June 29th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that legislation passed during the 2023 General Assembly will increase the price of hunting licenses and some associated stamps beginning with the 2023-24 hunting season. 

Under the new legislation, the price of a resident regular hunting license will increase from $24.50 to $35 while the cost of a non-resident hunting license will increase from $130 to $160. Prices for apprentice and junior hunting licenses, 3-day non-resident licenses, migratory game bird stamps, and stamps/permits for furbearer-related activities have also been adjusted.

The 2023 legislation also created a new hunting stamp that will be required in order to hunt sika deer. The resident sika deer stamp will cost $10 while the non-resident version will cost $25. The newly created stamp will enable the department to better track how many hunters pursue sika deer annually and provide valuable information for future management decisions.