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St. Mary's County

Blood trackers and deer recovery in St. Mary's County, Maryland

1 vetted tracker covers St. Mary's County, running both a tracking dog and a recovery drone. One is based right here in the county. Call or text them directly. Searching this registry is free.

Region B Sunday hunting allowed 50 yd archery safety zone
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Who can help in St. Mary's 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.

Local rules

Hunting St. Mary's County

St. Mary's 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 and on designated public land in St. Mary's County.

Designated public land open to Sunday deer hunting in St. Mary's County: Salem and Saint Inigoes State Forests.

Safety zone

The statewide safety zone is 150 yards from an occupied building without advance permission from the owner or occupant. For archery hunters in St. Mary's County it is only 50 yards. That puts a lot of legal hunting within sight of houses, so on a track the neighbors are usually the first door to knock on.

Rules that only apply here

These are the St. Mary's County specifics that catch people out. They sit on top of the statewide rules, they do not replace them.

Written permission to discharge, not just to hunt

This is one of three counties where discharging a gun or any weapon on someone else’s land without written permission is a criminal offense in its own right, separate from trespass. Get it on paper before the season, and get it from the neighbors you might have to follow a deer onto.

Maryland law on discharging a weapon on another's land

No bottleneck rifles or handguns

During firearms season this county allows shotguns, straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns, air guns, muzzleloaders and archery equipment. A rifle or handgun firing a bottleneck cartridge is not legal for deer here, which rules out most of the classic deer calibers. Straight-walled rifles are legal in every Maryland county, so a .350 Legend or .450 Bushmaster travels anywhere.

Maryland deer hunting device regulation

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 St. Mary's

Trackers travel. If nobody in St. Mary's County is free, try a neighboring county.

Calvert County Charles 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.