Deer in Spring Landscape

Photograph of Dragonfly courtesy of LaVonda Walton, USFWSHanover Watershed CWMA

Located on the outskirts of Hanover, Pennsylvania the property is owned by the city of Hanover. The 337-acre tract is managed to protect the Hanover Watershed.

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What To See

Hanover CWMA provides habitat for upland and forest wildlife species primarily white-tailed deer, wild turkey, rabbit, squirrel, and songbirds.

What To Do

The area is open to hunting for all game species during the regulated hunting season established by the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service. Hunters are required to have a permit and a daily reservation to access the area.

Area Regulations

  • Access to Hanover CWMA is restricted from September 1 through February 15 for the hunting season for seasonal permit holders with daily reservations (except on Sundays). This restriction is also in place during the spring turkey season.

  • No motorized vehicles are allowed.

  • Horseback riding is prohibited.

  • Parking is available on both Garrett Road and Band Hall Hill Road.

  • Hunters must park in the designated parking areas.

  • Use of rifles is permitted during the regulated hunting seasons by licensed hunters with a reservation.

  • No target shooting is permitted at any time of the year.

    • Non-Hunting Users

  • Outside of the hunting season, public access to Hanover CWMA is prohibited.

    • Site Management Practices

  • Hanover CWMA is primarily forested land that contains large tracts of commercial pine stands mixed with intermittent hardwood stands. Using sustainable forestry practices, periodically timber harvests are conducted on the area.

    • Map of Maryland showing approximate location of Hanover CWMADirections

    Hanover CWMA is located on the south side of Hanover, Pennsylvania. Public access to this area is off of Maryland State Route 30. Parking lots are located on both Garrett Road and Band Hall Hill Road. For additional information or seasonal permits, contact the Gwynnbrook Wildlife and Heritage Service Office at 410-356-9272.

    Photograph of Dragonfly courtesy of LaVonda Walton, USFWS

    This area is a part of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources public land system and is managed by the Wildlife and Heritage Service. The primary mission of the WMA system is to conserve and enhance wildlife populations and their respective habitats as well as to provide public recreational use of the State’s wildlife resources.

    Eighty-five percent of the funding for Maryland's state wildlife programs comes from hunting license fees and a federal excise tax on sport hunting devices and ammunition. The federal aid funds are derived from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (or Pittman-Robertson) Fund, which sportsmen and women have been contributing to since 1937. Each state receives a share of the funds, which is administered by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service; these funds are used for wildlife conservation and hunter education programs, including the management of the WMA system.

    Other sources of funds for land acquisition include Program Open Space Funding for Maryland's State and local parks and conservation areas, provided through The Department of Natural Resources' Program Open Space. Established in 1969, Program Open Space symbolizes Maryland's long-term commitment to conserving natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities.