Maryland Turkey Seasons and Bag Limits
 

Maryland turkey hunters, here's a question for you. This year MD introduced a new winter turkey hunting season and with it, a few changes in the hunting/trapping book. While I haven't hunted the fall or winter seasons, several people I know have and they all seem to be coming to me to ask, "I just shot a turkey. Can I only shoot one in spring now?" And I want to be sure I'm giving people the right answer.

The rule for MD turkeys used to be, you're allowed 1 bird in the fall, and 2 birds in the spring (however, if you killed a bird in the fall, you were only allowed 1 in the spring.) So, you were only allowed 2 birds total a year and you basically got to choose if you wanted 1 fall 1 spring or 2 spring birds. This rule was very clearly stated in the hunting guide.

Now with the introduction of the winter season, I've interpreted the guide as saying, 1 bird in fall OR winter, and then 2 birds in spring. It no longer has any addendum suggesting that shooting one in fall or winter means you lose a spring bird. So, this would mean you can now kill 3 birds total in a single hunting year, correct? 1 in fall OR winter, and then 2 in spring?

Here is the link to the MD hunting guide if anyone (or someone from another state) doesn't have it handy. Turkey regulations are on page 23:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/

If any of you could confirm that you are allowed three birds a year now, or otherwise, please do. I'd hate to think I've told someone the wrong information, but I can't find anything in that book that says otherwise. Thanks.

I thought you were the women on the scene out there in western md... I'm sure the bag limits are still the same two birds CD MS

I just wanted to update this since I found the answer a while back. I spoke to a Terry Spencer at the MD DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service who confirmed with Glenn Therres (Fiscal, Legislation and Regulations Associate Director) that you can definitely kill three birds in a single year now in Maryland. You can kill 1, either sex, in fall OR winter and then 2 bearded birds in the spring whether you killed a bird earlier or not.