Delmarva Tracking Hounds (410) 726-8817 CarolineDorchesterKentQueen Anne'sTalbot Free Dorchester County
Blood trackers and deer recovery in Dorchester County, Maryland
4 vetted trackers cover Dorchester County: 2 tracking dog handlers and 2 drone operators. Call or text them directly. Searching this registry is free.
Region B Sunday hunting allowed
Who can help in Dorchester County
Closest trackers first. Every listing is reviewed before it goes public, and each tracker sets their own fee, so check the profile before you call.
Delmarva Tracking Hounds (410) 726-8817 CarolineDorchesterKentQueen Anne'sTalbot Free 
Clear View Drone Services (410) 924-8846 DorchesterKentQueen Anne'sTalbotWicomico $ 
Eastern Shore Deer Drone Recovery (410) 490-9495 CarolineDorchesterKentQueen Anne'sTalbot $ Local rules
Hunting Dorchester County
Dorchester County sits in Region B, which covers the rest of the state, from Frederick and Montgomery east to the Eastern Shore.
Region B deer seasons, 2026–2027
- Archery
- Sep. 11–Oct. 21, Oct. 25–Nov. 27, Dec. 14–18, Jan. 3–7, Jan. 11–31
- Firearms
- Nov. 28–Dec. 12 and Jan. 8–10
- Muzzleloader
- Oct. 22–24, Oct. 26–31, Dec. 19–Jan. 2
Sunday deer hunting
Sunday deer hunting is allowed on private land in Dorchester County.
Safety zone
Dorchester County keeps the full statewide safety zone. Nobody may hunt or shoot within 150 yards of an occupied building, or shoot at a deer standing inside that ring, without advance permission from the owner or occupant. That applies to archery here too.
Rules that only apply here
These are the Dorchester County specifics that catch people out. They sit on top of the statewide rules, they do not replace them.
Buckshot is legal for deer
Dorchester is the only county in Maryland where you may hunt deer with buckshot, #1 or larger. Everywhere else a shotgun has to fire a single slug. Buckshot leaves a very different sign than a slug or a broadhead, so tell the tracker what you shot: multiple hits, thin blood and a short trail that quits are normal for a buckshot deer.
Chesapeake Forest Lands have their own setbacks
The state manages Chesapeake Forest Lands in tracts throughout this county, and the rules there are stricter than on other public ground: no hunting within 150 yards of an occupied building or camp, and none within 150 feet of any outside boundary of the tract. Because these are small scattered parcels, that boundary strip covers a lot of the edge cover deer run to. Tracking counts as hunting, so a deer that crosses in near the line lands in the one place you cannot follow it.
Dates and rules here are a summary of the 2026–2027 season and may contain errors. Always verify with the Maryland DNR before you hunt. Full dates, legal light, and Sunday details are on our season calendar.
Before you call
Give the tracker the best chance
Back out and stop grid searching. Walking the area spreads scent and turns a clean line into a puzzle. Mark the hit site and the last blood you found, note the time of the shot and what the deer did, then call. In Maryland the tracker also has to notify the Natural Resources Police before the search starts and close it out when it ends, whether they are running a dog or a drone, and a tracking dog stays leashed the whole time.
Losing the light is not a reason to give up. If the deer was hit during legal shooting hours you may keep after it and finish it after dark, with a weapon legal for the season and a light on the animal, so long as you call the Natural Resources Police before you carry on and again when the search ends. A bear is different: that one has to be finished in legal light.
Not sure whether a dog or a drone fits your situation? Our dog or drone guide walks through when each one wins.
Nearby
Counties next to Dorchester
Trackers travel. If nobody in Dorchester County is free, try a neighboring county.
Join
Not on the list?
We welcome experienced handlers and new trackers. If you are just getting started, reach out early for guidance during training and testing, and help finding a mentor who can guide you through your first season. Email info@mdbloodtrackers.net or join the Facebook group.
Applications are closed. We will reopen next summer, July/August, after the testing season, to join for the 2027/28 season.