Personal Goals for the season

[allthingshunting]

Anyone out there hunt in MD?  I live in PA but hunt both states.  If so, are you ready to go.  Archery season starts in a very short 5 days.  I am ready.  Hung my stands about 2 weeks ago.  Things look pretty promising.
 
Personal goal is to harvest a 2 year old + buck on the one farm we hunt.  So much surrounding pressure that anything beyond a yearling is hard to find.  The optimal deer aged 4+ are non-existent.  I have seen a few and harvested one deer that would go 3 years old, but have never even seen one that was older.

[marshall9779]

I am new to and live in MD. Montgomery County has a huge urban deer problem and you can take unlimited does and two bucks. I plan on shooting as many does as possible and donate most of the meat. I only have my in-laws back yard and a 2000 acre WMA that I can hunt right now. I am working on a farm, but just haven't been able to catch the owner. I want to shoot a decent 6 or bigger buck. The biggest deer I've shot wa a 4 so I will hold out for a buck that is bigger although a spike in MD is considered antlerless but I think I will still hold for a 6 or better. If I can get on that farm there is a huge 10 that I have seen from the road and at least one other bigger buck. I am going to try and stick one behind my in-laws tonight and have tomorrow off to hun the WMA. I am ready and stoked.

[allthingshunting]

i understand the lack of places to go.  MD is very difficult to find area to hunt and unlike many states, land leasing hasn't really caught on.  Mostly because the state is liberal, horse farmers who are absolutely convinced any hunter WILL shoot their horse by accident.  Unbelievable.
 
Anyhow, wanted to let you know that spike deer are not considered antlerless in MD.  If it has a spike that exceeds 3", it is antlered.  From MD DNR website:
 
[left]Antlered Deer Definition
An antlered white-tailed deer is a deer with two or more points to one antler, or a deer with one antler three or more inches long, measuring from the top of the skull as the deer is in life.[/left][left] [/left][left]Just didn't want you to get into any trouble for misinterpreting a law.[/left]

[moxnix50]

Glad to here I am not the only one new to this area. Just moved to Montgomery County from Texas. Looked into hunting the 2 WMA's this year, but then heard some scary stories of unsafe hunters.  So make sure you hunt from a stand and not a ground blind. [:(]
 
I got lucky and happened to score about 60 acres from a friend of a friend of a friend (I know, it's complicated) in Upper Marlboro (Prince Georges County).  I was amazed to learn that antlerless deer is limitless! So I setup my stand and looking to get out there this weekend.
 
The problem I am having is locating a place to have the deer processed once I harvest it (thinking positive). Does anyone know of a place to process deer in either Montgomery or Prince Georges Co? The only ones I have been able to locate are way up on Baltimore. Would appreciate any help or info you can offer. Would hate to go out there without a plan as to where I am getting it processed.
 
Javi

[VAHunter]

moxnix50 - hope this helps....
 
The easiest way to find deer processors is to locate your Hunters for the Hungry Stations.  All of the Hunters for the Hungry Stations offer additional venison processing services for sale.  Try this link from your DNR website...
 
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/meatproc.asp
 
As shown in my login, I hunt in Virginia (spots all over) and reside in NOVA.  Did some scouting in Cumberland/Prince Edward County during early summer, but have devoted most of my time since then to scouting Faquier County...little closer to my new home address.  Seen quite a few nice bucks already, just hope I'm prepared enough to get a chance at them during the season.  I've never had much luck with public hunting land, but do know quite a few people that have had theres at the VA CF Phelps WMA that may be close enough for a morning hunt to those in PG County.
 
If any of you guys can grab a lease or permission on the eastern seaboard or even the Waldorf area, you'd be hunting is some big buck territories.

[Joicy3]

I use Austins on ridge road in Hanover, Md. They are not far from Arundal Mills mall. Been going there for years, never had a problem and they do a good job. I have taken six deer there so far this year. They make great sausage too.

[Adam C]

I have been seriously deer hunting north central Md. (Carroll/Balt.) for about 7 years with archery equip. I just took my first P&Y buck (131"- 8 pointer) by bow this past season (Nov.18,08). I have taken 2 other deer that gross just over 120" in past years, But the net score drags the # down substantially, what a shame. Mainly these are due to broken tines/ abnormal points on 3-1/2 year old deer. I would love to share photos/ hunting info., with others living in & around my state. I have many friends who are avid bowhunters & we share daily info./ observations during the hunting season. It is amazing to see and hear the changes happening during autumn, eventually leading up to the big dance. Very exciting when things work out. I hunt an area that receives hunting pressure only from me. While hunting I have seen about 5 people over the past 6 years, none of which were hunters. So the deer are pretty relaxed & have taught me much about how whitetails interact w/ each other. I look forward to chatting with anyone wanting to talk whitetail.