hunting – Jay's Real Estate Blog

Three-Day Goose Hunting Season to Open at Deep Creek Lake

A new hunting opportunity on Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County will allow hunters to harvest geese at one of three open water sites on Nov. 23, 24 and 25, 2015. Goose hunting on Deep Creek Lake is by permit and reservation only during these select days of the season.

The hunt was developed to address resident concerns regarding health and sanitation issues caused by the abundance of Canada geese on the lake.

Maryland Hunting Guides Sentenced for Violating Black Bear Hunting Regulations

……According to their plea agreements, between 2008 and 2010, Harding who operated Harding’s Wild Mountain Herbs, Inc., and Harward, who operated Timber Creek Services, engaged in commercial hunting activities for American black bear, mostly in Garrett County. Hunting for black bear is highly regulated in Maryland. Restrictions included a prohibition on the use of bait to attract the bear, as well as requirements that hunters associated with each other on the same hunting permit remain within view of each other while hunting.

During the course of an undercover investigation by NRP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, law enforcement discovered that Harding and Harward were using bait to attract bears to locations where hunters – who had paid Harding and Harward to be guided in their pursuit of the bear – could more easily kill one of the animals. The undercover officers also learned that the defendants were violating the Maryland regulations that required a sub-licensee on a black bear hunting permit to remain in visual contact with the licensee.

During the course of the investigation, undercover officers posed as clients, paying Harding and Harward for guided bear hunts. Their investigation found Harding and Harward were illegally baiting bears for paying clients, some of whom came from outside Maryland to hunt.

Maryland closes bear hunting season with 94 killed over 6 days in Allegany, Garrett counties

By Associated Press, Published: October 27

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Maryland has closed its 2013 black bear hunting season with hunters reporting 94 bears killed in the western part of the state.

The season opened last Monday in Allegany and Garrett counties for six days and closed on Saturday. Most of the bears were killed in Garrett County, with a tally of 70. In Allegany County, 24 were killed.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports the average life weight of the bears this year was 142 pounds. The agency says Mark Martin of Oakland took the largest bear of the season. It was a 392-pound male.

In all, 748 hunters participated in this year’s hunt, and 3,504 hunters applied for a permit.

More here.

Growing Black Bear Population Leads To Increased Hunt

GARRETT COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — A growing black bear population means more bears are being hunted this week in Maryland.

Alex DeMetrick reports like the bears, the hunt is spreading.

As Deep Creek Lake settles into autumn, trucks pull in and out of a Department of Natural Resources check-in station carrying dead black bears. There is no restriction on size or age during the annual hunt, but there is a promise.

“What we promised all along–we would never wipe out the bear population with this well-regulated hunt,” said Paul Peditto, DNR.

Nine years ago, when the hunt started, there were 500 bears in Maryland. Now it’s estimated at 1,000, so the harvest quota is up. Thirty bears were taken the first year of the hunt in 2004. This year, between 95 and 130 will be taken as their range has spread from Garrett and Allegany counties east into Washington and Frederick counties.

More here.

2013 Maryland Bear Hunting Permit Lottery

Hunters can apply 24/7 at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) COMPASS Online Licensing and Registration Service. To apply online, visit: https://compass.dnr.maryland.gov/dnrcompassportal.

To apply for the Black Bear Hunting Permit Lottery, you must either log in to your existing COMPASS account or create a new COMPASS account. Once logged in, choose ‘Purchase New License’ and select ‘2013 Black Bear Lottery’. Applicants not wishing to participate in the 2013 Black Bear Hunt may purchase a ‘Preference Point only’ that will then be applied to next year’s lottery drawing. For more information about the Preference Point system, visit: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/BearHunt_PreferencePoints.asp.

Hunters may also apply via telephone at 1-855-855-3906 between 7am and 7pm, or by visiting a DNR Service Center, or at one of over 250 Sport License Agents located across the state.

Only one application per person will be accepted. Duplicate applications will result in disqualification and forfeiture of all fees.

Beitzel Withdraws "Three-Point Rule" Deer Hunting Bill

Mar. 14, 2013

Del. Wendell Beitzel has withdrawn House Bill 990, “Garrett County – Deer Hunting – Three-Point Rule,” from further consideration by the Maryland General Assembly. The bill was requested by the Garrett County Chapter of Quality Deer Management (QDM) and other local hunting enthusiasts.

The bill proposes to require a three-point restriction on the main beam on one side exclusive of the brow tine, just for Garrett County.

Beitzel said the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has expressed concerns about the bill’s restriction on the age and size of antlered deer that hunters could harvest during regulated deer seasons. The delegate said he agreed to withdraw the bill following discussions with the Garrett QDM chapter and after receiving assurances from DNR wildlife manager Paul Peditto that the agency would work with all stakeholders to consider this issue.

“I agree that this matter should be addressed by DNR and consideration should be given to all of the stakeholders, including landowners, to determine if an antlered point restriction can produce better hunting practices,” said Beitzel. “Therefore, I have decided to withdraw the bill.”

He also asked DNR to work with the Allegany-Garrett County Sportsmen’s Association, QMD, other sportsmen’s groups, hunters, landowners, and other stakeholders to develop consensus on this issue. Should DNR fail to follow up on its promise, Beitzel indicated he would consider a legislative solution during a future session of the Maryland General Assembly.

More here.

Beitzel Bill Takes Tough Stance On Wildlife Poaching

Feb. 16, 2012

Del. Wendell R. Beitzel (R–Dist. 1A) last week filed House Bill 1052, a measure that will give the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the increased ability to provide harsher penalties for those individuals who illegally poach wildlife.

“As an avid hunter, I am very troubled to hear stories of individuals who have failed to hunt game responsibly,” Beitzel said. “Everyone has heard of stories of hunters who poach at night, hunt out of season, ignore game bag limits, or who illegally trespass on another person’s land in search of game.”

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Over the last several years, Beitzel has joined with Del.Barbara Frush (D–Anne Arundel / Prince George’s counties) on the measure that would give the DNR greater authority in regard to enforcement against poaching.

This year, Beitzel has taken the lead in sponsoring the bill. The bill would allow for an administrative hearing process in which the DNR could hold a hearing to decide whether the hunter’s license should be revoked for a period of time. Current law only provides for a judicial process.

“Currently, the same judges that deal with domestic issues and DUIs must also address these hunting violations,” Beitzel said. “As a result, lenient penalties are often given to egregious offenders. This bill would give the DNR authority to revoke hunting privileges after a conviction on charges for game violations.”

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

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Unseasonably warm Garrett hunting trip

Posted: Sunday, February 5, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 10:41 pm, Sat Feb 4, 2012.

By Andy Aughenbaugh Times Outdoors Columnist | 0 comments

“Where is all the snow?” I asked myself.

Driving west on Interstate 68 and turning off onto Md. 495 in Garrett County, the mountains of snow banks I am accustomed to seeing during this time of the year, where not present. A mere 3-6 inches of snow dusted the ground. Even the evening temperature was not the single digits typical of January in Garrett County.

The next morning we awoke to a skim of ice on the few inches of snow covering the ground. The trees would have glistened beautifully in the early sunrise. That is if the sun was out. A dense fog hung in the sky instead. There would be no finding direction by following the sun on this morning. We would have to pay attention to and follow the terrain if we wanted to keep from getting lost.

More here.

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DNR, police find lost hunters

On opening day of bear season, pair bagged a bruin but became disoriented in brush

Michael A. Sawyers Cumberland Times-News

SANG RUN — Just six-tenths of a mile from the family home, with 210 pounds of dead bear on the ground and darkness approaching, Robert and Scott Metheny realized they were badly disoriented.

“We were close enough to the house that I could call my mom on the radio and have her honk the horn, and we could hear it, trying to get our bearings,” said Scott, 41.

It was Monday — the opening day of Maryland’s bear season. Scott, now living in Willow Grove, Pa., had drawn one of the coveted 260 hunting permits and had named his father, Robert, 69, to hunt with him. The family home is in West Virginia, but is tucked against the Maryland state line. The duo was hunting on land owned by a relative near the Cranesville Swamp.

“I shot a bear at noon and it ran into some thick cover,” Scott said. Parting pine limbs so that he could see more than a foot or so, Scott came upon the dead bear, a male that would later be estimated to have a live weight of 248 pounds.

Moving the bear was up to Scott, because of Robert’s bad knee.

“It was like rowing a boat,” Scott said. “I’d sit down and pull, sit down and pull.” Scott said his goal was to get the bear to a spot where he could use a wheeled cart to retrieve the animal.

Eventually realizing they were unsure of the direction they were taking, the hunters placed their packs and rifles as a marker to try to stay on course, until there came a time when they couldn’t find the packs in the thick brush.

“The forest canopy is so thick that you can see about 5 percent of the sky,” Scott said.

At one point, Scott stepped into a swamp hole up to his thigh. Then it rained.

“I was so hot from dragging the bear that the rain didn’t bother me at first,” Scott said.

Then the Methenys found their packs, but now they couldn’t find the bear. As the day wore on they found the bear again but then lost the packs and rifles a second time. It was 4 p.m.

“We called Mom at 6 and told her to call the check station (at Mount Nebo) and tell them that we couldn’t get the bear there by 8,” Scott said. “DNR wanted to know if we could make it by 9, but Mom called them back and told them we couldn’t.”

At 9 p.m., Mrs. Metheny called Mount Nebo a third time, to ask for help for the lost hunters.

“We didn’t need rescued, but we needed found,” Scott said.

The fact that Scott and Robert still could not move in the correct direction after hearing the car horn is all you need to know about that piece of Garrett County landscape that bumps up against the Preston County, W.Va., border.

Paul Peditto, director of the Wildlife & Heritage Service, and Harry Spiker, bear biologist, were part of the search party.

“It’s easy to get lost in that country,” Spiker said. “The hemlock overstory is thick. The swamp grass is heavy and the alders are tough.”

Natural Resources Police officers went to the Metheny home to make sure officers knew the radio frequency to use.

“We are grateful to the Maryland DNR,” Scott said. “They put groups around us and kept tightening the circle until they triangulated us.”

Sgt. Art Windemuth said officers sounded sirens and blew whistles and asked the Methenys via radio if they could determine direction of the sound. Windemuth said the Maryland State Police Trooper 5 helicopter was unable to assist because of a low cloud ceiling.

“The coyotes started howling at the sirens and it was an uneasy feeling because there we were sitting on a bear carcass with no rifles and listening to predators,” Scott said.

“There was no easy way to get to us. DNR came around the end of Snaggy Mountain and got the four-wheeler to a spot where we could see their light and we went to them,” Scott said. It was Tuesday by then, 2:45 a.m.

The hunters had been without water for 12 hours, although Robert had two candy bars in his hunting coat. Scott said neither he nor his father required medical attention.

DNR helped the Methenys retrieve the bear Tuesday morning.

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com

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Deer hunter who killed bear won’t be charged

Sow twice climbed tree he was sitting in
Michael A. Sawyers
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue Sep 27, 2011, 09:46 PM EDT

MCHENRY — A deer hunter who used his crossbow to kill a bear in Garrett County will not be charged, according to Sgt. Art Windemuth of the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The incident took place Sept. 20 on private land one-quarter of a mile west of U.S. Route 219 in the area of Will O’ The Wisp, according to Windemuth.

“The hunter told officers he was in a tree hunting over a bait pile when the sow (165 pounds) and two cubs came to the bait. He said the sow climbed the tree he was in, but went back to the bait after he hollered at it,” Windemuth said.

The bear once more climbed the tree, coming within a few feet of the hunter who feared for his life and shot the bruin, according to Windemuth.

“The hunter immediately called the wildlife office in Cumberland. Officers were dispatched and found the bear, which was dead, and the cubs had left the area,” Windemuth said. “All the evidence, including the angle of the arrow in the bear, substantiated the hunter’s account.”

Windemuth said the matter was presented to the Garrett County state’s attorney, who chose not to charge the hunter.

Harry Spiker of the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service, said the dead bear was untagged and did not wear a radio collar. “So we had no history on this bear,” Spiker said.

“The hunter described the cubs as being small. We believe if cubs make it to July 1 they can survive on their own. They might still be nursing some, but they are also eating solid foods and know enough at that point to forage on their own. They would probably weigh about 40 pounds each now.”

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com

More here.

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Category: hunting

Three-Day Goose Hunting Season to Open at Deep Creek Lake

Maryland Hunting Guides Sentenced for Violating Black Bear Hunting Regulations

Maryland closes bear hunting season with 94 killed over 6 days in Allegany, Garrett counties

By Associated Press, Published: October 27

Growing Black Bear Population Leads To Increased Hunt

2013 Maryland Bear Hunting Permit Lottery

Beitzel Withdraws "Three-Point Rule" Deer Hunting Bill

Beitzel Bill Takes Tough Stance On Wildlife Poaching

Unseasonably warm Garrett hunting trip

DNR, police find lost hunters

Deer hunter who killed bear won’t be charged

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