live in a quite busy area, with apartments and condominiums all around. Therefore, removing the deer is a problem . . . and they constitute a heavy threat to the many trees we try to maintain and encourage many invasive species to take root and spread. Our land is threatened and the long term safety of all species along with it. Protecting trees and green growth, including insects of all kinds. It is essential for animals, including birds, to thrive. If the deer are not reduced in size of population, all of us are threatened. ANITA Taylor

2/11/2019 DNR should rebalance its Deer Management Plan so that nonlethal methods are used at least a majority of the time. No lethal method should be used in a densely populated area. A push should be given to significantly increase contraceptive or other state of the art nonlethal methods. I am particularly concerned about safety issues. I live in the Silver Spring area and worry about the safety threats to people when hunters are at work. Even if notice is given, many people will still not know about the situation. While my primary practical concern is about resident (and incidental area visitor) safety, I also do not think that the state of Maryland and taxpayers should engage in and fund the killing of living wild animals.

2/11/2019 I would like to see archery deer hunting distance in Baltimore county change to 75 or 100 yards when hunting from a tree stand and some Sunday hunting opportunity in Baltimore county as well

2/11/2019 Harvest bag limits all over the state need to be lower for white deer but more specifically, they desperately need to be lowered on public lands all over the state.

2/11/2019 I believe that the deer population should be decreased in the state of Maryland, particularly in suburban areas. Where I live there are many deer that look sick and weak. We have very little understory in the woods surrounding the Patuxent River. Deer come into the neighborhoods looking for food and browse foundation plants and flower beds. This may aid in the spread of Lymes disease for which our neighborhood is a hotspot. I believe any method should be used to curtail a population increase. Our area has had a number of successful hunts and the woods are better for it.

2/11/2019 My local fat doe has 3 fawns who sometimes bed down in my Mo Co suburban yard. There are WAY TOO MANY deer breeding very successfully. Bow hunt in suburbs, sharpshooters in parks & give meat to charities. Eliminate as many as possible.

2/11/2019 Maybe an annual deer hunting event

2/11/2019 NIGHT SHOOTING 2/11/2019 We need much more aggressive deer eradication. Our neighborhood - Carderock Springs (20817) is beset by herds of disease-carrying and expensive landscape destroying white tail deer. Deer have been causing dangerous vehicular accidents along the Clara Barton Parkway. Plant vendors and nurseries cannot sell plants because of deer eating costly planting which lead to business loss of income and state tax revenues. A basic plant - shrub - bush costs as much as $80=125 per plant wholesale. Deer savage these plants at will ruining residential properties where homeowners invest in their homes and take pride in their neighborhoods. There is absolutely no justification for these deer to invade our down county neighborhoods.

2/10/2019 Can't we explore ways to minimize impact on traffic by creating eco-friendly barriers and places they can go over or under the roads like they do out west? If they can roam a larger area there is less impact on the forest. If we consider the impact of all the approved new malls and parking lots we can continue to have some green space for them and generations to come.

2/10/2019 There are too many deer. The hunting season needs to be extended or the bag limits need to increase.

2/10/2019 I live in a gated Mtgy Cy community. Outside my window 2 days ago, there were 18 deer! This was not thrilling but appalling. All the undergrowth in our nature preserve is gone; the netting protecting bedding plants and baby trees has been destroyed. The birds are disappearing because the old trees are falling and their seedlings are being eaten. Please increase length of hunting season and numbers of deer that can be taken to bring the ecology back into balance. Deer are no longer picturesque but a nuisance and a danger.

2/10/2019 I live in 21229 adjacent to Leakin Park. The other day I saw a herd of 7-10 deer crossing Franklintown Rd. I no longer plant a garden since the deer eat almost everything. Here in Hunting Ridge we are infested. I don't have an answer to control, but I am not in favor of shooting them. Isn't birth control possible?

2/10/2019 The white tail deer population has gotten out of control in metropolitan Montgomery County creating health hazards (i.e. Lyme disease) to the human population. Measures must be implemented to curtail the population of white tail deer in our area.

2/10/2019 The white-tailed deer was a rare sighting when I grew up in the 50's. Now they vary from being a yard nuisance to destroying the undergrowth in our woodlands, that destruction is a major item in our woodland and bay ecology. I have a crop damage permit that restricts the taking of antlered deer. They seem to do as much damage as the non-antlered deer. So it seems we are more committed to keeping the hunters happy than protecting the environment. The focus needs to change.

2/10/2019 I believe that the state needs to seriously address the issue of urban deer. Looking at the locations of hearings, there is nothing near the metropolitan DC area. In Montgomery County, our deer overpopulation issue is a crisis -destruction of landscaping (residential as well wooded parkland), serious stream erosion due to overgrazing, loss of native plant habitat, complete lack of fear of humans, increase in deer-borne diseases. 5 deer live in my suburban yard - the bucks threaten humans and dogs rather than run away. Fawns- mostly multiples -are born on front porches. They are a nuisance on our streets. Their rapid multiplication is unsustainable and other efforts to control them are not available to us. Please consider herd reduction methods - we desperately need a fix. Sorry to say, but here these deer are simply giant rats rather than the stately wildlife they should be. 2/10/2019 We have taken over so many animals' habitats, throwing the natural ecology completely out of whack. If the deer are going to suffer disease and starvation from overpopulation, then we should control their numbers. But not in the spring when they are rearing young.

2/10/2019 I support aggressive culling of white-tailed deer in Montgomery County. Overpopulation, especially in the suburban neighborhoods, leads to costly property damage, habitat/ecosystem damage, unhealthy starving deer, car accidents, and the spread of Lyme disease. In the four years we have owned our home in Silver Spring, deer have repeatedly damaged our lawn and gardens. It is an expensive losing battle to try to maintain this aspect of our property value without a strong deer management plan. With no natural predators in the suburbs, it is our responsibility to manage the population in a cost-efficient, effective manner. I do not want my tax dollars going towards costly, ineffective sterilization strategies. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources should include public education of the costs of deer overpopulation and the benefits of culling in its management plan.

2/10/2019 I believe a few years ago there was two weeks between the end of the rifle season and the 2nd muzzleloader season. I feel a two week break between the two seasons is much better. It would eliminate having to deal with a full moon situation as it was this year. It also gave the deer an extra break to settle down along with usually better hunting weather as in cooler temps and a better chance of snow. Thanks

2/10/2019 I would like to see more opportunities to hunt does in western md seems that the herd can with stand more does being taken if you will give crop damage permits out all the time why not lower those and increase the yearly limit for every hunter a limited 2 day hunt that is a paid lottery and the bag limit is 1 deer and that deer would not count towards your bag limit and if it's a buck it should count towards the antler point restrictions. The money gained from this could be put towards many things to help the DNR throughout the state.

2/10/2019 I would like to see the issue of all the spike and yearling bucks being harvested addressed I like many others hunt public land and far too often these young deer are being harvested and we see less and less deer every year the antler point restriction should apply to any buck

2/10/2019 Please choose non-lethal methods, like sterilization, instead of culling with firearms or bows and arrows.

2/10/2019 Since there are no natural predators of deer left, I think carrying capacity should be considered and deer in excess of that number should be harvested for local food banks (or restaurants). They do this in Rock Creek Park. We like the deer, but the herd is too big for the available vegetation.

2/10/2019 Forcefully killing deer is simply not okay. This is their home; they were here before we were. If people really have an issue with them chewing their Gardens, or their lawns, they can build fences, gates, and use other strategies to protect their property. Killing the deer because they eat our Gardens is simply not okay. Lots of people actually like the deer; it's so special that we get to live somewhere where we can be so close to nature.

2/10/2019 As a hunter and farmer I suggest that the antler season have a six point minimum for harvest. This would help establish a more mature buck herd which would eventually make Maryland more attractive to out of state hunters. This would also give the younger population of bucks a chance to become mature and improve the genetic pool. Another thought would be to allow for inferior antlered deer with defects to be harvested. 2/10/2019 The deer population in the DC suburbs is out of control. I am not a hunter, but I see the need for the state to institute aggressive culling, even in suburban environments. Put the meat and skins to good use, too.

2/10/2019 I would like the state to adopt non-lethal management plans, including sterilization, for urban and suburban areas of the state. I live in the suburban area of Silver Spring, and I believe that hunting - whether it's guns or other methods - poses too high a risk for people. My understanding is also that the state could be doing more to incorporate sterilization of deer, and I would ask that this be done. Thank you.

2/10/2019 I believe something needs to be done about excessive herds of deer that I see now nearly every day. I live in a wooded area near Myersville and I have no new growth of native trees except ones deer don't eat. There aren't any new poplar, oak, cherry or even locust but there are lots of heaven wood and box wood. The deer have eaten everything they can reach including yew and yucca.

2/10/2019 POISON ALL THE DEER I HATE THEM

2/10/2019 FARMERS NEED TO SUE THE DNR FOR CROP DAMAGE

2/10/2019 As a Montgomery County homeowner (in the White Oak area), I consider white-tailed deer primarily a nuisance. I support lethal methods of controlling the deer population. Non-lethal methods - basically contraception - seem to me to be a waste of time and money.

2/9/2019 Something must be done to reduce the deer population in urban and suburban areas. I live inside the beltway (College Park) and am seeing more and more in my neighborhood and yard. Ticks and droppings in my yard are a real problem in recent years, not to mention the way the deer demolish even what are supposed to be deer-resistant plants. I've had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting deer twice in the past month, including during daytime. Please do something about the deer!

2/9/2019 When I see four bucks and six does in my yard in the city I know there is something wrong. The deer are visibly destroying the understory of the urban forest in the neighborhood. They are completely fearless and will not run when approached. An active managed hunt to remove deer herds from the middle of an urban environment is critical for the health of the urban forest.

2/9/2019 The whitetail deer population in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, MD has been lowered far too much with the current management plan. The new plan should reflect rebuilding the population to reasonable numbers for hunting and spectator watching enjoyment. The deer management practices of the Catoctin Mountain National Park in particular have nearly decimated the deer population in this area. They should be stopped altogether. I live in this area and have watched the population drop significantly over the last 10+ years. I believe that it has been lowered far too much. We used to love seeing deer as we hiked thru Cunningham Falls State Park. But we almost never see them on our hikes anymore. Please do consider implementing practices to restore the population in this area to a healthy & reasonable level. Thanks much for the opportunity to comment on the upcoming plan development.

2/9/2019 Please include non-lethal methods in your deer management plan. Our neighborhood is such that hunting is not feasible. I also encourage you to continue to educate the public about the relationship of deer and Lyme disease, and reasons not to feed deer in residential neighborhoods. I plant native, deer resistant shrubs, trees, and perennials; and I spray to deter deer. However, I continue to see up to 7 deer at a time roaming in my yard regularly. My husband and I have both been diagnosed and treated for Lyme, we have had fawns left in our gardens, and we have had an injured adult lie dying in our back yard after it was hit by a car on Rte 29. It is time to be a little more determined and strategic.

2/9/2019 Deer overpopulation in the DC suburbs is epidemic. Something needs to be done to cull this to a reasonable level.

2/9/2019 Please take whatever measures are available to manage the deer in suburban areas such as Takoma Park. In my neighborhood, four blocks from Sligo Creek, the first deer appeared in my yard in 2013. Now, a herd of eleven deer walk down the street and gather in my back yard. My gardens are destroyed, and now I occasionally find ticks on my clothing after doing yard work. Such a burden on homeowners like me who enjoy the outdoors. Thank you

2/9/2019 In the Norbeck-Olney area we have deer in our yards constantly. If there is a way to reduce the deer population it would benefit gardeners and traffic accidents.

2/9/2019 Thanks for the chance to comment. Would really like to see Md come up with a better point restriction system. Maybe make it six points or better all the way across the board (any buck harvested). Even if it is only tried in Western Maryland to start with. But allow the youth hunters to harvest any bucks. I am getting older and would really love to see the chance to have older mature bucks to hunt before my time to hunt is gone. There are properties that are doing this on their own. I have friends in Pennsylvania where they have this and it is working and most all of the sportsman have bought into it. Again thank you.

2/9/2019 I live in the down-county, SS area near Sligo Creek Pkwy. I caught Lyme’s disease twice over the summer of 2017. Thank god I had the bull's eye both times, as the first time I contracted it, over a weekend, I went to a Patient First center, where a P.A. there misdiagnosed it as a mild urinary tract infection. When the antibiotics failed to reduce my fever I went to my GP two days later, where it was properly diagnosed. I have also had property damage due to deer rutting against small ornamental trees on my property that I had to remove, not to mention all the damage to understory plants. And, being 2 blocks from Sligo Creek, I see the damage they have done there for ex, very few native herbaceous plants return each year (except skunk cabbage), due to over browsing by deer. And of course there are frequent car accidents with them along Sligo Creek and other county roads. Therefore, I am whole-heartedly in favor of coming up with a plan to reduce their populations. Either through night-shoots, birth control measures, whatever, but without any natural predators, the deer population has ballooned to untenable numbers.

2/9/2019 Please have more managed lottery hunts for shotgun. 2/9/2019 I am an avid sportsman that grew up in Pennsylvania, amongst the great turmoil of Dr. Alt's movement to apply antler point restrictions. Despite the early angst, that program has absolutely changed the whitetail population profile for the better. I have religiously hunted the same family ground in PA for 30 years now and I have never seen the population in better balance of males to females, with the opportunity to harvest such mature bucks. I am also an active duty Marine stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Thanks to my MOS and duty assignment, I will be a Maryland resident for a long time, and potentially even after my active duty time comes to an end. In turn, I am now the proud owner of 100 acres of MD timberland that could produce record-book antlers if 1 1/2 yr males were protected. PLEASE PLEASE copy the Pennsylvania point restrictions! Meateaters can harvest does and help balance the population. Adult hunters do not need to kill yearling bucks, or they're not really hunters. Bigger bucks will attract more out-of-state hunters to increase state revenue, and make us real hunters happier in the process! Semper Fidelis

2/9/2019 The deer are doing enormous damage to the native fauna in our parks. Absent any natural predators, it is up to us to manage their numbers. Their needs to be a better effort to reduce the deer population to a fraction of its current number.

2/9/2019 I live in Cockeysville MD and am very concerned about the damage the deer are doing to the underbrush in the wooded areas around my house. One cannot help but wonder what irreparable harm is being done to other species that rely on the underbrush as habitat. With the likelihood that CWD will continue to spread from the western counties east, to allow the deer over- populations to continue is not prudent and eventually harmful to humans.

2/8/2019 As a Maryland farmer, the overpopulation of deer in many areas is very frustrating. Something that is always on our minds is finding a better way to control the crop damage caused from deer. We utilize the crop damage permits. Although hunting using the permits are affective, we find that it is still not very efficient at reducing the deer population in an area. We have also used repellent spray on the crops, which helps but is expensive and has to be reapplied after a rain.-Would Specialized permits for hunting at night in approved areas be an option?-Hunters need stricter Doe harvesting guidelines before being able to harvest bucks. Could we create more of an incentive for hunters to harvest Doe? -It is the norm to hunt public land in Pennsylvania compared to being rare in Maryland. It seems that most of the highly populated deer areas are near public and state property in Maryland. Could some of this property be open to hunting on a regular basis? Thanks for allowing our input on this matter.

2/8/2019 I have hunted in western Maryland for 25 years. The vast majority of my hunting has been on public land. Mostly Savage River state forest and Dan's Mountain WMA. I archery, rifle, and muzzeloader hunt avidly. I spend many days in the woods in lots of different areas. I don't just hunt the same place all the time. I walk miles and miles looking for deer sign. Without a doubt, the deer population is very low right now. In the 1990s deer were sighted on almost every hunt. It was easy for a young hunter to become interested in hunting because the opportunity for success was always there. Now, I take my children and some of their friends out and rarely see deer. It's hard for them to be interested and excited about hunting when they sit in the woods for hours/ days and see nothing. We need future hunters. We are losing them. I truly believe that the antlerless hunting needs vastly restricted for a while to build the population back up. The old lottery system for a doe stamp was a good thing. That's apparent now. The long seasons that we have provide lots of opportunities for people to hunt, but the lack of deer make it uninteresting for new and beginning hunters. I can remember the glory days, but the new generations haven't been able to experience it. It's really sad. 2/8/2019 I support the need for sterilization of deer in the Silver Spring area. I contracted Lyme Disease in 1996, and was infected again with Lyme Disease in 2004 from a deer tick in my scalp. I was infected not only with Borrelia Burgdorfi, but also Bartonella (Cat Scratch Fever), and Babesia. I was forced to retire on disability at the age of 52. I am still fighting this chronic disease and also treating immune insufficiency as a result of late diagnosing. Decreasing the population of these beautiful animals may decrease others from suffering a life long illness, which is debilitating, and prevent me from getting infected again. Thank you for listening to me.

2/8/2019 The deer population needs to be reduced by the most humane and cost effective method as possible. This could be either by culling or by reproductive control. Use of deer meat obtained at culling could be an additional benefit from that method.

2/8/2019 Please, please add sterilization to your plan. The deer are like pets in my neighborhood and yard in Hillandale. I can no longer grow any vegetation except marigolds and daffodils. They eat everything that I plant. I can no longer take pride in my yard and certainly no color from colorful flowers. It is so discouraging to see these dear animals eating everything in sight.

2/8/2019 Please continue to cull at Cromwell Valley Park. Thank you.

2/8/2019 Hunting on all Sundays should be allowed during every open season statewide on private lands. Buck harvest should be reduced to two with an antler point restriction on one of those deer and only one per weapon. Three day muzzle loader season should be doe only and the following week should be either sex to allow for gun hunting opportunities during the beginning of the rut.

2/8/2019 As a local equestrian, who works full time during the week and only has limited time on the weekends to ride out in daylight hours, I am strongly opposed to expanding hunting on Sundays in the any County in Maryland. This will have a detrimental effect on those that enjoy riding in the open on weekends throughout the winter, and could potentially endanger lives. I appreciate and support the right to hunt, but the limited land and resources in the State must be carefully managed and shared by all outdoor enthusiasts, and it is an undue imposition to further expand the hunting days beyond what is presently allowed. Please do not expand hunting on Sundays. Thank you for your consideration.

2/8/2019 The deer population is out of control in the White Oak area of Montgomery County. I would like to see use of sterilization in our area and hunting in more rural areas of the state.

2/8/2019 There needs to be a clarification about harvesting bucks with-in the bag limits and various seasons. I received conflicting explanations from different officers when I called to inquire about it. Another suggestion is to remove the 2nd week of the early muzzleloader season â€¦ or at least move the entire season back a week or two earlier. It severely affects the daylight movement of bucks during the early part of the rut. Many bowhunters are waiting patiently all year for this, only to have the first part of it destroyed by the army of guns blazing at deer just as the rut is starting. Move it further away from the rut â€¦ or even consider eliminating it altogether. One more thing. ANY BUCK taken during the junior hunting season (which also interferes with bowhunting) should DEFINITELY COUNT towards the bag limit. Giving the junior hunters the best days of the season to hunt is enough. Bucks taken then should definitely count towards the limit everyone else abides by.

2/8/2019 I hate deer!! please kill them

2/8/2019 Open archery season sept. 1 every year 2/8/2019 I urge the MDNR to incorporate non-lethal sterilization management into its strategies for deer population control. My understanding is that over the long term, this method is more effective than culling, and certainly more humane. As a homeowner who lives near the woods around Northwest Branch, I have many encounters with deer in my yard and in the neighborhood. They are peaceful and beautiful animals that deserve humane treatment from us humans who have taken over their habitat.

2/8/2019 I am in favor of non-lethal options for managing the deer population, especially in Montgomery County. Thank you for seeking our opinion.

2/8/2019 Culling alone has been unsuccessful for decades, at least in Montgomery County. A multi-prong, humane approach is needed. Wildlife corridors and birth control are two that come to mind. Additionally, citizen education regarding creating ideal habitat for deer (at which most yards exceed). Many deer in my county are thin, especially around Jones Mill Road/Rock Creek Park area. As far as a gripe, more services should be available for injured deer in urban areas. Twice I have seen deer with broken legs and heard the DNR reasons for why they cannot come out and humanely euthanize the deer. Policies should be in place to reduce suffering of animals. Thank you, and hope more deer-centric policies are considered.

2/8/2019 There can never be enough culling of deer. Make more liberal bag limits for hunters, reduce distance restrictions for bow hunters down county, and lengthen the hunting season. An unlimited antler-less harvest should be instituted. I shouldn't have to quote statistics for your committee. Deer are much more than a nuisance, and they have NO predators to keep the population down, other than automobiles! 1-they are a host for Lyme disease, which is of epidemic proportions in MD, more so than Lyme CT! 2-they destroy forests, agricultural crops, and private home gardens and parks.3-motor vehicle collisions are unacceptably high and include fatalities.4-the environment is destroyed, native plants are decimated, and only invasive weeds are replacing them, erosion is increasing, species diversity of both plants and animals is decreasing from habitat loss. I have recently tasted Mo Co venison. It is delicious, nutritious, exceptionally lean, and much healthier than CAFO raised hormone and antibiotic treated cattle. I know that much gets donated to soup kitchens. But there should be some way for the average public to have access to venison. It is cheaper and healthier than beef, and at the same time performs a necessary service for the County. Think of it, livestock that requires no overhead of feed and land. Why shouldn't it become a state agricultural product like crabs and oysters? This is what I wrote my Montgomery County Council a few years ago: The deer problem is escalating to ridiculous levels. I put in a deer fence last fall, and felt pretty smug about it until this summer. A doe gave birth in my neighbor's yard just outside my fence, and yes we saw the newborn fawn (Aww!) But then I noticed twin yearlings (full grown animals) hanging out just outside my fence all summer. I surmised that they were her twins and she had abruptly rejected them in order to have her new fawn. So now they had nowhere else to go and may have been hoping mom would take them back. They slept there, grazed there, and even came right up to the fence to get a better look at me at less than 6 feet away. But this weekend was a doozy. I was looking out my window when I saw the fence shake violently. Then my daughter said there were 2 deer inside our yard. Stupidly I went out and made a ruckus, so of course the deer tried to escape. They tried to jump the 8 foot fence. The buck got away but the doe couldn't jump that high and came crashing down destroying the fence as she got away. Days later, I noticed not only was the south fence destroyed but the small segment of the north fence separating my front from back yard was destroyed also, and that must have been how they got in. But they did everything the literature says they won't. My 8 foot front fence is hidden by two 10 foot arbor vitae and bordered by my other neighbor's stockade fence. The belief is that deer will not jump into a place they can't see, yet they jumped blindly thru the arbor vitae, and knocked down the deer fence behind tithe deer have eaten everything. A single average deer will eat nearly 500 kg of vegetation a year. People's gardens are being ravaged. The normal underbrush along Beach Drive has been decimated for years, so there are no more saplings and normal shrubbery to replace those trees and plants that will eventually die, leaving a wasteland of bare dirt and weeds. By allowing the deer to multiply we are selecting for weeds and invasive plants that the deer will not eat. And then there is Lyme disease. My neighbor said their young daughter was hospitalized for Lyme disease a few years ago. According to the CDC, there were only 6 states with more than 1000 confirmed Lyme disease cases in 2014: NY NJ PA MA ME CT. And MD had 957 confirmed cases.

2/8/2019 Please reduce the deer population in my neighborhood, inside the Beltway now. I live between Georgia Ave. and University Blvd. They ruin our gardens, spread disease and cause accidents on many roads. Shoot them and donate the meat to those who need the food.

2/8/2019 Keep up the good work. I'm an avid hunter and I'm obviously for expansion of the current deer management program and opening it further to hunters but I support what you have done so far so....take your time.

2/7/2019 We are very interested in non-lethal deer management strategies. We live in a suburban wooded area (near but not adjacent to the NW Branch) and find cross bow arrows in our woods. We have seen a neighbor shoot and kill deer - twice- once on our property and once on his (barely). People walk in these woods, children play there. Hunting should not be permitted in a suburban area! People should be educated in non-lethal ways to control deer (not putting out corn, planting deer- resistant plants, etc.)

2/7/2019 I live on a farm in Somerset County. The deer population has increased dramatically over the last 5 or 6 years. We do use crop damage permits which helps some. I hunt during the various seasons plus we rent the farm out to a small group for deer hunting. The two biggest things I see is that during rifle season the rut is just starting to end and then the deer go into a non-moving pattern for several weeks thus reducing the deer seen. In my opinion firearms season should open earlier to take advantage of when deer are more active. Also I have a lot of State property and some owned by the University of Md. which you can't hunt on. On a case by case situation with state owned land it would seem if the adjoining landowners and there lessees could hunt on that land it would help because the deer go where ever there is no pressure. Also personally I think that baiting deer is a detriment to deer movement during the daylight hours and it would actually benefit the kill if it wasn't allowed. Thanks.

2/7/2019 As white tailed deer have no predators, and they deplete natural habitats, I believe there should be some controlled management to avoid extreme overpopulation.

2/7/2019 I am strongly in favor of alternate ways of controlling the deer population--other than hunting/killing them. Non-lethal sterilization seems a very good idea! 2/7/2019 We need better deer management. The population is out of control in some areas -- decimating the small trees and much of the undergrowth in the local wooded areas until the only plants left are those deer don't eat, including invasive plants like Japanese stilt grass. In my yard I have counted 50 deer at one time with an average herd crossing through daily of between 8 -20. I live in Darnestown. In the winter you can see multiple trails across the lawn and garden, not just in the snow but also worn into the grass. Any young tree or shrub must be kept in a wire cage for at least 3-4 years or they will be eaten or have their stems broken off. Lyme disease is very prevalent in our area. Not sure what proportion of the human population has suffered from this disease in our neighborhood but it is high. I have had it and was so bad I required about 5 years to recover and had months of IV antibiotics. I couldn't drive or do basic housework for a long time and only gradually recovered my health. I still have physical symptoms including nerve damage to my face. It also impacted my mental state -- I heard the phone ring and picked up a hair dryer to answer, for example. Very scary to have something that impacts your muscles and nervous system throughout your body. We've also had multiple (3) accidents with our cars doing serious damage to the cars. The deer jump at the car so fast it is impossible not to hit them if you are a frequent driver on the roads in our area. These accidents would not show up in any record since we only reported to the insurance on one of them which caused our rates to go up for 5 years -- so now we just live with the car damage or pay ourselves for repairs. The deer not only cause tremendous damage but they are a serious risk to health and safety. I like the deer and do not want them eradicated but their populations MUST be reduced to a manageable level where our woods and yards are not depleted, we have less Lyme disease, and our roads are safer.

2/7/2019 I am in favor of all efforts to control the population of white tail deer--they are an invasive species at this point--not only destroying vegetation in home landscapes but destroying understory brush that is essential to native birds and other species. Methods I support include sterilization, culling and hunting (as humane as possible. I live in zip code 20904 close to the Wheaton Regional Park and the Paint Branch watershed. We have multiple herds of 20+ deer roaming our neighborhood and many sightings of multiple births--indicative of an over-population situation without effective controls. If you need other input/opinion, please let me know.

2/7/2019 Farmers still experience high levels of crop damage from deer. Based the reports I get as an Extension Agent in Montgomery County, damage is increasing. Parkland is one of the main culprits even though many parks in Montgomery do have population management programs. I believe DNR and local park systems should be working together to control deer populations. Extend the traditional firearm season to at least a month. Use bait and sharpshooters in parks in urban/suburban areas. Drive deer out of parks in rural areas and have shooters stationed to be able to kill large numbers of deer. I think there is opportunity to work with landowners to establish public/private partnerships to accomplish deer drives. Don't be content that the strategies you currently employ are working. There has been some impact to population but it is still way to high. More drastic measures need to be employed.

2/7/2019 Anne Arundel County's deer population is out of control. Dead deer along roadways and vegetative damage is far too commonplace. I advocate for serious management.

2/7/2019 I fear most of your comments will come from people who have fairly extreme positions. I don't. I have a herd of deer in my neighborhood, and I've learned to live with them, including finding ways to landscape and garden to manage the deer. This is not always possible, I expect. I would advocate for more good population research on deer biology, especially population biology. When a deer herd is eliminated, do other deer just move into the vacated territory? Does hunting lower the number of deer long term? Ultimately, I would expect that deer management means managing the environment, including ways that development and human behavior have resulted in more deer. 2/7/2019 Overpopulation of White-tailed Deer is a huge problem in MD. Please continue controlled hunts in as many areas as possible to decrease the greatest number of deer. In addition to damage to yards and farms, deer decimate native landscapes. They eat native trees and shrubs which serve as habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife. Most forests are unnatural mixes of large trees and rampant invasive weeds that deer won't eat. Please use the meat if possible to feed the hungry.

2/7/2019 Close Buck Season for one year. Hunter are no killing the does. There is too much inbreeding of the small deer. Lot of the farms that get permit, do not fill them. I get permits try to fill them. Below the canal should be different in cecil county then the north of the canal. More deer in the south. The farmer lose a lot more to the deer then the public think. thank you

2/7/2019 In limiting the deer population in Maryland, sterilization should be emphasized - wherever feasible - over culling.

2/7/2019 I believe the sterilization method is the best way to manage the deer population. It would be the most humane method and it creates the least amount of danger to the area residents and it is cost effective. I am all for this method to manage the deer population.

2/7/2019 We have watched over the past 10 years or so as the woods behind our house have become barren all year around due to the deer. We have herds of 12-14 deer roaming around the neighborhood and they bed down in our back yard. We've seen up to 4 newborn fawns curled up in our backyard. Deer get hit on the road damaging cars and people, they spread disease, and destroy landscaping and woodlands. They have no natural predators in this area except humans and their population has gotten out of control. I am totally in support of culling the deer population in and around the Northwest Branch.

2/7/2019 I am not at all opposed to killing some of them every year. I live near Sligo Creek in Silver Spring and this year I notice quite a few thin, sickly deer coming on our street and looking for plants to eat. I think it would be the humane thing to do.

2/7/2019 Sterilize don't euthanize!

2/7/2019 More resources toward culling near residential areas. The Hillandale area of Montgomery and PG Counties is overrun with deer; I had a group of six deer standing in my back yard just this morning, and they strip every living leaf from every plant in my yard (not to mention significant damage to the yard itself from these deer pawing at the ground all winter). They also are destroying the under- canopy of the watershed.

2/7/2019 I live in the Lutherville-Timonium, Baltimore County area in the vicinity of a golf course next to a rather large County park. I have come upon as many as thirty plus deer on my early morning wanderings. And many of these are young deer. They are in peoples gardens, their front yards late at night, and they willingly raid bird feeders. I really feel we must kill as many as possible in as short of a time as possible. There was, recently, a sterilization effort in the Loch Raven area. Really, it seems the deer not sterilized reproduce more as if to make up for the insult to their species. They can be quite bothersome and a severe nuisance. 2/7/2019 I'm nearly 70 and probably coming to the end of my hunting life. However, while I can, I intend to keep hunting. Also, I have grandchildren that hunt. I think it is crazy to limit buck kill to 2 deer per year (excluding the bonus stamp). We are becoming too concentrated on the big bucks on videos and at hunting shows. Enjoy the outdoors! Every deer that is taken is a joy. We hardly limit the number of does, but continue to restrict bucks taken. Hunting is not a contest. It's not a question of how big the buck is, but rather the experience one has in the quest and just being in our great outdoors. There are enough deer to go 'round for all of us, but please, treat the experience like it should be treated - enjoy the anticipation and experience, not particularly the size of the antlers as a goal. Open up the buck season and don't allow so many does to be taken. That's the advice from a lifelong hunter and grandfather.

2/7/2019 I am pleased to read Maryland is considering a sterilization program for deer management. However, I saw no meeting planned in or around the either the Northern or Southern Montgomery County area. I live in Silver Spring hear a wooded area where there are many deer, some of whom come into my back yard. I do not agree with hunting deer, but would very much like to see the sterilization program put into practice this year.

2/7/2019 A sterilization plan is essential. I live on Kerwin Road in Silver Spring - right now there are 6 deer in my back yard. This is a regular occurrence. It started several years ago when a doe had her baby in my neighbor's backyard. Next year, it was twins. Following year another baby, and again and again. So we now have a herd that roams the neighborhood, eating all our plants, including azalea leaves in the winter - got to be pretty hungry to eat those. And every year I see a few dead deer on University Blvd between SS and Wheaton. The population is out of control. A sterilization program is essential.

2/7/2019 I live in Chevy Chase near Rock Creek Park. The area is overrun with deer. Just this morning I went out and saw the deer had devastated my azaleas. Forget about a vegetable garden. Fencing is not an option for me. More importantly, the deer have destroyed the forest under story. Recent experience at the Audubon Naturalist Society has shown some recovery in just one year after their property was fenced. It makes no sense to apply the same rules in rural counties as in suburban areas. There are few options to reduce the deer population in more urban areas. Encouraging bow hunters to take as many deer as they can is one. County sharpshooters in Rock Creek Park have had some effect, but the area is still over populated. I typical see twin (and once triplet) fawns in my yard in the spring so even these methods are limited in reducing the population, but they are a start. An additional benefit of these hunts is that the meat can go to charitable organizations to feed hungry people.

2/7/2019 Please incorporate medical sterilization in the Maryland Deer Management Plan - particularly in areas that are in or adjacent to residential areas and public spaces/parks. Thank you.

2/7/2019 Too many deer! The herd needs to be culled annually. The meat can go to food banks to feed people in need. Bow and arrow hunting would be best especially in highly populated areas. In addition to being hunted some combination of birth control should also be used.

2/7/2019 I agree with the major objectives laid out in the plan. HOWEVER, I would ask you to consider protecting antlered deer from harvest under DMP, sharpshooting and managed hunts. Reducing the number of bucks doesn't really have a large impact on the population. Protecting them in this way will increase hunter opportunities and hunter recruitment. By the way, I read the entire 2008- 2018 Management Plan. Thank you for putting together such an informative document. I enjoyed reading about the local history and biology of WT deer. 2/7/2019 Vastly increased deer population control is required in our Kemp Mill, Silver Spring area. Residential housing is fairly dense and speaking practically, does not allow for herd culling. Allowing and encouraging doe sterilization can address our ever increasing deer population. I have had to wrap mesh around our young trees to stop deer eating bark in lean years, killing the trees. I had to erect a high fence around our yard to keep deer out. I had found a dead and partially eaten young deer in my yard. Montgomery County Animal Control removed the carcass. Please act to reduce deer problems, including dangerous deer-automobile collisions.

2/7/2019 I would like non-lethal sterilization to be part of the plan. The deer in our neighborhood look to be starving--they are no eating things that the garden centers say are deer proof.

2/7/2019 I think 75 to 85% of the deer should be culled. There way too many of them.

2/7/2019 White-tailed deer have become a scourge in Harford County. They destroy my corn and soybeans, tear down my poly-wire fences, which I use in intensive grazing of beef cattle, and contribute to the propagation of disease, most recently Leptospirosis, which has afflicted my cows’ herds, even with vaccinations and boosters. I promote hunting on my farm. I've used deer-damage permits. I've striven to plant corn with ear sets that will minimize browsing. I've relocated crops with an eye not so much for good agronomy as reducing the predations by these pests. Essentially nothing has worked. Short of allowing open seasons with nighttime shooting using lights, there's no so-called management strategy that’s going to bring these herds under control. Vast sections of the county are essentially animal preserves due to the blossoming of subdivisions. APG's tank-testing area is pure undisturbed protected habitat. The deer spend their days in the protection of these areas and raid my crops by night. The damage deer cause to automobiles is horrendous. All of my accidents have involved deer.

2/7/2019 Outlaw hunting deer over bait. If a bait station used it should be illegal to have a direct shot at a deer within 50 yards of the bait station.

2/7/2019 I have lived in Montgomery County for 74 years and deer have never been more of a problem then now. Please allow longer hunting seasons and larger bag limits on deer. Set a bounty on deer if necessary.

2/7/2019 I would love to see the county use more non-lethal management methods for the deer population in our area. This is such a heavily populated area, and I know my family likes to explore the wooded areas around our neighborhood and the nearby parks. I do not have confidence that any controlled hunts in our area will be well enough publicized that we would know about them before going out, and I am quite nervous about the idea of my small children being out in the woods during a culling. I absolutely see the need for management of the population: we have a herd that wanders through our very residential neighborhood inside the beltway. But from what I've heard, non-lethal management can be not only safer for the community around, but more cost effective for the county in the long run.

2/7/2019 Need to do something to control the deer. I farm 400 acres in Carroll County and have a herd of more than 50 deer running around on our ground. Deer cost me thousands of dollars a year. Please do something to control them since I am told they belong to the state not me.

2/7/2019 I enjoy the outdoors with my horse. I am against Sunday deer hunts. Being in the woods on Sunday is very dangerous. Many people want to enjoy hiking biking & horseback riding

2/7/2019 I am a farmer in Baltimore Co near Prettyboy Dam. We need more effective deer control. Am having considerable damage to corn and soybeans. We need a crop damage program that includes rifles for individuals that could qualify in a safety program. 2/7/2019 Please only use non-lethal sterilizing interventions. Killing animals is inhumane and should not be used.

2/6/2019 Hi my name is Brian Smith and I'm a huge outdoors man! My passion is deer hunting mainly. I am concerned about our deer population! Through the years I am seeing the numbers dropping fast too fast! I blame it on 2 things! One is the checking system. We need to go back to the way it used to be where we had to physically check them in to be weigh and looked at! Now people are shooting bucks but checking them in as does etc... They do not get checked and some don't even call them in at all! You cannot get an accurate number of deer being killed this way! Second is crop permits! Crop permits is killing us also! Theirs fields being shot without even crops in it and these farmers don't care about the laws they see the deer as rats and will kill many as they want or bucks when they’re not aloud and leave them lay to rot! This is so wrong!! Also is we need an antler restriction on these bucks! I mean it should be 6 plus points or bigger or a certain width! Other states do this rule and they have a great population of major bucks and ratio. Please consider some of these things because I am concerned and want my kids and their kids to be able to hunt in the future! Thanks!

2/6/2019 Regs for antlered harvest need to be simplified. Had to call DNR for clarification on 2 antler then bonus deer, no 2 in same season. Seems no one knows for sure. Let hunters harvest the deer. Also, need more Sunday hunting opportunity. A lot of people work Saturdays. Thank you.

2/6/2019 Deer are numerous and destructive in our neighborhood in Highland (Howard CO), even though we are very close to Schooley Mill Park, where controlled hunting has been going on for years. The results from that culling seem to be not available and I can only think the controlled hunting is ineffective, since the number of deer is still enormous and their destruction of the vegetation continues. We've lived in our house nearly 40 years and the deer damage to the environment has increased tremendously and continues at a high level. The state and county efforts seem to be useless. Where the statistics on results and what are the plans to do something effective?

2/6/2019 Maryland should try to separate urban deer management from recreational deer management because these have very different goals and need different approaches. Creating urban hunting zones with less restrictions on deer harvests is a tool that can benefit municipal deer managers by encouraging low cost/low impact deer management. Current regulations seem to favor sports/trophy deer hunting to the detriment of population control hunters.

2/6/2019 The APR regulations & number of bucks is still confusing to myself & most other hunters I talk to. Also, additional Sunday deer hunting in AA Co. would be well received. Thank You.

2/6/2019 I live in the Ten Hills neighborhood of Baltimore, which is almost adjacent to Leakin Park. We are overrun with deer, and have been for years. They are devouring our yards. They prevent us from having vegetable gardens. They arouse our dogs and keep us up at night. Sometimes there are as many as eight in a group roaming about the neighborhood. Not only do they damage landscapes and prevent us from enjoying our property fully, they carry disease, as you know. My disabled adult son, who does not venture into natural areas, was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2015 and spent six days at Hopkins Bayview Hospital fighting lyme carditis. Fortunately he has an excellent prognosis, but I have heard of less positive outcomes. We need help controlling our deer population, which seems out of control. We cannot take individual measures inside the city limits, which would probably be fruitless anyway. A comprehensive population plan for the Leakin Park area of Baltimore is needed now. Thank you.

2/6/2019 Need to open more public land to bow hunting, i.e. Severn Run Environmental area for example. No reason most of public lands can't be bow hunted. 2/6/2019 I live in Adelphi, MD in a suburb as well as having a 5 acre forested property nearby. Can I hunt the deer on the 5 acre location? At my home I need an effective and affordable way to protect my vegetable garden. I have tried the sprays with little success. Is there a practical solution?

2/6/2019 Deer are sentient beings. Any 'problem' with large populations in residential areas are caused directly by people removing large portions of their and many other species' natural habitat without knowledge of the effects through all food chains and ecosystems or plans to help minimize the results and damage. Deer should not now be randomly destroyed because they are 'seen' as over populated. They should be resettled as best we can to other possible habitat, where more natural results, including their exposure to natural predators, which help control their population.

2/6/2019 Please make the new Air Bows equivalent to cross bows. Thanks for listening

2/6/2019 I live in North West Frederick County and the deer population is taking a beating the decline has been over the last 10 years I think the bear and bobcat population need to be considered along with the Fed's shooting deer in Catoctin Mountain Park.

2/6/2019 Without knowing the current plan, I can only say that there must be a humane way of reducing the deer population. It is taking over because it has no predator to keep the population in balance except our cars. Not an ideal solution for the deer or our cars. You know all the facts about disease, crop damage, and other hazards. Please take positive, effective action to control this problem, for the benefit of the environment, the deer, and the economy.

2/6/2019 I live next to our community open space, all forest land which is contiguous to a portion of the Seneca Green Way also all forest land. Thus we see lots and lots of deer in our back yard, eating everything in sight. There are little or no under story plants, one holly and one old azalea are all that's visible in the underbrush during the winter. This means the forest is NOT able to regenerate itself as any new seedlings get eaten fast before they've had a chance to establish themselves. Either the deer need a natural predator or they must be thinned by regular and regulated hunts. Some of the deer are quite thin, others not so. Unfortunately I have a neighbor who feeds the deer, which means they walk thru my backyard to get to the neighbor’s yard. More should be done to discourage this practice as it impacts our entire community. I also live off Wightman road and have had to call the police to put deer down who've been hit and not killed. Deer belong here BUT NOT IN THE NUMBERS WE SEE. At times we've seen 13 or 14 deer at one time which is too many for both the deer and our forests to survive well. Please educate people on the damage deer do to our forests, our lands and personal landscapes. They look sweet but are around in too large numbers for an environmental balance. Oh I am a Master Gardener. Thanks.

2/6/2019 Here in region A I would like to see a bonus buck stamp for up here, there’s a few of us guys that let bucks walk up here and still tag out with all weapons...and now this past season I held out on bucks just to make my season last till January. You could also offer up an antlerless tag possibly?

2/6/2019 In light of the push for antler restrictions, which is mainly being pushed by hunting clubs and sporting associations, please remember that not everyone has that same view. There are still folks that hunt for the meat and the sheer enjoyment of being outdoors and that do not have access to prime hunting ground so we take what we can get (especially when it is towards the end of the season) and sometimes that means a smaller sized deer. That offers as much satisfaction to us as a trophy hunter harvesting a nice 8 point. Also, you can only take so many does until it really starts effecting the overall population, especially in western MD. 2/6/2019 The deer herds need to be GREATLY REDUCED in size. There are way too many to be supported by the land which is available. As a result homeowners and farmers are negatively impacted by grazing. New plants, especially ones native to the Mid Atlantic area, do not have a chance to grow and spread. Lyme disease is endemic, and deer play a vital role in the spread of the disease. Car accidents also occur as a result of deer on roadways. The meat from deer hunts can be used for feeding people (as is currently done). While the hunts already carried out help, they are insufficient to control the deer population.

2/6/2019 We live in rural Gaithersburg in a neighborhood of 2+ acre lots. Deer, often as many as 10 or 12, do extensive damage to landscaping. I suggest allowing bow hunting and, perhaps, birth control efforts.

2/6/2019 Cross bows for disabled or injured people only the way it used to be. I feel like it’s a lot of young bucks killed by cross bow and deer the quality is down. Maybe open cross bow up after gun. I was talking with a taxidermist yesterday he said the same thing.

2/6/2019 I think you all should continue the deer hunts particularly in the down county area (Wheaton regional, Sligo creek, Briggs Chaney areas) There are too many deer, too little food & I hate to see them hit by cars

2/6/2019 My problem is what and when you can shoot something is so confusing that you have to check the book before you go hunting. Something needs to be done about the SIKA DEER problem in Dorchester. I am a small farmer and when the sika deer eat 8 acres of a 70 field that's a big deal to me. That's a $15,000 loss to me that I cannot recover. They are night time feeder so the population is out of control. I have seen herds of 25-30 on my farm late in the evening. I am currently hunting on a crop damage permit because we cannot kill enough during the season because you never see them during the day unless you feed them 100 of lbs of corn a week. I already feed them enough. Thank you. I hope something can be done before I have to fence my fields in

2/6/2019 We live in a heavily wooded urban area in Silver Spring/Wheaton near Northwest Branch greenbelt. The deer are an urban pest, they have devastated the suburban landscapes and gardens of our homes AND devastated the mid-Atlantic native plants, which they devour preferentially. Many does have twins; they are like locusts. My vote is to manage the white tailed deer much more aggressively with urban hunts without limits. Does should be culled preferentially.

2/6/2019 I live in Severn MD area and this past summer, fall and winter the white tail deer have been eating all my ornamental trees, shrubs, grass etc. I have lived in this home for 24 years and this is the worse it has ever been. I cannot do anything about it as they say, my neighbors are less than 300 ft. away. Is there anything you can do for us? We need to thin the herd. Fences and dogs are no help. Thank you.

2/6/2019 I see no information for where I live, Derwood, which is near Needwood Lake. While I've seen signs indicating the park area is closed at night, I'm not sure if what is being done. Every year my outdoor landscaping takes a huge hit as the deer eat everything, even plants which are supposedly something deer don't like.

2/6/2019 Please eliminate the practice of killing deer under the 'crop damage' authority. Farmers are shooting deer and letting them lie, while neighbors are trying to follow Quality Deer Management practices. These two do NOT work in tandem and results in indiscriminate killing of deer with no regard to QDM principles which benefit white tails in general. 2/6/2019 Any future deer management plan should seriously consider opening more of the urban areas of the state to greater hunting opportunities. I live in Montgomery county and the deer population is entirely too high. Just this past winter the sharpshooter program was in effect around my neighborhood, and near as I can tell it has had no impact on the deer population. I would much prefer opening more archery hunting opportunities in these densely populated areas, where hunters pay into the conservation system via purchase of license and tags over spending tax payer money for someone to cull the deer.

2/6/2019 In hunting region B, the muzzleloader season should be for any deer throughout the entire length of the season rather than having a split for antlered and antlerless deer. QDM works well in areas where a high level of control can be exercised such as private lands or perhaps in areas where the deer population is lower, as is the case in region A. In region B the deer population is incredibly high and there are relatively fewer hunters. In order to keep the deer population manageable and reduce human-deer conflicts the focus should be to maximize harvest rates in this region.

2/6/2019 i could pay for my daughters college in one year if I had the$$$$$ the dam deer eat!!!! Shoot the deer. open the season 24/7

2/6/2019 Dear DNR Representative, I understand the need for deer management in our state, and white- tailed deer being the largest population to consider. Do you also consider sika deer in your plan (I think there are some small populations in southern Maryland)? I ask this because in 2015 the Smithsonian's National Zoo released a paper estimating that roughly 25% of WTD have a mammalian form of malaria. If you also manage Sika deer, would you consider testing Sika blood for malaria? Thank you for your time reading my inquiry, and I wish your program well.

2/6/2019 SEEMS LIKE THE DEER POPULATION IS GROWING AND THERE ARE LESS HUNTERS TO HELP CONTROL THEM. I THINK THAT BY ADDING AND ADDITIONAL WEEK OF RIFLE SEASON AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY AND AN ADDITIONAL MONTH-FEBUARY- WOULD HELP CONTROL THE DEER POPULATION. FROM WHAT I’VE SEEN IN THE FIELD, THERE ARE A LOT MORE DOES THEN THERE ARE BUCKS OUT THERE. MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT OF 1 BUCK PER HUNTING SEASON- BOW, BLACK POWDER, and RIFLE- WITH NO ADDITIONAL BUCK STAMPS. COULD ALSO DO MANAGED DEER HUNTS FOR QUALIFIED HUNTERS IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR HUNTING SEASON. AND DONATE THE MEET TO FEED THE HUNGRY PROGRAM. THANKS FOR LETTING US HAVE AN INPUT ON THIS. KEN

2/5/2019 Two years ago we harvested 13 deer. Last year only 4. This year only 4 so far. I thought it had to do with development around us, under a game camera showed two large coyote, which we understand eat baby deer. Will your plan address this issue?

2/5/2019 I grow three acres of produce in Anne Arundel County. The deer decimate many of my crops including sweet corn, edamame, cabbage, broccoli, and sweet potatoes just to list a few. I probably lose 25% of my gross vegetable income a year to deer, maybe more. And there are high value crops I would like to grow, but have been told don't even try due to deer. I think farmers with crop damage permits should be able to shoot deer year-round and let them lay during the summer. I know, however, this is not a popular opinion, so I think there needs to be a better way to help farmers with processing fees such as a voucher system. Most of us are making ends meet and cannot pay for so many processing fees. Another problem is we are extremely busy in the months when the deer are doing the damage to go hunting ourselves. Thank you. 2/5/2019 I'm a produce farmer in Anne Arundel County and I have a crop damage permit due to the large number of deer and the damage that they do to my crops but trying to find hunters to hunt during the summer months is hard unless they can slaughter their own deer. Even when my hunters are able to kill 25-30 a year it doesn't seem to put a dent in the number of deer and the damage that continues. I think it's time that we lift the fine and allow farmers like myself to just shot and drop these deer to get the population back under control. I also work for an insurance company and the number of car accidents due to deer damage has been increasing over the years. And also for the farmers that have crop insurance this is only good for the first three years because after that the cost goes up and the coverage goes down. Something has got to help. The State of MD isn't shy to say that they deer belong to them so it's time that they step up and do something to control their animals. Round them up and put create managed deer farms if you want to keep them. But for those farmers that are having their crops eaten year after year we've had enough.

2/5/2019 The deer population on the eastern shore of Maryland, along Rt. 33 from Easton to Tilghman Island is out of control. From September on, there are many, many deer strikes by vehicles which always result in vehicle damage, often significant, and injury or death to the deer. There are dozens of tire skid marks on the pavement which identify encounters with the deer. My car has been struck three times in the past five years. We have had two severely injured deer die on our property within the past few years. My wife and I are very concerned about driving after sundown due to their erratic behavior. There have been many close calls. We don't drive over 35-40 miles per hour at night. There are hundreds or thousands of deer along this corridor. Clearly, population control is not working. All of us who live down here are very reluctant to permit firearm hunting on our property due to proximity of housing and irresponsible behavior of hunters. We've never observed or been approached by bowhunters in the 8 years we've lived here, they seem to be quite rare.1. Extend the season.2. Permit killing females.3. Foster bow hunting.

2/5/2019 I think the DNR should reinstitute the mandatory doe harvest prior to taking a 2nd buck. At least one doe should be required prior to harvesting a 2nd buck, minimally, during the 2 week firearms season in REGION B. Also, potentially during bow season as well, muzzle loading should be considered too!! Hunters are letting does walk hoping for the immediate chance at a 2nd buck. This is not sound management, we must harvest appropriate numbers of does to achieve a balanced herd and reduce possible disease probability.

2/5/2019 I am very concerned about the impact of the overpopulation of deer on the environment including other animal species and native plants. I cleared a 3-acre property of invasive species like Oriental bittersweet but could not replant because of the heavy deer pressure. I tried for years even protecting tree seedlings but it did not work. Very frustrating. On a 3-property there was a large herd of deer. At times I counted as many as 15 adults. Reducing deer populations is necessary!!!

2/5/2019 I am an avid hunter, And I want Maryland to do it's best to manage healthy, sustainable deer populations. Given the large overpopulation of deer in many semi-suburban areas, I would welcome Md opening public lands in many of these areas to archery hunting, etc., wherever it would be safe. I firmly believe that ethical hunting is a great tool for humane wildlife management.

2/5/2019 In support of Sunday hunting and straight wall cartridges for deer

2/5/2019 When I see deer on Eastern Ave and Bladensburg Rd during daylight hours on Saturday, this population is a problem. I believe that bag limits for archery hunting of deer in the Greater Washington area (PG, Montgomery County, etc.) reduces the effectiveness of hunting. Harvesting venison is an effective means of decreasing the deer; let's have MORE not less! 2/5/2019 Multiple deer are present in my neighborhood day and night. They often run out in traffic and for that reason they are a danger to us all. I hope there numbers can be reduced and controlled on a longer term basis.

2/5/2019 I have two young sons and I live in Carroll County but I hunt in Howard. I still can't understand with all the expanded Sunday hunting opportunities I am still unable to hunt on private land on Sunday. By not hunting Sunday I lose 50% of my hunting time with my kids. It is hard enough to get kids interested in the outdoors and when my landowner begs me to shoot deer since they are over run and I have to explain to them it is illegal to hunt Sundays it makes little sense to them. I wish that Sunday hunting were regulated statewide so that everyone gets equal opportunity on private lands. It would also allow our deer population to be managed better in heavily deer populated areas if we had more time to hunt.

2/5/2019 I have three disparate comments:1) Deer harvested under crop damage permits should be required to be consumed or donated to food pantries and not wasted.2) Consider some public lands (~ 15%) as quality management properties with additional antler restrictions (preferably antler spread based).3) Continue to allow hunters to harvest one buck without the confines of antler restrictions.

2/4/2019 Please stop shooting the deer. Why can we not bring in birth control programs as a more humane approach?

2/4/2019 I live in a typical, residential D.C. suburb next to a 'conservation area'. Every single member of my family has contacted Lyme's disease. Because I was a gardener, I got it three times resulting, finally, in Bells' Palsy and double vision, which I overcame. Our son was not as fortunate because he contracted it at age 5 or 6 when no one knew Lyme's' was already in the area. Like another child down the street, he has permanent physical issues because he had it for so many years before it was diagnosed. Almost every house on our street has someone who has had Lyme’s,’ which my physician has described as 'an undeclared epidemic.' So many of our friends have also contracted Lyme's, including a surgeon who was only on playing fields, never in the woods. The costs for Lyme's' cases in the U.S. is $75 billion or more according to Dr. Xinzhi Zhang, an epidemiologist who works for the Centers for Diseases Control this includes medical treatment and lost work productivity (https://www.lymedisease.org/lymepolicywonk-costs-75billion/) We have watched the woods behind our home become meadows with only tall tress because the deer decimate the understory. Trees cannot repopulate. Raspberries, dog woods, small shrubs, all the undergrowth that make a forest a forest are gone. We now have only stilt grass. The result of this loss of natural undergrowth is that we have had a dramatic drop in the number of song birds, small mammals, and insects. Houses can no longer be properly landscaped because the deer eat everything, including toxic plants like laurel. In the summer, we now have a mosquito problem we never had before due to the decrease in insect eating birds and insects. This is even more of a problem now because of invasive disease-carrying mosquitos. How do you put a price tag on these losses? Because of the destruction of the understory, there are now severe problems with erosion that affects not only the quality of the water but even homes. I have a neighbor whose house has suffered mudflows twice because the steep hill behind her house no longer has enough vegetation to hold the soil in place. Because of the denuding of the landscape, we have standing water where we never had standing water before which exacerbates the mosquito problem. Since we moved here in 1985, the deer have gotten noticeably smaller because they are undernourished. I have seen a herd of deer diseased with strange large bumps all over their bodies. Because they are no longer afraid of humans, deer are a threat for drivers and cause an estimated 1.23 million collisions at a cost of more than $4 billion dollars just in vehicle damage, excluding medical treatment and an estimated 200 human deaths. (https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2012/10/24/267786.htm). I see dead deer on the Beltway with greater and greater frequency. Maryland is one of the states with the highest risk of deer collisions. I have written about this issue to various representatives over the years to no avail. For 30 years, I have watched the incalculable toll this unaddressed problem has caused to the environment and other species, including humans. It seems that our representatives have always succumbed to the uninformed and have not taken the effort to inform the population of the true costs of letting nature take care of things. If this were a natural problem, that would make sense; but this is a man-made problem resulting from man made changes to the environment. I am commenting with the hope that you will have the strength and fortitude to address this problem by restoring the unlimited antlerless harvest in the Suburban Archery Corridor covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties. Thank you for your time and consideration.

2/4/2019 We live in Montgomery Co. Md. across from a Stream Conservancy area. We have surrounded our property with a deer fence and have identified over 25 varieties of young trees growing on our property. Across the street in the conservancy area there ARE NO YOUNG TREES COMING UP, ALL HAVE BEEN EATEN BY DEER. Our forests are being destroyed. The deer must be culled to protect our environment today and for the future!

2/4/2019 We need to move the early muzzle loader season back 2 weeks. It's too warm and not a lot of buck movement.

2/4/2019 Myself and countless other sportsmen are in dire need of allowing Sunday hunting in all Maryland counties. I myself, hunt in Prince George's which allows no hunting on Sundays. Private property owners should be able to dictate and authorize whether they allow hunters on their properties or other outdoor enthusiasts on Sundays. Public properties can be dictated by the state but farmers and other property hunters trying to manage their deer should be given the opportunity to allow Sunday hunting if need be.

2/4/2019 Sunday hunting is an important investment in the future of hunting. Hunter numbers are declining nationally and to encourage the future of the sport we need to find methods that recruit and retain new hunters. Sunday hunting is one method that would expand opportunities for youth and others, and provide more time in the outdoors. For this reason I encourage you to allow Sunday hunting

2/4/2019 Venison is a delicious protein rich meat. The deer population is a nuisance granted a lot of it has to do with human encroachment on their habitat. They do need to be culled. Allow deer hunting and let their meat be sold. If this is not possible still the numbers need to be controlled. The accidents on McArther Blvd, Clara Barton pkwy, Falls Rd, River Rd, Brickyard Rd are horrific leading to death and injury of both man and beast. Please resolve this problem. Am very happy to see this survey to enable public to give their opinion. Thanks!

2/4/2019 I suggest: 1 buck limit with bonus stamp optional: or greater antler restrictions on 2nd buck and bonus buck and re-implement the two does before the second buck. This would make people think before pulling the trigger on immature bucks and allow more bucks to mature more: do away with early muzzleloader season or at least doe only week. This would help population recover from blue tongue 2 years back to back and predation from coyotes and crop damage kills It would also deter people from shooting bucks in the doe only season: reduce the doe limit for all seasons and crop damage permits : make the late 3 day firearms season doe only . In our area, according to other hunters as well, we just aren't seeing the numbers of deer on camera or on stand that we saw say 5 years ago and especially the number of mature bucks and the ones we pass up wind up dead on the property next door. Antler restrictions or bag limit reduction or even restrictions on youth over the age of 16 would help.

2/4/2019 Too much Deer population and nothing gets done to control. Would like a response since they are cause of accidents, cars getting damaged besides let alone the garden menace. I hope you folks do something to control deer populations. 2/4/2019 The Pennsylvania Game Commission just announced they will be killing deer in northern Bedford county and southern Blair county in the next month or so. I’m curious why 2 neighboring states have such different ideas on controlling CWD. Pennsylvania seems to be taking a very proactive approach while MD seems to be taking a very limited approach. MD still allows the use of bait etc. Just curious. Thanks for opportunity to express my views

2/4/2019 Pennsylvania recently announced they are changing the opening day of rifle season to the Saturday after thanksgiving - same as MD. Where i live and hunt a lot of people who hunt both states will go to PA i believe. Will this recent change by PA affect any of your management plans for the future?

2/4/2019 will the DNR PAY ME FOR MY CROPS THAT THE DEER EAT

2/3/2019 Deer in Maryland, especially in Hartford and Baltimore country, have been growing in numbers tremendously. I have all the paperwork to prove it, it is getting harder and harder to be grain farmers due to that fact that we are simply overwhelmed by deer. We try to manage the deer with crop damage permits, but the restrictions on them don't allow us to harvest enough deer to justify. My suggestion is to somehow allow those who are suffering from major deer damage, to be able to harvest deer after final light of the evening. In other states it is legal to hunt wild boars in the night, I feel as though we should have the same type of hunts right here in Maryland. If not, I hope something gets done about this major problem we have. Thank you for your time.

2/3/2019 Simplify everything. There's too many rules for no good reason. Make the deer seasons continuous, like muzzleloader. No need to confuse the public with so many start and end dates. Allow people to use their bonus buck tags on the first split of muzzleloader. Make Region B counties similar with all laws. Ex. archery has to be from elevated position in Mo. Co. Make all counties the same if they are similar enough to each other. Don't let people bait deer at all. Spreading CWD. Make seasons continuous. Archery This date to this date...Muzzleloader this date to this date....etc. Enough breaking up the seasons for no good reason. Make Does unlimited harvest.

2/3/2019 I farm 4500 acres. The deer are costing me over $225,000 each year in damage. We need open season 24/7 365 days a year. With no limit. I have hunts now killing many deer. also the DNR police need to work with the hunters & the farmers and not give them tickets

2/2/2019 Region A. Rifle season buck or doe the whole 2 week season. Allow a bonus doe tag for your buck tag. 2/2/2019 It is extremely important for the plan to call for culling of deer in the conservation areas that have been left between suburban communities by the developers who found that they could not build on properties that included stream valleys. The deer have an overpopulation in those areas which cause the spread of disease in these suburban/urban neighborhoods especially for gardeners, children and outdoor enthusiasts. The deer have a huge impact on the natural environment, because devastating collisions with cars, destroy the forest lands which the conservation areas were supposed to be designed for. They have made growing vegetables and fruits in nearby communities almost impossible. The cost to the homeowners in destroyed landscapes is tremendous. The most reasonable and cost-effective way to control the scourge of the deer in the suburban/urban environment is to restore the unlimited antler-less harvest in the Suburban Archery Corridor. It should be made a permanent part of the deer management program. There should not be any limit for the conservationist highly skilled bow hunters to take because they are the best solution to keep the overpopulation of deer in check. They provide the service at no charge to the communities which they serve and provide needed protein to Manna and similar organizations. There is also another reason which this plan be included. Trees are not being replenished in these areas where the deer are eating everything on the forest floor. No new trees are replenishing the forest. When the old trees fall, there will be even more erosion and the quality of our water will be at stake. The deer in these close-in suburban areas have created an ecological disaster. There has been a plummeting number of song birds and insects. There are fewer native plants. Please reinstate the unlimited antler-less harvest in the Suburban Archery Corridor and make it a permanent part of the plan.

2/2/2019 OPEN SEASON ALL YEAR ROUND ,WAY OUT OF CONTROL,DEERE TICKS-CROP DAMAGE-CAR DAMAGE-THEY ARE NOT CUTE ANY MORE

2/1/2019 I would like to discuss antler restrictions. As a lifelong deer hunter for over 50 years now, I would like to see antler restrictions combined with a WIDTH restriction that allows young bucks the opportunity to reach at least 2.5 years of age. The current 3 point restriction along with the no penalty for harvesting a single buck that doesn't meet the 3 point requirement does nothing in my opinion to balance the herd age structure. It could be a 4 inch wide, 6 point yearling and be legal. From a genetic standpoint, Maryland has some of the Country's very best genetics as evidenced by the Crutchfield and Watson bucks. The problem is that very few bucks reach the age of maturity when they have the potential to produce such world class antlers. Let's face it, almost every hunter would like to harvest a wall hanger but few are disciplined enough to let the immature bucks walk by. An antler point restriction combined with a WIDTH restriction should (in theory anyway) allow 1.5 year olds to make it to at least their second year of independence where they are a lot more savvy and cautious about their environment. A width restriction of as little as 10 would allow the 1.5 year old buck to make through to another season. It also benefits the hunter who will be taking home a larger, more mature animal for table fare. I started my hunting career when the season was 7 days long and if you were fortunate enough to see ANY buck you took the shot because it was probably the only chance you would have that year. Just seeing a deer back then was a thrill because there were so few. Fortunately we don't have that problem today. What we do have is the opportunity to create a better age structured viable herd that will continue to provide enjoyment for us and all of the generations that follow in pursuit of this magnificent animal. Sincerely,

2/1/2019 I would like to suggest the following in hopes of developing trophy white-tailed deer in Region A. It may be best if archery season was shorten. Also, a big limit of two antlered and one non-antlered deer. The first deer could be antlered or non-antlered. However, if the first deer is antlered, it must be a deer with more points or a non-antlered. After rifle season, no non-antlered deer maybe taken. 2/1/2019 During the height of hunting season the deer become extremely nocturnal, making hunting in season unsuccessful for most, and utilizing crop damage permits outside of normal hunting season can be tough since most folks do not want to hunt for neat when it is hot out. I feel that we need to expand the hunting hours and tools during the regular seasons in all counties. And treat deer as the varmints that they are. Night hunts should be legal for resident land owners and select members of their teams should be allowed on the permits for this.

2/1/2019 I often trail ride my horse with friends on farm land and wish to feel safe from guns. Hunting on Sundays will be one more day of limiting our access to an enjoyable experience with nature. Please allow us to be safe on the trails. Thank you for your consideration.

2/1/2019 As a recreational horse rider I would urge that hunting not be allowed on Sundays, as this is a very important day for those of us that wish to ride with no fear of being shot at or having our horses upset or spooked by hunters in the local woodland. Hunting is already allowed on many days per week surely those of us that don't shoot deer should be allowed our quiet use of the countryside. Thank you

2/1/2019 I live in Prince George's County and spend time riding my horses in this county and Anne Arundel County. In order to manage the deer population, managed hunts would curtail the population growth. Eliminating as many doe as possible would be one solution. It has been my observation, in speaking with a number of deer hunting enthusiasts, that they are after the trophy buck, allowing many doe to pass because the sound of the gun would scare off the buck they were after. Adding extra hunting days and/or Sundays only serves to restrict the non-hunters who would like to ride horses, bicycle, or just hike in the woods. I strongly disagree with the addition of any days, especially Sundays.

2/1/2019 I live in Calvert County and three years ago I had collisions with deer twice in one month. There are way too many of them around. I joke with the hunters on my work property that we need a new season, assault weapon. Any expansion of the harvest is to the good. Allowing archers to cull them in residential areas is an idea worth supporting. We need to get things back in balance and I don't think you are ready to reintroduce wolves.

2/1/2019 Sunday hunting in all counties both public and private lands. There are far too many safe and responsible hunters that cannot afford to take off time during the week, have prior commitments with after school activities or don't have readily access to hunting areas. Public lands can alleviate that for Sunday hunts. Promote the taking of DOES and mature bucks!!!! Far too many bucks are skipped because they are past their prime. Do an annual event like is done at Sandy Point for fishing but instead to it for hunting!! Promote more hunting for Maryland residents....Pennsylvania hunters are invading Sika deer areas. It should not always be about the money generated.

2/1/2019 Please no more hunting on Sundays. We need at least Sunday to be able to go outdoors safely. Scared to even bicycle on country roads during hunting because hunters are all over the woods right next to the road!

2/1/2019 Our garden with very extensive plants is 1/2 mile from Sligo Creek in Silver Spring (inside the beltway). We have lived here about 30 years. For the first time, starting 2 years ago, deer have invaded and eaten many of our prize plants. We have tried chemicals, but they are expensive and of limited value. We support a policy of unlimited archery shooting of male and female deer. This can be safe and effective. Please make it happen -- before we are tempted to do it ourselves. 2/1/2019 It is obvious to us farmers that the efforts of DNR to curtail white-tailed deer populations in Maryland have been a failure. There was much more damage in corn and soybean fields this year than last year and I thought last year was bad. Our farm operation in Pylesville, MD, lost over $20,000 in revenue due to deer damage! We did not even bother to take the combine in several fields because there was nothing left. Deer had eaten soybeans to the ground and took the ears right off of the corn stalks. Since DNR owns these deer it is their responsibility to control them. In order to get some sort of control farmers and hunters need several tools. First, we should be able to use rifles, hunt at night with night-vision equipment, and treat the deer like ground hogs, shoot and let the buzzards, foxes, etc. do their thing. DNR needs to get a handle on this or a lot of the ground we're farming will not be economically feasible to plant.

2/1/2019 There has been a significant improvement the past two years since fall hunting was initiated in the Watts Branc Valley Stream park land behind my house on Beekman Place, off Glen Rd. I am very grateful for the improvement and hope that you will continue to cull the heard annually. The landscape and natural woods are recovering, disease and starvation has visibly decreased among deer and fox. The bow hunters have caused zero disruption. There are still one too many deer in Potomac, but it's improving. Thank you and please keep up the good work!

2/1/2019 In favor of Sunday hunting on private lands in all counties. This is another answer to the reducing the herd without doing crop damage at night. Increase the days available to hunt. Simple. The landowner has the right who he lets trespass or use his land. State lands increase the availability where possible. There some areas were horse people, joggers, bikers can’t use. Marsh lands

2/1/2019 Antler restriction for all except youth days. Limit crossbow hunting to the elderly or disabled. No baiting except food plots. Open more public lands to hunting even if just bow only

1/31/2019 I'd like to see the safety zone for archery reduced to 50 yards when hunting from an elevated position in Howard County. It would help with hunting in those tough to access suburban areas that are sanctuary to way too many deer.

1/31/2019 I would favor both Sunday and rifle hunting in PG county as a means to better control the deer population especially northern PG county

1/31/2019 There should be no limits on deer hunting, as we have a terrible problem here in Maryland and more specifically Silver Spring where I live. I can't let my grandson play in the yard because of the deer poop all over the front and back lawn, the diseases that the deer carry, the traffic hazard they cause, and my expensive plants are non-existent because the deer eat everything in sight. I have tried everything, read up on deer determinants, and its all nonsense. Mark E. and his team of professional hunters have helped, but they need more freedom to help without bag limits on deer. Please convey my wishes of no bag limits on any deer anywhere in Maryland. This needs to be resolved, as my sister was one of those motorists in Maryland that had an accident with a deer, as so many of my friends have had.

1/31/2019 I a few acres that border on woods. I average 7/8 deer every evening. I have had had a horse and dog die from complications from Lyme disease. I have been treated too and both my current horses have been treated for months 1/31/2019 The white-tailed deer population continues to be excessive in Baltimore County, where I live, as in Maryland in general. My husband and I own rural land in Baltimore County, on which we have a crop farm and tree farm. The deer damage a significant amount of corn and soybean crops. The deer browse down the understory, which prevents usual natural succession of woodlands. In Baltimore County, new tree plantings have to have stakes and tubes to survive. Unprotected trees are killed by deer browsing before they can even grow to sapling size. This adds substantially to the expense for replanting forest land and in its upkeep. Excessive deer in suburban and exurban areas cause automobile accidents and are a serious nuisance to gardens and decorative plantings as well as bringing in Lyme carrying deer ticks. I would like to see increased number of days for single shot gun hunting. Possibly an increase in number of days for single shot black powder guns. There does not need to be an increase in bowhunting days. Bow-hunting season is already long enough.. Increased use of professional hunters on State or County property is another good idea. Thank you.

1/31/2019 Additional comment to those just sent. Many states have a primitive rifle season where allowed guns include breech loading, exposed hammer, single shot, and utilizing metallic cartridges of 35 caliber or greater loaded with black powder or black powder substitute. Having a primitive rifle season could bring in historic gun buffs, who enjoy working with, reconditioning, and shooting some of these old pieces. I back continuing to exclude Sunday shooting in Baltimore County. That gives at least one safe day per week to walk or work in the woods during hunting season. I feel we need to decrease Maryland deer population by 1/3 to 1/2 of present numbers for the health and welfare of the people, the deer and the environment. Large predators and poisoning are not practical or desirable. Deer birth control is not practical at present. Fencing and repellants don't work on a large scale. This leaves hunting as the only practical alternative at present. Thank you for your interest in public comment.

1/31/2019 In my area of the state, Reisterstown Area, we are being overrun by coyotes. I don't think I need to elaborate upon why this is horrible. I have heard that there are individuals in the area who are glad that the coyotes are there, as they will cull the deer herds. I personally would much rather see increased days for hunting deer, than clandestinely harboring coyote. Deer hunter either eat the meat, give it to appreciative friends or donate it to institutions. Thus I really hope that it is decided that hunting season be expanded.

1/31/2019 We have several farms in Baltimore county one next to the Sweet Air section of the Gunpowder park. Deer became an increasing problem until the park was opened to a managed hunt. We still have deer problems at this farm but not nearly what it once was. Hunting does work. The problem we have on all farms is the deer have too many safe havens on nearby land. At night deer come out and we are unable to harvest them, by morning they go back into hiding. We need to come up with a mechanism [night hunts] or some other means to get rid of the deer. It is unfair to expect farmers to feed all these deer, every year we lose tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of crops to deer damage. Thank you

1/31/2019 Since the deer population shows that the species is more resilient to development pressure than other wildlife; I suggest that higher mortality rate should be a goal. A strategy towards this goal would be expansion of the times and locations where bow-hunting is allowed.

1/31/2019 Dear MD DNR, I support deer management and oppose the current bow restrictions. We all know deer populations in Montgomery County are too high, leading to increasing deer-car collisions, the impossibility for our neighborhoods to support native life with native plants, and ecosystem destruction in our parks. Our local park is the southernmost of Montgomery County, and has 69 deer per square mile based on a 2014 study; 15 is the limit for a balanced ecosystem. I will provide the study if you will reply to this comment. Our state should utilize a best practices deer management plan. It is a mistake to apply the same bag limits for all the deer from Washington County to the Atlantic Ocean. The problems in our suburban areas of deer-caused car accidents and native destruction is high, but the number of experienced urban/suburban archers is more limited, and deer can't be managed effectively under current limitations. Such a 'one size fits all’ limitations practice would suggest that special interests are having outsized influence on our state policies. I'm sure that is not DNRs or the State's desired image. To utilize best practices in a permanent deer management program, we should: restore the unlimited antlerless limit in the Suburban Archery Corridor covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties; review and raise the buck limit; remove antler-point restrictions. Best practices should be used throughout the State, and given the high density of deer in Montgomery County, we need a permanent Suburban Archery Corridor allowing the harvest of unlimited archery antlerless deer. Thank you for your consideration.

1/31/2019 I appreciate that citizens can provide comment on the issue of deer management in Maryland to the Dept. of Natural Resources. White-tailed Deer overpopulation is a problem in much of the eastern US, including Maryland, due to human activity. This overpopulation farms and homeowners as well as more natural habitat. The most effective and cost efficient way to reduce the deer population in the Baltimore-Washington corridor (referred to as the Suburban Archery Corridor in the plan) is for the DNR to make permanent the unlimited antlerless harvest as a part of their management plan. This would help restore forest understory as well as provide other positive benefits. Thank you for your time.

1/31/2019 I would like to see no Sunday hunting. Sundays are days that I enjoy riding my horse in local parks and trails/woods. I would like a day that I don't have to worry about guns/shooting for the safety of me and my horse. I also enjoy taking my children with me on these rides- I would like to protect them as much as possible- hunters have 6 days to hunt- it would be nice to know that we are safe at least 1 day a week. Thank you

1/31/2019 I am not a hunter, but do understand the need for deer population control. However, I feel strongly that deer hunting should be on a meat/food needed basis, and not a sport, as I do not believe the slaughter of animals should be a sport. On that note, I think the practice of laying down huge quantities of corn in front of deer blinds should be outlawed, as it is in other states. In addition, I would advocate that deer hunting, and all animal hunting, should not be legal on Sundays. I enjoy our beautiful land here in Maryland, and enjoy frequent hiking with my dogs and children. I also enjoy trail riding my horses. It would be of great value to leave one day of the week, Sundays, for families and individuals to enjoy the out of doors without danger of getting shot! Thank you!

1/31/2019 I live in PG. Co. And hunting is allowed most days except Sunday. I believe the laws should be kept the way it is to protect those who only have Sunday to enjoy the woods safely. Bow hunting could be allowed on Sunday but not guns. I walk and ride in the woods and feel it is too dangerous to do so during hunting season. So don't take our Sunday's away. Thank you.

1/31/2019 Please restore the unlimited antlerless harvest in the Suburban Archery Corridor covering Montgomery, Howard, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties. Make this a permanent part of their deer management plan. I live in Silver Spring and routinely see 3-4 deer weekly in my garden. I've also witnessed a collision of a car and a deer--Very dangerous. 1/31/2019 Please allow hunting in PG County on Sundays. At least on private land. We work Monday through Friday and currently only have one day to hunt. When the weather is bad for a couple weekends, it can ruin your entire season. There are so many deer down here, which often end up dead along the road, we need to have more time to harvest. Additionally, we use venison to offset our meat purchases at the grocery store. A few deer can fulfill our red meat needs for a year. When we don't have good hunting seasons it means we need to buy more at the store. Having that additional day each week can make the difference between a wasted season and a great season. We would greatly appreciate having the ability to hunt on Sundays. Thanks!

1/30/2019 I would like to see tighter restrictions on bucks that can be taken. I like the 3 bucks per year, but after the first buck I believe any buck after that should have to have a minimum of 4 points on one side. I also, would like to see a cap on all does taken. I think a maximum of 5 does per year should be set statewide (for counties allowed to shoot more then 5). The deer herd has declined dramatically over the past 10 years. Everyone you talk to is in agreement on that. You used to see deer on every sit, but now you are lucky to see 1 and I believe that is having a negative impact on introducing new hunters. Maryland needs to have tighter restrictions and start allowing for bucks to grow older and bigger before being harvested. Lastly, I would love to see for check in stations to come back. The online registration makes it way too easy for people who break the law to get away with not checking deer in.

1/30/2019 The antler restriction should be raised to 4 to one side. I hunt state land in Washington and Allegany county and half of the bucks I see, while not all are mature, are 8 points or bigger. There is no excuse for any ethical hunter to harvest a buck with less than four antler points on one side. Also, I have watched herds of bucks chase one doe for three seasons now. I have gone through entire seasons seeing 20 different bucks and only one or two does that may have even been the same doe that I saw a few times. WE ARE KILLING TOO MANY DOES.

1/30/2019 I would like to see additional regulations put in place to produce trophy deer, as in one buck per year and all bucks must have three points up to be harvested.

1/30/2019 Driving deer has become a little out of hand in the past few years I think driving deer on state lands should only be allowed after the first week of firearms season.

1/30/2019 They are eating more every year. It's getting harder to grow vegetables because of the damage.

1/30/2019 The deer on Elk Neck are a danger to human lives. 1. They can give us lime disease.2. They are always running in front of cars3. They are a danger to the horses and riders4. They damage trees and crops and eat all our flowers. Please cull as many deer as possible. They are overpopulated by 1000 %

1/30/2019 I find it very disturbing that deer management in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring includes bow hunting along the Northwest Branch trail through Northwest Branch park. More and more people park at the waterfall on Colesville Road and hike the trail and they are entirely unaware that there is bow hunting going on. This is just a tragic accident waiting to happen.

1/30/2019 Deer population management is crucial in the heavily wooded Colesville area of the county. Allowing archers on my property during the recent hunting season, has helped nature keep the numbers manageable. Before this season I had as many as 50 deer resting in my backyard.

1/30/2019 The best solution is to stop allowing developers to eat up rural habitat that drives the deer to more populous areas. For example, I live in the Elk Neck area and Gemcraft Homes is about to embark on building multiple houses eating up well over 20-40 acres of land. There is no need for additional new housing, there are plenty of houses for sale already. The state/county need to stop being so free and greedy with issuing building permits just to accept the money. You politicians are destroying our state and country with continuing to just keep building houses. Y'all won't be happy until every inch of dirt is covered in concrete and pavement. Additionally open more Sunday hunt days and allow them to be done on public land. If you shut days off to hunt there is less time to hunt and thus allow an increase in population. You are to blame for the problem and the solution is simple, but this will fall on deaf ears.

1/30/2019 I am writing to voice my concerns about bag limits in Montgomery County. We continue to be overrun with deer and we are limited enough already with the difficulties of finding suitable safe locations to hunt in suburban locations. Bow hunting is really our only option since rifles are not permitted anywhere near where we are having overpopulation problems. Please do not become an obstruction to our trying to cull the herds. We have enough obstructions to deal with as it is.

1/30/2019 Expand the seasons or use sterilization to bring deer populations down across state. Too many collisions with deer. Delegate Kevin Hornberger's study to bring Elk back to Elkton is a total joke. It didn't work in Maine and it will be a disaster here.

1/30/2019 My family farms 12 different properties within a 10 mile radius of Clarksville in Howard County. We have a huge overpopulation of deer in this area. We use crop damage permits where permitted and repellents costing $25 per acre with little effect. You would need to spray weekly to cover any new plant growth so that is obviously not economically feasible. An extremely conservative estimate of the average crops per acre destroyed would be 15% - on some smaller properties it can be 50%. 15% of 150 bushel per acre corn yield equals 22.5 bushel per acre lost. 22.5 bushels x $4/bushel comes out to a loss of $90/acre. Multiply that times the 500 acres of corn we attempt to grow and that results in a loss of $45,000. Who among us can continuously suffer that kind of loss and stay in business? And I haven't even counted the losses on our soybeans and wheat! DNR needs to have trained night time hunters with suppressed firearms to be able to help reduce the deer pressure on certain approved private properties - we would be willing to pay a reasonable fee and the meat should go to food kitchens for the needy.

1/30/2019 I think we should move the rifle fire arms season back a week in Nov. and have a four week season with rifle Only have a week season with black powder guns.

1/30/2019 Please read and consider the report by the Baltimore County Commission on Environmental Quality about managing deer overpopulation: https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/ceq/currentprojects.html#deer

1/30/2019 1) I would like to see Non-Lethal (sterilization) Deer Management implemented in Urban and Suburban areas (either by the County or private groups). Bow-hunting is too dangerous in such inhabited areas. If culling was successful in accomplishing lowering deer ratios these past 27 years, certain counties would be diminishing culling instead of adding new areas annually. Additionally, culls are distressing to the public.2) I would like to see Sterilized Deer afforded protection from hunting. They are always ear tagged which is easy to see. More communities might be more open to sterilization if the deer were removed from the table - literally. 3) Release of orphaned fawns by wildlife rehabilitators. I was quite disappointed to learn that MD requires all rehabbed fawns to be released on public lands where they can be hunted. VA requires all rehabbed fawns to be released on private property where they can generally remain protected. I do not understand the reasoning behind the decision to force rehabilitators to spend their own funds, time and energy to revive an orphaned fawn, only to have it killed during its first hunting season. 4) Review of hunting in neighborhoods. Life was far more enjoyable when one could explore the neighboring parks without risk of being shot or threatened by 'hunters'. 1/30/2019 While I am not fully familiar with the strategies for deer management, I do know that the population is excessive. The damage to both my ornamental gardens and vegetable gardens by deer is constant. I don't bother with gardening as much as I used to. I also manage a retail garden center and the complaints about deer damage from my customers is constant. Many customers have reduced what they buy and plant in their yards because it is just a useless battle with the deer. This not only hurts my business but the state economy also. I am all for hunting but feel that other means of controlling the deer population need to be researched and considered. Thank you for this opportunity, no response is necessary.

1/30/2019 Hello I currently hunt Allegany County, I have hunted it since I got my hunter safety card. I would like to see a couple things change one would be the killing of button bucks. I would like to see that put to an end and possible a antler restriction like PA does. Maybe 6 points and higher to be able to harvest the buck. Another thing is during the rifle season in Region A allow us to harvest a doe as well as a buck. Same as the late muzzleloader. Thanks

1/30/2019 We've lived on Shipsview Road for 20 years and have never seen so many deer in the yard and neighborhood. I've hit 3 with my car over the years.

1/30/2019 Thank you for the opportunity to comment on deer management efforts. I realize that you will hear a lot about Sunday hunting in this survey, and I wanted to add to the Maryland deer hunters who are asking you to continue to petition the state legislature to open up hunting on Sundays. I hunt private land in Saint Mary's County, and there are a handful of Sundays that I am allowed to hunt. However, it's important to note that I am not free to take to the field during the week because, like you, I happen to have one of those pesky things we call a job. Unfortunately, said job takes away a lot of quality hunting time (and fishing time, for that matter), but I usually do not work on Sundays. If we truly want to put more hunters afield and control the deer population more effectively, we have got to get past this ridiculous law that prohibits hunting on Sundays. I understand if people are opposed to firearms on Sunday, so what about phasing in the plan so that every Sunday is open to bow hunters on private land first? The next step would be to open public land on all Sundays, then firearm seasons could be expanded. The fact that I cannot hunt on Sundays on my own family's property, especially with a bow, is pure insanity. And yes, I am familiar with the equestrian lobby and their power in the legislature. But I don't permit equestrians on my property, so they should have no influence on my ability to hunt deer during deer season. Ok, I know you guys are really sick and tired of hearing about Sunday hunting, so I'm sorry to keep this drum beat going. But you have to admit...it's ridiculous. Oh, and one more thing--many, many thanks to you folks at the DNR for what you do. I fish until hunting season and hunt until fishing season here in Maryland, and I love it. I'm an active duty Naval Officer and will retire here to stay; its home. You guys are awesome, and I really appreciate your incredibly hard work. Keep up the great job you do, and many thanks from a Maryland outdoorsman!

1/29/2019 The DNR needs to change its policy of relentlessly pushing a pro-hunting agenda in response to the issues involving deer management and long term goals. Wildlife viewing and other recreational pursuits (non-hunting) are enjoyed by more people who spend significant money on these non- hunting pursuits. The Department does a disservice to itself and the people by pushing its hunting agenda, to the exclusion of the recreational pursuits and enjoyment of natural resources the majority of people engage in. The Department's frequent attempts to expand hunting into Sundays, and to focus on and encourage hunting as the only means to manage our natural resources is short-sighted.

1/29/2019 Raise the price of out of state hunters license they come to Maryland and shoot all of our deer due to the less strict laws here in Maryland. It's not fair to the Maryland residence and makes it harder to manage nice bucks when people are killing off the herds and shoot anything that moves 1/29/2019 Make Region A one buck with 3 on one side restriction just like PA. Please allow us to kill a doe with each weapon. We have all the makings to have a true trophy region out here in the WEST. As far as the rest of the state, we don't consider anything past Sliding Hill part of us, so I don't care what management plan you do, but please help these mountains out. Thanks

1/29/2019 Please change the doe firearms season in region A to allow the single doe to be taken anytime within the 2 week rifle season. This would allow hunters to spend more time in the woods, put more hunters in the woods and more importantly allow hunters to take the more mature doe versus shooting the first doe seen on the last day.

1/29/2019 Sunday deer hunting on PUBLIC LAND for the ENTIRE season, from archery to firearms to muzzleloader.

1/29/2019 I noticed that development / construction was not mentioned in the statement made regarding the 'overpopulation ' of deer in MD. This factor needs attention and should definitely be part of wildlife management. The forest corridors must stay intact for deer to move and protected flood pains that are expiring or close to expired can be reinstated. As far as hunting, maybe offer incentives for landowners to allow hunters use their land for a period of time. Trophy hunting is a big turnoff and contributes to why limited lands can be hunted, along with other issues. Is there a way to inform/market hunting in a different way? Awareness might help and bring more harmony into hunting and those with land to open it up. I had heard about a sterilization program but never heard the results, like if it was good or not helpful. Anyhow, this is a bit difficult to comment this way, I thought that the survey would include ideas the department had and looking for some input on which methods/proposals might be popular. Thank you for allowing comment.

1/29/2019 Provide all Sundays for deer hunting. ( Some people work 6 days ) Lengthen bow season , maybe into February .Establish more seasons like Delaware.( Pistol , late season shotgun/muzzleloader )

1/29/2019 Does the State have any say in hunting on county owned lands? There is large areas in Baltimore County with plenty of deer for bow hunters but not open to hunting. The county spends $200-$300 per deer for sharp shooters to harvest deer on county owned land which could be done for far cheaper with bow hunters. Also, will Baltimore County ever have Sunday hunting?

1/29/2019 A new deer culling campaign is necessary. Deer have surpassed dangerous levels where citizens are catching Lymes disease in their own backyard and regularly faced with dodging deer on the road on a daily basis unbounded by time of day. The deer have decimated even the most deer resistant lay planted landscapes highlighting the overgrazing problem we have caused by overpopulation. It is a public safety matter at this point. In addition to a cull, we should also eliminate a deer take limit from hunting and encourage deer hunting in Maryland.

1/29/2019 Maryland needs a better buck management program so we can have trophy size deer, possibly 1 or 2 buck season limit, with a horn restriction to help the 1 1/2 year old bucks survive. If someone needs to fill the freezer they can harvest does. thank you

1/29/2019 Open all public grounds to Sunday deer hunting not fair that those who have the privilege of hunting private ground can hunt Sunday's while most of the state’s public ground is closed. Furthermore those that have limited vacation time or none at all, that work Monday through Friday a typical 9-5 can only hunt 3 days out of a two week season. Or extend or open early a couple of weeks to give ample opportunities.

1/29/2019 Extend early muzzle to one week, get rid of the doe only season, beginning early Oct. Extend Sunday hunting and allow for public land. Two antlered limit, second buck should be a quality deer, minimum 15’ spread. 1/29/2019 Please allow sale of wild-harvested venison in Maryland. Of course it would require regulation but doing so would increase the incentive for individuals to harvest our enormous deer populations. There are simply not enough hunters under the current configuration. I am strongly opposed to Sunday hunting in state parks: I spend a lot of time in parks across the state and need some assurance that I am not at risk, one day of the week.

1/29/2019 Please include Sunday hunting on public and private land. As a Father of 3, working 50 hours a week, I am only able to hunt when I take time off from work. Sunday hunting would increase my ability to hunt with my children. Please also increase public land opportunity in Harford and Baltimore County to bow hunters. There are so many deer in Parks and public places that would be good for MD bow hunters

1/29/2019 We own a vineyard/winery in Baltimore County and the deer are destroying our crop. We see 10- 15 deer multiple times a day. It is worse than it’s ever been.

1/29/2019 Hello please allow full season Sunday deer hunting in Harford County. I would also like to use a rifle on private owned land. Thank you

1/29/2019 I wish overdevelopment wasn't such a thing so the deer had somewhere to go besides the road. Also they seem really skinny the last season or two: ( is there not enough food for them?

1/29/2019 First of all, it is important to note that the areas my wife and I hunt are not in one specific region but we are very familiar with these hunting grounds. We hunt in western Allegany and eastern Garrett counties; both public and privately owned. For years the deer population has decreased in all these areas and a substantial increase in bear and coyotes has occurred. That's no coincidence! In my opinion, the deer herd doesn't have enough fawn recruitment to keep populations at a strong huntable level. Restricting deer harvest may help with the issue but is not the answer. At the core of the problem is the predators that kill the replacement deer herd. Deer hunting is not a sport for us, as well as many other hunters, it is a way to harvest meat for our freezer. I'm sure there are areas with too many deer per acre/sq. mile and we are seeking those places to hunt but, as it is, the issue of time and traveling to far off new hunting grounds isn't available to us. So we hunt areas in the 240 & 220 land codes. Bottom line, in my opinion, is to put a bounty on coyotes and open up bear season for all licensed hunters. Respectfully submitted, Region A hunters.

1/29/2019 We have lived on Circle Road, which is adjacent to Lake Roland Park property for almost 20 years. Over this time, our deer exposure has increased from occasional deer sightings at dusk, to total loss of extensive amounts of ornamental plantings to the point where we have 5-6 deer (from fawn to bucks) in our yard EVERY afternoon eating ANYTHING that is green! Please do something to reduce the population!

1/29/2019 Stop developing land that removes wildlife habitat. Maryland needs to stop expanding and re- develop the land that's already been cleared. Rather than yet another suburban-rural mall full of chain businesses, focus attention on improving greater Baltimore. Keep Maryland Green! Protect all wildlife!

1/29/2019 No. Sunday hunting. Especially on public lands. We need a day to enjoy our fall without fear of being shot. 1/29/2019 Honestly, the deer population on Summit Avenue - between Joppa and Harford - has been raging out of control for years. This past year I have had no less than ten separate deer just randomly standing on my yard. Due to a large construction project at my house, they began moving to the front yard of my property to destroy EVERYTHING in my front yard - hostas, roses, rhododendrons, etc. Not only destroying my landscaping, but they're carrying around ticks which my husband and I have seen an increase of, as well. There's a gun range on Hilltop - perhaps give them the right to shoot some of them? I don't WANT to have to kill these deer but it's like an invading army in our neighborhood but for some bloody reason they only want to destroy MY property. I also have run the risk of hitting these stupid animals at night because they linger right on the corner of Summit and Hilltop. I have no idea what your plans are for managing this issue, but I certainly hope my little part of Baltimore County is part of those plans.

1/29/2019 A perspective from Kent County where the deer population is thriving: If the goal is a healthy deer herd then the buck/doe ratio must be put into better balance. We already have liberal limits on doe yet the population of does is increasing. I would recommend changing the 2/3 day late firearms season to doe only and making it longer than the current 2 or 3 days. I do agree with the reduction of buck harvest from 4 to 3 and the antler restriction.

1/29/2019 I am among many that have seen the decline in deer population in Garrett co. A lot of us would like to see checking station s again people are not calling their deer kills in. Would also like to see something done about crop damage permits if you want them you should have to open your land to public hunting. I know this will never happen, know people who are killing deer with crop damage permits that are not checking them all in at all. Go back to just 1 doe a year. Thanks

1/29/2019 State wide Sunday hunting on private property. Hunting 1 day a week, unless I take a day off from work is crazy, I live in Cecil county, and local government keeps waiting for the state to set Sunday hunting laws. Thank you.

1/29/2019 Population Goal, Objective 3, Strategy 5: Maintain or increase the ability of deer hunters to access public and private land without prohibitive fees or other barriers. -----Utilize an online system with real-time availability, in place of the phone-in procedure for making reservations in Managed Hunting Areas. Population Goal, Objective 5, and Strategy 3: Strictly limit the importation of dead cervids or parts from areas of the country with diseases of concern --I assume this refers to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and possibly Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). Instead of limiting importation, the strategy should be to prohibit importation. Hunters are already prohibited from removing these parts from CWDMAs. Since the creation of the CWDMA occurred after the release of the current MD Deer Management Plan, I hope that the new Maryland Deer Management Plan will address CWD in Maryland, and include strategies to eliminate or reduce CWD in MD. Recreation Goal, Objective 4, and Strategy 3: Evaluate the safety and efficacy of new hunting techniques, seasons or weapons and review these for compatibility with hunter expectations and acceptance by the general public. This evaluation should consider local conditions that impact the ability of hunting to meet or maintain population objectives. -----Please consider allowing the use of rifles in the Managed Hunting Areas within Cecil County. Safety zones could be marked to help alleviate safety concerns. Education Goal, Objective 1, and Strategy 1: Provide current and useful information on the MDNR Website in a way that is easy to navigate. I had to use the website's search function to find the current Maryland Deer Management Plan. Provide a direct link for the new Maryland Deer Management Plan on the main page for the Hunting in Maryland site (http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/hunt_trap/home.aspx). Thank you for seeking comments from the public. 1/29/2019 3 point on one side antler restriction on any buck taken whether region A or B. (Youth or active military exempt) Keep more than a 1 buck bag limit for the entire season. Having the opportunity to harvest a second buck is nice and will continue to generate revenue for buying bonus tags. No more than 3 bucks statewide per season. In my opinion, Doe seasons and bag limits have been adjusted to where they need to be.

1/29/2019 Opening up Sunday hunting on property leased from Chesapeake forestry. We pay good money for it and it should be considered just like private property. Limiting farmers on their crop damage permits. The farmer where I hunt shoots the deer in the bellies and let them die in the woods. He never retrieves any of them. This has really hurt our deer population on our property.

1/29/2019 I have experienced 3 car accidents in the last 12 months resulting in over $20,000 in damages. I have had numerous close calls since as I live between Elk Neck State Park and Turkey Point. The deer population is the worst I've seen in over 30 years and the traffic on this road has increased dramatically- something needs to be done - driving here is like Russian Roulette.

1/29/2019 Hello, As a Maryland resident and hunter I would like to see Maryland encourage the importance of deer management. I feel that today’s modern hunting has a negative image to a majority of the suburb population (where I am from). Every week on my way to work I see a new deer laying on the side of the road that was hit by a motor vehicle. In my opinion (and probably yours too) it’s sad to see a valuable resource waste on the side of the road day after day that someone like myself would have paid to hunt and harvest otherwise. I believe we should be encourage more hunting in central Maryland to decrease to the number of deer on the side of the road and increase the number hunting licenses sold as well as increase the number of deer harvested. I would also like to see an early archery season with the focus on public land near suburban areas, such as Patapsco valley from what I am near, to decrease the amount of wildlife motor crashes and waste on the side. CWD is something that also concerns me and would like to see a long term plan to managing it and to also have a place that I can get game tested. Thank you for letting me submit my comments. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at any time.

1/29/2019 Our family loves seeing the deer in our area, Oldfield Point Road. We don't think there should be any hunting of them because the homes are too close together. Everyone knows to watch for them in the evening and during their mating season. There hasn't been any damage to crops or anything else because it no longer exists on Oldfield Point.

1/29/2019 I've been hunting for more than 35yrs in MD .Been on a lot of managed hunts and have had a lot of successful hunts. We need more of them in areas next to housing an neighborhoods that are over run with deer .There is no need for sharp shooters when there are plenty of qualifying hunters to do the job for free an put the meat to good use. Anne Arundel co. and Baltimore co. There are many, many areas that could hold managed hunts put on by DNR officials I've been on them in the pass and no reason that Can't be done again. Thank u

1/29/2019 I live on Elk Forest Road in Cecil County between to the hunting areas. We need more hunting as the deer eat everything from bird feeders to pretty much anything you plant. To make matters worse I have neighbors who feed the deer even after I have repeatedly told them they shouldn't. Can DNR do more and better public messaging about feeding wild animals? Thank you I know how thin the DNR officers are spread, they do a great job. 1/29/2019 A humane option for controlling dear population is through wildlife fertility control. Specifically, PZP (porcine zona pellucida) is an immunocontraception vaccine that can be used to control fertility in adult female dear and other mammals. Since 1990, the Humane Society of the United States has conducted successful population control on dear by darting female dear with PZP, which can safely and humanely prevent births for up to three years per treatment. Dear populations on the NIST land in Gaithersburg, MD have been controlled through the HSUS in this way. Such methods can be especially useful in populated areas where residents would be wary of hunting as a method of deer population control.

1/29/2019 I have been hunting as an out of state hunter for 28 years, make the buck 3 or more points on one side, but reinstate 3 bucks total, I enjoy archery, muzzle loader and rifle season, I personally do not want to drive 4 hours and stay for a week to hunt antlerless deer. I hunt public ground in region A. Love hunting your state and DNR Is top notch.

1/29/2019 Make early muzzleloader season a full week, and make all Sundays on private land during all three seasons open for hunting. Also northern Cecil county needs to be shotgun county not rifle, it is only a matter of time before someone gets accidently hurt and that will just cause more problems for us hunters trying to find property to get permission for hunting. It is really getting very built up in Northern Cecil county. And we are surrounded by shotgun counties.

1/29/2019 Continue the donation program to local butcher shops. From my understanding funding was cut last year and many shops dropped the donation amount from unlimited to 4 I believe. More funding for this program would let hunters harvest animals without the problem of finding someone to take the harvest or foot the bill out of their own pocket to process the harvest. I've donated many over the years that this program has been in place. Usually 2-3 deer is all I need in my freezer and after that my harvests were donated. To help continue to control the population and encourage hunters to take more deer I feel this program is beneficial to the deer management plan.

1/29/2019 Deer numbers in Howard and Frederick counties seem to steadily decline each year. I spend roughly 100 hours hunting per season, and see less and less each year. I hunt from a climbing stand and pay close attention to scent control and wind direction. I feel the early muzzleloader seasons and late gun seasons should be eliminated, as they are eliminating too many deer before and after they have bread. Couple that with the use of crossbow for everyone and very liberal bag limits, and our deer population is going to be in trouble for my sons’ generation. Also public land should have lower bag limits.

1/29/2019 I would like to see a return to more management units. I do not believe Region A and Region B is sufficient to address differences in landscape scale habitats and the associated deer (and hunter) densities. While it may not be necessary to manage at the fine scale, unit level like nearby states such as PA and NY, I think Maryland would benefit from at least 4 Management Units. These would include a Western zone (mountains), Central zone (mainly piedmont), Eastern zone (mainly coastal plain), and an Urban Zone (encompassing the known urban/suburban/exurban areas where high deer densities and lower hunter densities are known to be most common). There is something to be said for keeping deer management simple. I think this simplicity can be maintained, while still managing at a slightly finer scale.

1/29/2019 Go back to Deer Check-in stations and get scientific results and true check in numbers. True point restrictions on all antlered deer, not where one can be under. Stop crop damage permits on farms. This has reduced bucks as buttons are being shot and impregnated does being harvested. Finding lots of deer killed and left on these farms. Sunday hunting on all private land. 1/28/2019 1) I believe that allowing bow hunting and managed gun hunts on public lands has been and will continue to be an effective and low cost way to manage the states deer population. Please push to open up additional properties.2) I would like to see the current antler restrictions kept in place. Hunters need to be encouraged to allow at least some bucks to mature. If they need meet - shoot a doe.

1/28/2019 Deer are abundant in Maryland. Unfortunately, so are people in much of the state. This poses difficulties for hunters, especially those of us who are new to the area and sport. To make hunting more accessible, I would recommend the following: 1) Make reservations for WMA's an online process that gives working folks a fair shot at getting competitive spots. Currently, the system rewards people who have time to make repeated phone calls at the beginning of reservation hours. I suspect many of these people dominate the reservations for the relatively few WMA's in the eastern portion of the state. An online system could allow folks to enter into a daily lottery that weights their probability of getting a spot on a WMA by the number of times they have been granted a permit. 2) Reduce the buffer zone size archery hunting. 150 yards is unreasonable, at least for a vertical bow. Perhaps there could be different buffer sizes for crossbow and vertical bow since these gear types vary substantially in their ranges? This would allow hunters greater access to deer in their highest densities, where management is most needed. 3) Allow Sunday hunting on public land. This presents an unfair advantage to hunters who both work and cannot afford to own land or a hunting lease. Keep up the good work!

1/28/2019 There still needs to be a better antler restriction. Something like 8pt. or better, the one in place now isn't working, If you want trophy deer in Maryland you have to take extreme measures. Md. Is far from having trophy deer like other states, Ohio, Kansas, Illinois, are just a few. My opinion is you’re just worried about population control, online checking is no way to control what's legally be harvested.

1/28/2019 I live in an area of urban sprawl in Howard County. The deer population is predictably large and bothersome. Because of so many residential homes with pockets of open space scattered about, hunting is prohibitive. Is there such a thing as oral birth control for deer that might be put into salt licks placed high enough to deter smaller animals from licking...? Just a thought...I would love to be able to garden with having to cover everything with wire!

1/28/2019 Deep populations in Patapsco Valley State Park in Howard County are far too high. Every single family in my neighborhood has had at least one person with lyme disease, and growing native plants in unfenced areas is impossible. Measures should be undertaken to reduce herd size. Antler size restrictions should be implemented (e.g. no harvest of bucks of <8 pts) to increase the take of does. Expand Sunday hunting everywhere except public lands.

1/28/2019 I live in the Rockville suburbs. 6 or more deer parade through my yard every few days. They have destroyed 40 year old azaleas and my neighbors veg garden. Fun to see but they are a hazard as they parade down the middle of the street at night etc.

1/28/2019 I believe that the Department should take a long look at the number of crop damage permits issued and its effect on a valuable financial resource that is deer hunting in the state of Maryland. I think the department should also talk to sport hunters and hunting guides which I am sure feel the effects of the reduced number of deer and the impact on the population of young bucks that are reaching maturity (3.5 years and older). I also think the department should take a good look at the bag limits and possibly reduce them to ensure a sustainable resource for the future and implement a state wide antler restriction immediately. Regards (a Maryland resident and interested hunter)

1/28/2019 One way to manage the growing herd of deer is to have multiple rifle hunts each year rather than one three week season in the fall. 1/28/2019 I believe the overpopulation of deer creates a hazardous situation for drivers in MD. The population is way outside of natural for the history of the area and the population should be culled extensively through hunting and using the meat to feed the homeless.

1/28/2019 Two points: 1) Deer populations continue to increase rapidly across much of Maryland, negatively impacting the environment and other species. The rule that it is illegal to hunt or shoot at wildlife within 150 yards of any building or camp occupied by human beings without permission of the owner or occupant means that for every one owner or occupant that declines hunting access we automatically provide another 150 yard radius of sanctuary for an already overabundant deer population. This distance should be reduced to 50 yards across the state (in every county) to maintain safe hunting practices while strategically increasing hunting access and hopefully increasing the deer harvest by hunters in suburban areas with smaller parcels. 2) With most citizens having a favorable view of hunting and recognizing the need for managing species like deer, Sunday hunting should be permitted in every county during the entire season from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. I realize that equestrian groups and others have voiced strong preferences to limit hunting to early morning in certain areas referencing safety concerns in their logic, however hunters pay taxes in equal amounts, and better advocates for conservation, and contribute more revenue to the state in the form of licenses and fees than any group against Sunday hunting. It's about time that we utilize every opportunity or at least more of them to address public safety concerns like reducing an already overpopulated deer herd, reducing inbreeding due to smaller ranges and higher densities of deer, and the spread of diseases like CWD.

1/28/2019 As a 28 year old and biologist who has been hunting for a few years - a number of things stick out to me as a frustration for hunters of my age. Land prices and development of rural land in Maryland all but makes hunting private land impossible. Public land is few and far between in the central part of the state (and basically nonexistent for rifle hunters). Obviously any increase in public hunting lands would be great. Additionally, I think making muzzleloader season open to shotguns would be a good idea. Old muzzleloaders were inaccurate and led to a ton of fatally wounded deer. New muzzleloaders are almost as accurate as a rifle. I feel this season was made to benefit the old school muzzleloader hunters and provide some advantage to them. At this point, even rifled shotguns aren't as accurate as modern black powder guns, so why not open it up to both and allow shotgun/rifle hunters at least a little bit of the early rut season?

1/28/2019 Hunting alone isn't keeping a manageable population in many suburbs. Recommend after hours shooting in areas with high populations of deer. When I started hunting deer were very rare and taking one was quite an accomplishment. Now when I hear someone talking about killing 10 to 12 per year legally I recoil. But, I suppose I should be thanking them.

1/28/2019 I would like to see the Dept. explore the extensive use of fertility controls especially in more urban areas but also in agricultural regions. From my observations and hearing from farmers, hunting alone has not been successful in managing white tail deer populations, so some other means must be explored to alleviate the damage deer are doing to crops and horticulture. Also, we are seeing a significant increase in deer ticks which carry limes disease. This will become a public health problem in the future if nothing is done to effectively stop the deer population increase. 1/28/2019 We desperately need to have as many deer culled as possible, especially near urban areas. They are destroying our native ecosystems, and contribute to the spread of invasive plants, many of which they will not eat. A good friend has permanent hearing loss from complications of Lyme disease. I cannot plant many native plants on my property because the deer pressure is so strong that they are all rapidly eaten - all young trees have to be protected from the bucks. Cromwell Valley Park in Baltimore County had a deer cull of nearly 80 two years ago in an area that cannot support more than 10-20 deer at the most. Culling by sharpshooters must be year-round and maintained, otherwise they just come back. The hunting season should be extended and there should be no limit on the numbers taken. Venison can be contributed to food pantries too. We are losing our native ecosystems to the dual onslaught of invasives and deer overpopulation. Also there should be fines for feeding wild deer in yards - people should not be allowed to leave food out for them.

1/28/2019 Night time shooting should be more than February and March, deer are doing the damage in June, July and August. Should not have to wear florescent orange in summertime shooting, many times I am sitting in farmers manure shed or in the shade of his grain bin. Need to require hunters to physically register their deer at check station to prevent ghost registration and require some does be shot before a buck can be killed. Need to fund the food bank so we have somewhere to take the deer.

1/28/2019 Following my invitation to the Maryland- National Capital Park and Planning Commission to bring police sharpshooters here to kill deer, on 04Feb2014, [email protected] emailed me. Thank you for your email. We are currently looking at deer management at Oxon Hill Manor, Enterprise Golf Crouse, and Henson Creek Steam Valley Park. We will look into the Chestnut Hill Park area for future management. If M-NCPPC has ever managed deer in Chestnut Hills Park, Beltsville, I don't know about it. Only yesterday, in Chestnut Hills Park, I looked at a young beech tree which deer likely killed by rubbing their antlers against it. Deer have caused similar damage to young trees and shrubs in my yard. Yesterday, in Chestnut Hills Park, I observed that the deer have grazed the Euonymus fortunei close to the ground. They must be very hungry. The deer defeat efforts to improve the health of this urban forest. FYI, in 2017, I completed the online noncredit class, The Woods in Your Backyard, taught by University of Maryland Extension, Western Maryland Research & Education Center.

1/28/2019 Hunting is an effective way to control the deer population. Please do consider ways to increase the acceptance (public outreach and education) and effectiveness of harvest management (more detailed regulations spatially). e.g. There are 2 broad regions (A and B) and some county-specific regs, but deer populations vary at finer scales than those current regulations making for a poor fit in many areas. Perhaps use the DNR harvest codes/zones to enact more detailed harvest goals (e.g. Montgomery county is split into 4 sub regions).

1/28/2019 I have been deer hunting St Mary's County since 1972. This past year the population is drastically down for some odd reason? Not due to coyotes. I also believe the crop damage permits are too liberal as I know for a fact of farmers shooting every deer possible through the summer months and leaving them rot. Just think these should be monitored more closely as I do not see much management in place. If in fact numbers are truly up then just have a longer hunting season through February for sportsmen and cut back on crop damage permits???? And no crop damage killing from March through October. 1/28/2019 We are Nursery in central Maryland. Our damages from deer increase every year. We take extensive measures to attempt to limit our damages. Measures taken are tree trunk protection, fencing and limited hunting. While these measures help with increasing development our damages increase every year. I am not a big advocate of hunting. I find it the only option to help our deer population. It is very difficult to control our deer problem during the day, as deer do not visit our nursery during daylight hours. I feel that the crop Damage permits need to allow nighttime hunting in certain instances. I feel the crop damage program is difficult and cumbersome. We have not applied for permits because of this .Thanks

1/28/2019 I live in Worcester county in the Ocean Pines community. I am not a hunter but feel there are more deer each year. The herd seems to be healthy and hunting does control the size of the herds. I am for hunting to cull their numbers. The deer pose a real hazard to vehicles on the road.

1/28/2019 A managed hunting zone backs up to our properties in Phoenix, bounded by Phoenix and Carroll Roads. As the deer hunting season (mercifully for us) finally ends this year, we are more than happy to provide feedback about our experience to the state. Since the managed hunt began some six years ago, we have felt under siege between the months of September and January, with hunters wandering across our properties, putting up deer stands in woods on private property, and roaming around in the early morning hours (before light) to search for deer to which they have failed to deliver a kill shot and have wandered off to die. Sadly, there have been at least two occasions this season we know about where deer carcasses have been left to rot with their heads/antlers being the only 'prize' they take; isn't that illegal? And, hunters often leave behind their trash both in the managed zone as well as on private property. We know this because we can see the uptick in litter along the areas where hunters park, particularly on Carroll Road during the hunting season. We have also found arrowheads on several properties as well as the NCR trail. Additionally, even with No Parking signs on Carroll Road, we still see hunters parking their vehicles (mostly trucks) alongside the road where they shouldn't be, and where there are some abrupt and possibly dangerous drop-offs into the gully. Most of the trucks we see parking and tearing up the turf (on the shoulders the city carefully regraded in 2017 to support the new culvert work and prevent flooding) are not even Maryland residents but are from Pennsylvania. In the past, we have been advised by DNR to call immediately with any violations, but that does not seem a viable option since these actions need to be addressed immediately rather than wait for law enforcement to arrive. Our understanding is that managed hunts are intended to cull deer, which in some areas have been become overpopulated and hence a nuisance. We can assure you as we have done in the past that that is not the case on our little patch as far as we know, there has never been a survey completed to determine the numbers, however, we feel confident that the land can easily support the small herd that we do see. We hope the state will reconsider designating us as a NO HUNTING ZONE in the near future. The angst the hunt causes homeowners/taxpayers for nearly half the year cannot possibly be worth it. There are plenty of deer in plenty of other places (not in close proximity to homes) to cull, generating income for the state.

1/28/2019 I would like to see longer seasons in Region A and remain the same as they currently are in Region B. A 2 week muzzleloader season in December in Region A.

1/28/2019 I believe it is imperative to better manage the deer in MD. They are over running the area and damaging crops and dangerous on the roads. Thank you

1/28/2019 There are too many deer. You need to extend the seasons for all (bow, black powder, and shotgun). Maybe allow some hunting during rutting so that fewer deer breed. I don't hunt deer, but continue to allow hunters to bait. Maybe even offer bounties on females. Remove all restrictions. Otherwise DNR is going to have to start to hire hunters. 1/28/2019 Something has to be done to contain their population. They have been detrimental to Farmers this year, and to the average citizen and number of car accidents involving deer. These deer are owned by the state of Maryland and if one of my livestock were to injure somebody I would personally be responsible and I don't see the state taking responsibility for an animal they claim to own. Whether its reproductive control increase hunting something has to be done. Consider allowing the sale of venison to encourage more hunting.

1/28/2019 I think we must find a NON-LETHAL means of management in our suburban areas. Culling our deer is NOT an effective means of management. It is unfortunate that the DNR are paid by the hunters and fisherman who purchase licenses, this is a conflict of interests. So, please, let's put some time and money into NON-LETHAL management by sterilizing the young does. Thank you.

1/28/2019 Open deer season statewide on all Sundays (and all day Sundays). Archery, muzzle loader and firearms. Current Sunday deer hunting where I live is in am. Only, excluding church attending folks.

1/28/2019 If not sure if this is the input you were hoping for, but it'd be nice to hunt on Sundays in Prince George's Co and if shot gun season was longer. There are so many deer here, but Saturday is our only real day to hunt.

1/28/2019 I think the white tailed deer are widely out of control. They are all over my farm and we are losing hay to them rapidly.

1/28/2019 Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I urge you to try immunocontraception following the NIST model.

1/28/2019 Deer are overpopulated. We need to extend the deer hunting season to allow for better population control. Please extend hunting season for guns and rifles. Thank you

1/28/2019 Would like to see Sunday hunting in All counties through the firearms season. Also allow 3 antlered deer at any time without a bonus stamp until 3 are harvested.

1/28/2019 We need to increase Sunday hunting even on public land on the eastern shore. I see no hunters Hikers, joggers in Pocomoke State forest on opening day of the deer firearm season They should be wearing orange. Hikers can use the forest anytime without buying a license. Hunters must buy a licensee and are prohibited from hunting on Sunday during deer season. Most hunter leave before Monday OPEN THE STATE FOREST TO SUNDAY HUNTING

1/28/2019 Please consider having a managed hunt at the Graham area Of Gunpowder Falls State Park. I am the facilities manager of the Equestrian operation there and the deer are destroying everything. Thank you.

1/28/2019 I would like to see bucks allowed to grow more points and bigger racks. Meat hunters can shoot doe. Jr hunters keep as is.

1/28/2019 Sunday hunting in all counties( Howard specifically) how can I get involved to make this happen

1/28/2019 I would like to see DNR permit land owners to fill crop damage permits 24 hours a day. A farmer often works from daybreak until dark on farm activities. It would be very helpful to allow these permits to be filled at night.

1/28/2019 Allow rifles in all counties. Let the hunter choose if he wants to use a different gun. 1/28/2019 Overall I think that the population of deer seems to be healthy, could probably support heavier culling for a while. I'm more concerned with seeing more or more effective means of catching people trespassing on property without permission (we give permission to several people as we don't hunt ourselves but they keep reporting unknown hunters on the same land) during the various seasons.

1/28/2019 Passing Sunday hunting on both private and public lands in counties that currently do not have this. It is archaic that we are still not allowed to hunt on Sundays on our own private property in AACO!

1/28/2019 Allow the sale of venison. Providing a market for venison would encourage more people to kill deer.

1/28/2019 The ultimate goal has to be to thin the population. They are destroying every growing thing in Baltimore County. I think that bow hunting should be year round, and perhaps the cost of a license should stay the same, or even be lowered to entice more bow hunters. I believe the same for hunting with guns. I am neither, but that seems to be a couple of good things to consider.

1/28/2019 Open up all Sunday hunting statewide (this would help all the hunters that work 5/6 days a week) also add point restrictions on all bucks (3pts on one antler)

1/28/2019 Cut back the antler deer harvest in Region B to two (2) total antlered deer per deer season and only one (1) per weapon / season. IE- One (1) with archery and one (1) with gun. Done antlered hunting for the season. No bonus tag. If you need money from bonus tag make second antler deer a bonus tag. We need an older age class of antlered deer in Region B Washington County Maryland

1/28/2019 Given the modern efficiency of primitive weapons, there is little reason to continue to establish separate muzzleloader seasons. I believe a much longer gun season, where hunters can use the weapon of choice would result in just as many people hunting, just as many days. Certainly in my area a lower deer population is needed and honestly the work in killing, cleaning and processing deer over a 2 week season is a deterrent. If the gun season were 6 or 8 weeks long hunters could spread that work out and tolerate taking more deer. On the QM issue - my farm has a simple rule - 1 buck per year and it has to be mounted...I have no shortage of people wanting to hunt, and I have a dramatically larger number of mature deer than if I allowed any size buck. I would favor a 1 buck per year 4 points on one side minimum (my rule is 4 points and wider than the ears).

1/28/2019 I live in Garrett County and I am confused about why we are allowed to harvest only 2 antlered deer. If you are wanting to increase the deer herd, eliminate the doe season or go back to having to draw a tag for a doe. I would love to see more deer in the woods when I am there, but I don't think harvesting 3 bucks, 1 per season is a bad thing. It sounds to me like QDMA has way to much say in Maryland deer hunting. They are all for monster bucks, we eat the meat up here.

1/28/2019 Wherever hunting is allowed on private land on Sundays, it should also be opened on public lands. There is no question that this favors those with the money and resources to afford private leases, and provides them with effectively a longer hunting season than public land hunters. I know of no other situation where this would be deemed acceptable.

1/28/2019 Please don't give the QDMA crowd an oversized influence in determining deer management strategies. The vast majority of hunters just want to responsibly hunt average deer and don't want to be encumbered by regulations that overly restrict antler size. 1/28/2019 Implicating a no limit on does for the entire hunting season would reduce deer numbers. Also starting the firearm season a couple weeks sooner would also help. Having a HFFH program where hunters can donate meat to food bank and pay butchers for processing. Always a sore subject is night hunting. But, properly managed can be effective in certain areas, such as private owned lands.

1/28/2019 I have a Christmas tree farm and receive damage every year. Unfortunately the damage is always done at night and the deer are not seen during the day. Although I have a crop damage permit, the weather this year was not conducive to regular hunting during the season when processors are open. This year was especially bad since few deer were seen in the usual hunting spots even on days the hunters were able to get out. We have about six thousand trees and experience about one hundred or so damaged each year. This along with the bad tree growing weather we have had for a number of years has been discouraging.

1/28/2019 There are some public hunting lands that are only available for Monday, Wednesday and Friday hunting in the central region (others?) Can this restriction be lifted or at least include Saturdays?

1/28/2019 Recommend managing population through extended archery/cross bow season. Open archery on Sundays for private property. Licensing archers for residential herd populations for safety to citizens and reductions to car strikes. No support whatsoever for contraception or sterilization boondoggle. Implement quality deer management for bucks based on herd population count per county. Example is does only, either sex, 6pt or greater to encourage healthy buck to doe ratios.

1/28/2019 I have not seen a deer in the woods/forest in over 10 years and I hunt close to 70 days a year I hunt public land mostly wildlife management areas in Washington and Montgomery counties. I grew up hunting Indian Springs WMA and still do but there is nothing left up there to hunt not even squirrels. you all opened it up to FREE FOR ALL hunting and now look what you got I tell you what you got JACK S---

1/28/2019 I have been deer hunting Wicomico and Somerset Counties for over 40 years. Makes no sense why we cannot hunt in Wicomico County on all Sundays, has to be political as I see more dead deer in Wicomico County than Somerset (I am a traveling Eastern Shore Salesman).Would be nice to have longer rifle season as well. Thank you

1/28/2019 Easier access to crop damage permits for those who can prove that they are actively involved in crop production

1/28/2019 Well first I appreciate this opportunity to express my concerns and wishes. First I would Like to see the total whitetail deer harvest lowered to 5 total and no more than 2 bucks. Also open all Sundays to hunt and limited state property. Finally I would like to have the opportunity to carry a handgun during archery seasons. I live on eastern shore and no we don't have a bear problem but we do have other animals and wild or feral dogs. Please consider my proposals. Thank you

1/28/2019 2 buck limit. Weapon of your choice10 doe limit. Total all 3 seasons. Do away with the doe only muzzleloader season. Sunday hunting all season and on public land. No baiting at all. That’s 12 deer total for hunters that plenty. I think the average is 1.8 per hunter anyway.

1/28/2019 To the greatest extent safely possibly allow legal hunting control the deer population. We have 2500 contiguous acres of preserved forest on Back River Neck in Essex with a huge and growing deer population. And legal hunting is not currently allowed. In a few years the deer population will be so large the forest will look like Aberdeen Proving Ground. Where all the low branches and bushes have been devoured by deer. 1/28/2019 The deer population is on the down side here in Western Md. I have been hunting deer here since 1961. I have noticed the population rise from a few then to many a couple of years ago. Now we are on the decline. I would suggest that the seasons be shortened or the limit be lowered. As far as having to count points to kill a buck the old 3 inch rule was fine. If a person wants to wait on big horns that is their choice but the other person should not be forced to wait if they are not after horns. Shooting over bait is just that - shooting. It is not hunting nor is it sporting.

1/28/2019 Deer harvested in regular hunting season are better to eat with less spoilage and waste as opposed to crop damage harvested deer. The problem is the deer very quickly become nocturnal and retreat too difficult to reach areas. In heavily populated deer areas longer rifle seasons and some permitted night hunting would reduce deer herds to better levels and crop damage shooting would not be as necessary. Other states permit nocturnal hog hunting using thermal night vision technology that could be similarly used for deer without need for spotlighting and would be enthusiastically embraced by many deer hunters. You could even sell another stamp to do so and make more money.

1/28/2019 2 buck bag limit in region B. No bonus tag. Antler restrictions to at least 3 points on 1 side for both antlered deer. Thank you

1/28/2019 Have one deer season from 9/15 to 1/15 using bow, shotgun or black powder and set a limit on the amount of deer a hunter can take during that time frame.

1/28/2019 Every Sunday should be open to hunt everything in every season, on private property at a minimum. Antlerless limits should be lowered as there are fewer deer every season and should be an antler point restriction on every antlered deer

1/28/2019 -Sunday hunting statewide. Very difficult to keep track of where and when/what time (Montgomery county) you can hunt on Sundays currently. Equestrian community has plenty of opportunity and neither activity (hunting/horseback riding) seems to negatively I…

1/28/2019 Open early Bow Oct 1 instead of in September. It’s too hot and too many Ticks out. And finish Bow Season in February, when it finally seems to get cold. Seems like it doesn't get cold around here anymore until late January.

1/28/2019 Need to open every Sunday in every county for Deer Hunting. Many people work Saturdays like A regular work day to provide for their family. Delaware did it this past Season. Maybe look at their Statistics and see how much changed.

1/28/2019 I would like to see hunting allowed on Sundays in Baltimore County.

1/28/2019 I'm a new resident, and lifelong deer hunter. I really like the rules here for number of deer one can harvest and the readily available public land. My experiences on properties you have to reserve have been better than the free for all type areas like McKee-Besher .I'm new to bowhunting as I've always rifle hunted, so do wish I had some chance to do so in Montgomery County, but completely understand the risk associated with it and why it’s not allowed. 1/28/2019 I have the utmost respect and admiration for the animals I hunt. I want to ensure future generations get better opportunities to hunt these same animals. There is no reason to not allow Sunday hunting all day in all counties. This will give more people more chances to hunt, these laws are not in place for a 'rest' day. That are out of date religiously motivated 'blue' laws that have no place in a modern day society. Adding a weekend hunting day either it be private land only will only benefit the state agencies with increased opportunities for hunters. Private land or md resident only. Why not? There isn't a reason not to. Secondly I think crop damage permits should be revised, these deer should have to be checked in and there needs to be a better vetting process for those that acquire these permits. I have nothing but respect for farmers and want them to have the biggest yields possible. Unfortunately it is common practice for those shooting deer under crop damage permits to kill or would get with zero intention of gathering and using the meat. This is blatant disrespect to every citizen of this beautiful state. These are a natural and renewable resources that belongs to everyone. I don't know that the answer is but there should be a way to let hunters sign up to hunt properties under crop damage permits wither it be via lottery or first come first serve. I understand the concern of property owners and having unknown people on their property but this is a resource that also belongs to the people and they shouldn't be able to kill deer without making every effort of retrieving it. Give farm owners tax incentives for allowing a lottery/first come based hunts under their crop damage permits. They can choose weaponry and stand locations and appoint the hunters. These types of things are common on other areas. I would have no problem paying for a special permit to be able to hunt a lottery based crop damage permit.

1/28/2019 -The deer damage is not happening during the hot summer days, it occurs through the night. Allow night hunting for crop damage (especially vegetable crops).-It is difficult to process the deer at home in the hot summer time, can other options be explored

1/28/2019 I'm against asserting power over another whether in the form of rape, child molestation, eating animals, or killing deer. Imagine a world where we treated all others with respect and fairness.

1/28/2019 Hi there! I hope before I start that everyone's opinions get brought up in discussion and are given proper consideration. There are a lot of issues that I see with the deer management in certain areas of Maryland. Let's start with Region A. I’ve spent a fair share of time this past year at Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area and was quite disappointed. There are way too many hunters opening day of rifle season. It's like a war zone. I almost feel sorry for the deer. I think we need to go to a permit system for certain areas like Indian Springs that are lacking quality deer. The bucks’ genetics in the area are terrible and I think that proper nutrition is a big reason why. We need food plots and some high protein food for the deer to grow. Mothers to nourish their fawns through the spring/summer and fall plots to fuel them through the rut and tough winter ahead. I also believe that you should be able to harvest your doe whenever you are able to. I honestly believe you have a better chance at harvesting a mature bear there than a nice buck. For Region B...there's no way you should be able to harvest 36 does or whatever it is. That's ridiculous. I'd like to see similar regulations to Region A as far as bag limits. Sunday hunting is a big issue for me since most of us work all week and only have the weekend to hunt. We should be able to at least bowhunt Sunday's on public ground, especially Frederick and Montgomery counties. Finally, if Maryland would go to 1 buck statewide, similar to Ohio's bag limits, and limited doe harvests, I believe you would see a huge difference in quality deer management. Thanks for your time!

1/28/2019 I would like to see Sunday hunting on private be all day. I work most Saturdays so that is the only time I have. The place I hunt isn't a morning place. Afternoon hunt would be great.