SILVER SPRING, MD — To help reduce deer-related traffic accidents and other negative impacts in Montgomery County, an interagency working group program has recommended a variety of non-lethal and lethal strategies including new deer population management initiatives on public land.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission staff is announcing plans to expand its deer management strategies to include managed hunts in the Dry Seneca Stream Valley Park in Poolesville, portions of the Great Seneca Stream Valley Park and North Germantown Greenway Park in Goshen, Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park and Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park in Darnestown, and sharpshooting in Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton. This decision comes from Acting Superintendent of Parks Gordon Rosenthal following review of public comment received and other information presented by the Department of Park and Planning’s wildlife staff.
New initiatives will include carefully managed shotgun hunts in which only hunters who meet the highest level of state and county safety standards are permitted to participate. Each managed hunting location in parks will be closed from sunrise until sunset on the day that hunting occurs (see schedule below). Appropriate park closure notices will be posted throughout the park.
During the fall and winter, managed deer hunts will occur in the following parks:
Blockhouse Point Conservation Park, Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park (Turkey Foot Rd. south to Esworthy Rd.), and Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park in Darnestown
Managed shotgun hunting: Tuesdays—November 8, 22 and December 13.
Bucklodge Forest Conservation Park in Barnesville
Managed shotgun hunting: October 27, November 5, December 1 and 22, and January 12, 14 and 21.
Dry Seneca Stream Valley Park in Poolesville
Managed shotgun hunting: November 5 and 19, December 1 and 22, and January 12 and 21.
The undeveloped Goshen Recreational Park in Goshen
Year round firearms (archery during season)- Monday through Saturday
Great Seneca Stream Valley Park and North Germantown Greenway Park in Goshen
Managed shotgun hunting: Wednesdays—November 9, 23 and December 14.
Hoyles Mill Conservation Park and Little Seneca Stream Valley Park in Boyds
Managed shotgun hunting: October 13 and 20, November 12 and 17, December 3 and 10, and January 7, 19 and 26.
Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg
Managed shotgun hunting: December 6-9.
Rachel Carson Conservation Park in Brookeville
Managed shotgun hunting: Mondays—November 7, 21 and December 12.
Woodstock Equestrian Park in Beallsville
Managed shotgun hunting: October 15, 22, November 3, 10, 19, December 8 and January 6, 14 and 21.
For Park Police sharpshooting operations, conducted by expertly trained officers, each of the following parks will be closed to the public from 5:30 p.m. until sunrise January 1 through March 31, 2006. Appropriate park closure notices will be posted throughout these parks:
- Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood
- Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds
- North Branch Stream Valley Park in Derwood
- Northwest Branch Park in Aspen Hill
- Rock Creek Regional Park in Rockville
- Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton.
For more information, visit our Deer Management pages on our web site or call the Commission’s deer information hotline at 301-495-3585.