Maryland hunting laws just got better

[onedash]

Under the previous laws you had to be 150 yards away from occupied dwellings or get permission. So in order to hunt on my own property I would have needed permission from 6 neighbors and I know all six wouldn't have said yes. This year it changed to 50 yards when using archery equipment. I don't need anyone's permission now. Just waiting for the crossbow I want to go on sale and this fall the deer will be dropping. And my bushes and flowers might do pretty good next year. I just put up some fences recently to try and keep them out of some of the plants. I would say it's working but it was after they decimated what was in there so maybe they are just waiting for some new growth before they start jumping the fences. I had sent emails to the city council trying to get the distance reduced last year but they all told me the existing law. Yet they were trying to solve the overpopulation problem. Glad someone used a little common sense!

[capncarl]

Fertilized plants really attracts deer so you might consider heavily fertilizing some donor shrubbery in a good location in your yard where you would feel safe to shoot without attracting the neighbors attention. 50 yards still seems close. I watched my neighbor practice with his compound bow hitting a milk jug size target at 50 yards, and when one went astray it went another 50 yards.

[onedash]

I will be in a tree stand shooting away from all houses, including my own. I will plant some cover crops and put down corn to get them right where I want them. Getting them to come during legal shooting hours will be the hard part.

[atgcpaul]

My Dad has a cabin in central PA where he and my uncle and cousin hunt. During bow season, he put out some corn on top of his septic field since it's a nice clearing. One day while up in his stand, two bears came out of the woods and just plopped down on the grass and started chomping away. My Dad tried to wait them out but they wouldn't leave. He made a loud raucous with the branches and his bow, and they turned their heads upwards but continued eating. He does carry some kind of pistol during bow season and finally he fired off a round into the air. That finally got them to skedaddle. He should really just build a perch on his cabin.

[onedash]

I don't have bears to worry about but I have a 460XVR so if I were to find myself in bear country I would definitely bring that along.