Important Notes for the 2023 Bear Hunting Season​

• The 2023 bear hunting season will be open for six days (October 23-28, 2023).
• The black bear hunting zone includes all of Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties.
• Maryland’s black bear hunting season is not a quota hunt and hunters are not required to check in each evening.
• Sub-permittees may hunt black bears regardless of​ whether the permittee is actively hunting.
• As in previous seasons, only one black bear may be harvested by a permittee/sub-permittee hunting team.
• Permittees and sub-permittees are not required to maintain visual contact with one another while hunting black bears. Hunters are reminded that a permittee and sub-permittee team of hunters may kill only one black bear. It is the responsibility of the hunting team to maintain some form of communication to ensure that only one bear is taken.
• At the conclusion of the lottery, winning DNRid numbers will be posted on this page.

View Lottery Results

Other Useful Links

• Black Bear Hunting Regulations and 2023​ Season and Bag Limits
• Explanation of the Preference Point System
• An Overview of the Black Bear Hunting Seasons: 2004-2022​
• History of Bears/Bear Management in Maryland
• Public Land Hunting Opportunities
• General Hunting Regulations
• Bear Hunting Regulations
• Bear Hunting Area
• Bear Check-in Procedures
• Responsible Hunting
• Planning Your Bear Hunt
• Bear Hunting Techniques
• Care of Your Bear
• Contact Numbers​