NWTF Supports Maryland Sunday Hunting Legislation

Maryland House Bill 1063 proposes a phased approach to expanding Sunday hunting access, providing new opportunities in select areas between now and 2029. This bill would change Sunday time restrictions for deer hunting in certain counties during firearms season, and it would repeal the prohibition that is currently on hunting migratory game birds on Sundays. 

This legislation aligns with the goals of NWTF’s Forests and Flocks Initiative, boosting regional support for hunting opportunities across the Northeast.

Beginning in in 2030, MDDNR will have full authority to set Sunday hunting dates, allowing the agency to manage Sunday hunting based on biological data, public input and conservation priorities.

“Providing wildlife agencies with the flexibility to manage hunting opportunities is so important for ensuring decisions remain grounded in research, science and wildlife management,” said Mitch Blake, NWTF district biologist. “This legislation is also important for supporting R3 (the recruitment, retention and reactivation of hunters) efforts in the state of Maryland because of the expansion of hunting opportunities.”

HB 1063 will support hunter participation by providing additional access for working families and will advance conservation funding through increased engagement in outdoor recreation.

In 2025 alone, Maryland’s sportsmen and women generated more than $27.1 million for conservation funding in Maryland through revenue derived from license sales and excise taxes on sporting-related goods in the unique “user pays, public benefits” structure known as the American System of Conservation Funding.

While HB 1063 includes several incremental additions to Sunday hunting access prior to 2029, NWTF views the long-term transfer of authority to Maryland DNR as a positive step for science-based management. NWTF will continue working with CSF, state partners and the sporting community to advocate for policies that strengthen conservation outcomes and ensure sustainable hunting opportunities across the region.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation  

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.