Maryland Bear Season 2026: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits

The earliest 2026 opener is October 26, 2026. See the table above for each method and zone.

The latest 2026 closing date is October 31, 2026. Individual segments and zones can close earlier — see the table above.

requires a valid Maryland hunting license (unless exempt) plus a Black Bear Hunting Permit awarded through DNR's preference-point lottery (application window July 15-Aug 31, 2026, results Sept 3, 2026); the lottery application/preference-point fee is $15, nonrefundable

2026 bag limits: Statewide (bear range counties) — 1 black bear per permittee/sub-permittee hunting team for the season. Permits — 1,050 permits total for 2026 — 950 through the primary lottery (Zone 1) plus 100 through a secondary lottery open to hunters not drawn in the primary round (Zone 2, Frederick/Washington counties only); preference points no longer expire if a hunter skips a year, and reset to zero once a permit is won. Check-in — Attach a field tag to the carcass before moving it, and bring the entire carcass to an official bear checking station by 8:00 PM on the day of kill; hunters who cannot make the deadline must call the Wildlife and Heritage Service (301-334-4255) before 8:00 PM to arrange a 24-hour extension; the field tag is exchanged for an official possession tag at check-in. Biological sample — Mandatory at the checking station: a DNA sample and extraction of a premolar tooth for age analysis; successful hunters must forfeit any biological data/specimens the Service deems necessary, and proof of sex must remain attached to the field-dressed carcass. Method restrictions — Hunting with dogs is prohibited (dogs may only be used afterward to locate a wounded bear); drones may not be used to hunt, only to locate a wounded bear; scent attractants/bait and electronic calls are prohibited. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.

On opening day (October 26, 2026) legal light runs 06:58 to 18:42. The rule is: One half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset — COMAR 08.03.01.01 defines 'daytime' this way for Maryland hunting, and the hunter's guide applies it to big game. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Maryland sun times for any other date.

A Maryland resident landowner — plus their spouse, child, and child's spouse — doesn't need a license on land they hold title to; the same goes for a tenant and their family. Deer and turkey still need a free DNRid and Big Game Harvest Record, and nonresident owners generally don't qualify.