Department of Recreation & Parks Deer Management Program

The Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks manages the deer population through bow and shotgun managed hunts and sharpshooting in the Fall/Winter. Managed hunts and sharpshooting are held in an effort to help maintain a stable, balanced white-tailed deer population in our parks where deer browsing has been shown to reduce biodiversity.

Since the program began in 1998, there has been an observable improvement in habitat quality and vegetation abundance in many of the parks where managed hunting and sharpshooting has taken place. The managed hunt program gives specially screened and selected hunters daytime access to various parks in the county.

THE MPEA IS CLOSED ON MANAGED HUNT DAYS.

If you have any questions about the Department’s Deer Management Program, please call at (410) 313-1675.

There is also information about the County’s Deer Management Program, including the dates of managed hunts on other Howard County properties, available on the Department’s Wildlife Page.