§ 10-416. Deer hunting -- Prohibited methods

   (a) Use of automatic firearms and certain bullets. --

   (1) A person may not hunt deer in the State with any automatic firearm. In this subsection, an automatic firearm means a firearm designed to fire, or which is mechanically altered to fire, 2 or more shots with 1 continuous pressure on the trigger.

   (2) A person may not use full metal-jacketed, incendiary, or tracer bullets in hunting deer in the State. However, the use of metal-jacketed bullets designed to expand on impact is not prohibited.

   (3) A person may not hunt deer with any firearm that uses an ammunition clip holding more than 8 cartridges or bullets. In this paragraph, "ammunition clip" includes a cartridge or bullet holder called a banana clip.

(b) Hunting with dogs. --

   (1) Except as provided in regulations adopted by the Department under paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may not:

      (i) Take a dog into the woods or possess or control a dog in the woods; and

      (ii) Use the dog to hunt or pursue deer.

   (2) The Department shall adopt regulations governing the use of dogs to aid in the prompt recovery of killed, wounded, or injured deer.

   (3) (i) In Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Somerset, Washington, and Worcester counties, a person may not kill a dog found pursuing a deer.

      (ii) In all other counties, any Natural Resources police officer, law enforcement officer, or any other person may kill any dog found pursuing any deer, except in accordance with regulations adopted under paragraph (2) of this subsection.

      (iii) In Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Kent, Anne Arundel, Cecil, Charles, Garrett, St. Mary's, Queen Anne's, Frederick, Carroll, and Calvert counties, dogs that are engaged in fox hunting and who have broken away may not be killed under this paragraph.

(c) Hunting with spotlights. -- A person or 2 or more persons together may not throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight, artificial light, battery, or other device on any highway or in any field, woodland, or forest while possessing or having under control a firearm or other implement by which any deer could be killed, even though the deer is not shot at, injured, or killed. The provisions of this subsection do not apply where the headlight of a motor vehicle, operated by any person traveling on a highway in the usual way, casts a light upon deer on or adjacent to the highway and there was no attempt or intent to locate the deer.

(d) Penalty for hunting deer with spotlight. -- Any person who violates any provision of subsection (c) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $ 2,000 or imprisonment for not more than 6 months or both, with costs imposed in the discretion of the court. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this subsection shall have the person's hunting license revoked and shall be denied the privilege of hunting in the State for at least 2 and not exceeding 5 years. In addition to these penalties, every spotlight, artificial light, battery, or device to spot, locate, or hunt for deer, and every firearm, bow and arrow, or device capable of killing a deer, found in or on any vehicle or in possession of the person convicted, or used to violate the provisions of this subsection, shall be confiscated and disposed of by the Secretary as the Secretary deems advisable.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 196, 196A; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1976, ch. 466; 1977, ch. 507; 1988, ch. 76; 1990, ch. 6, § 2; 2000, ch. 640; 2009, ch. 165.