ALERT — Sunday Hunting: Carroll & Dorchester Counties. Call to Action – Make Your Voice Heard!
2/15/25. LEGISLATIVE ALERT
The Maryland Senate is considering two bills regarding Sunday hunting.
Carroll County
SB 417 (text here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0417F.pdf) will allow a person to hunt on each Sunday of the game bird and game mammal seasons in Carroll County; This would in effect allow for year round Sunday hunting. Here is the current Maryland hunting calendar: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Maryland-Hunting-Seasons-Calendar-2024-2025.pdf, showing that there is an open season for some type of prey throughout the year.
Dorchester County
SB 796 (text here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0796F.pdf) will repeal the current law that requires hunting on Sundays in Dorchester to end at 10:30am, thus allowing all day hunting on Sundays, year round. Here is the current Maryland hunting calendar: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Maryland-Hunting-Seasons-Calendar-2024-2025.pdf, showing that there is an open season for some type of prey throughout the year.
These bills are under consideration by the Senate Energy, Education and Environment Committee. Hearings on both bills are set for March 4 at 1:00 pm.
If you would like to express your views on these proposals, you can contact the Committee as a whole here: AA_EHE@mlis.state.md.us. Be sure to mention that you live, work, and/or ride in Carroll County, or Dorchester County, if so.
You can also contact the members of the Committee individually:
Sen. Brian Feldman (Chair) – brian.feldman@senate.state.md.us Montgomery
Sen. Cheryl Kagan (Vice Chair) – cheryl.Kagan@senate.state.md.us Montgomery
Sen. Malcolm Augustine – malcolm.augustine@senate.state.md.us Prince George’s
Sen. Benjamin Brooks – benjamin.brooks@senate.state.md.us Baltimore County
Sen. Mary Beth Carozza – marybeth.carozza@senate.state.md.us Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico Counties
Sen. Jason Gallion – jason.gallion@senate.state.md.us Harford and Cecil
Sen. Katie Fry Hester – katiefry.hester@senate.state.md.us Montgomery and Howard
Sen. Bryan Simonaire – bryan.simonaire@senate.state.md.us Anne Arundel
Sen. Mary Washington – mary.washington@senate.state.md.us Baltimore City and Baltimore County
Sen. Ron Watson – ron.watson@senate.state.md.us Prince George’s
You can also contact the bills’ sponsors,
The Carroll County Senate delegation for the Carroll bill::
DISTRICT 5
Sen. Justin D. Ready, District 5
James Senate Office Building, Room 315
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3683
e-mail: justin.ready@senate.state.md.us
DISTRICT 42
Sen. Christopher R. West (R), District 42
James Senate Office Building, Room 322
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3648
e-mail: chris.west@senate.state.md.us
Senator Mautz for the Dorchester bill:
Phone 410-829-2524
johnny.mautz@senate.state.md.us
You can also submit written testimony for the hearings, or testify orally either in person in Annapolis, or via zoom. If you would like to do that, you must sign up in advance (8:00 am – 6:00 pm, two business days before the hearing – so Friday, 2/28 for the Tuesday 3/4 hearings).
Click on this link for easy video tutorials on how to create an account at the General Assembly, and then how to sign up as a witness on a bill: Scroll to the bottom of the page for the two tutorials: (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Information/VideoTutorials