September Teal Season Dates Announced

Annapolis, Md. (August 20, 2012) ─  The State’s September teal hunting season will run from September 17 through 29. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has established a four teal daily bag limit (blue-winged, green-winged or combined) with hunting open in select counties and areas.

“The teal season provides a unique opportunity for hunters to pursue this early migrating game bird as they pass through the State before the regular duck season opens,” said DNR Waterfowl Project Leader Larry Hindman.

The special teal season will be held only in the following areas: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties; and part of Anne Arundel (east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97 and Route 3), Prince George’s (east of Route 3 and Route 301) and Charles (east of Route 301 to the Virginia line) counties.

September teal seasons are offered to states that derive more than 80 percent of their annual teal harvest from the prairie pothole region of the north central U.S. and southern Canada. During the 2012 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat Survey, about 9.2 million blue-winged teal were recorded; green-winged teal were at 3.5 million, 20 percent higher than last spring.

Only teal may be taken during this waterfowl season. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset to avoid the period when other waterfowl, particularly wood ducks, are most active.

All migratory game bird hunters, including landowners who are license-exempt, are required to purchase the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp/HIP Permit. All waterfowl hunters ages 16 and over must possess the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (federal duck stamp). Hunting licenses and stamps may be purchased online through https://compass.dnr.maryland.gov/dnrcompassportal or by phone at 1-800-918-2870. These services complement the hundreds of retail vendors currently selling licenses, permits and stamps.

More information on the 2012 teal season is available at dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/tealchart.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov