HB 857 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Natural Resources - Pursuing Wounded Deer After Legal Hunting Hours and Using a Light - Authorization

HB 857 allows licensed Maryland deer hunters who wound a deer during legal hunting hours to pursue and kill it after hours, provided they use only the same hunting method authorized for their season (e.g., archery or firearms). The bill amends Maryland’s natural resources law (Section 10-428 of the Annotated Code) to create this exception to standard hunting hour restrictions. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources must adopt regulations to implement the new rule, which takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects licensed deer hunters who wound deer during legal hours but cannot complete the harvest before closing.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

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What changed between versions

First - Natural Resources - Pursuing Wounded Deer After Legal Hunting Hours - Authorization → Third - Natural Resources - Pursuing Wounded Deer After Legal Hunting Hours and Using a Light - Authorization · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand the authorization for pursuing wounded deer after legal hunting hours to explicitly allow the use of artificial lights, including spotlights, headlights, and other light sources. The original version only authorized pursuing wounded deer without specifying lighting equipment. This change clarifies and expands the permitted methods for hunters tracking wounded animals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from authorizing pursuit of wounded deer to also explicitly authorize the use of lights during pursuit.

REQUIREMENT

Added explicit authorization for hunters to use lights (spotlights, headlights, artificial lights, batteries, or other devices) while pursuing wounded deer after legal hunting hours.

Modified the time restrictions reference to include both subsections (A) and (B) of § 10-410, expanding the scope of time restrictions that apply to the pursuit authorization.

TECHNICAL

Added new subsection (B)(2) that specifically addresses the use of lights during pursuit, overriding certain restrictions under §§ 10-410(E) and 10-416(C).

Added committee report and house action status indicating the bill was adopted with amendments and read for the second time.

Added new sponsors (Allen, Behler, Boyce, J. Long, Stewart, and Ziegler) to the bill's sponsor list.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 24, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 27, 2025

How they voted

45–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 46

Mar 24, 2025

D Democratic33

33 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican13

12 Yea 1

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 553

executive

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Apr 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (45-0-1)

senate

Mar 7, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation

lower

Feb 27, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (130-2-7)

house of delegates

Jan 30, 2025

Committee

First Reading Environment and Transportation

lower

22 primary · 0 co-sponsors