Md. Code Regs. 08.03.07.04

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 08.03.07.04 - Sea Duck Shooting Zone

A. In the Sea Duck Zone, a person may hunt sea ducks (scoters, long-tailed ducks, and eider ducks) by shooting from a boat or floating blind which is anchored, drifting, sculled, or paddled, or while standing in the water on the natural bottom only in the following areas:

(1) The part of the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay described as follows: Keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Turkey Point, Cecil County, and the easternmost tip of Sandy Point, Harford County; keeping to the southeast of a line drawn from the southernmost tip of Abbey Point, Harford County and the easternmost tip of Lego Point, Harford County; keeping to the south of a line drawn from Rickett Point, Harford County and the southernmost tip of Lower Island Point, Baltimore County; keeping to the east of a line drawn from the southernmost tip of North Point, Baltimore County to the northernmost tip of Rock Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the east of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Mountain Point, Anne Arundel County to the northernmost point of Persimmon Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the southeast of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Hackett Point, Anne Arundel County and the southernmost tip of Greenbury Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the east of a line drawn from the southernmost tip of Greenbury Point, Anne Arundel County to the easternmost tip of Tolly Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the southeast of a line drawn from the easternmost tip of Thomas Point, Anne Arundel County and the easternmost tip of Saunders Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the northeast of a line drawn from the southernmost tip of Dutchman Point, Anne Arundel County to the northernmost tip of Curtis Point, Anne Arundel County; keeping to the northeast of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Drum Point, Calvert County and the northernmost point of Hog Point, St. Mary's County; keeping to the east of the western shore of St. Mary's County to Point Lookout, St. Mary's County; keeping to the southwest of a line drawn between the westernmost tip of Pry Island, Somerset County and the southernmost tip of Holland Island, Dorchester County; keeping to the southeast of a line drawn between the center of Norman Cove, Dorchester County and the southernmost tip of Lower Hooper Island, Dorchester County; keeping to the west of a line drawn between Quick Flashing Red Bell Buoy No. 10 and the southernmost tip of Black Walnut Point, Talbot County; keeping to the northwest of a line drawn between the westernmost tip of Howell Point, Kent County and the westernmost tip of Grove Point, Cecil County; and keeping to the southwest of a line drawn between the northwesternmost tip of Wroth Point, Cecil County and the southernmost tip of Turkey Point, Cecil County;

(2) Susquehanna Flats: Beginning at Stump Point on the western side of Furnace Bay; thence in a straight line easterly to Carpenter Point; thence in a straight line southeasterly to Red Point; thence southerly along the mean low waterline to Turkey Point; thence in a straight line westerly to Sandy Point; thence northwesterly along the mean low waterline to Locust Point; thence westerly following the shoreline to Plum Point; thence in a straight line northwesterly to Swan Creek Point; thence northeasterly along the mean low waterline to Concord Point; thence in a straight line easterly to Stump Point.

(3) Elk River: Beginning at Turkey Point; thence northeast following the shoreline to Hyland's Point on the Elk River; thence northeast following the shoreline to Bull Minnow Point; thence east to Welch Point; thence southeast following the shoreline to Town Point; thence southwest to Arnold Point; thence southwest following the shoreline to Grove Point; thence north to Turkey Point.

(4) Sassafras River: Beginning at Grove Point, only in the Cecil County portion of the Sassafras River located west of 75º58'45".

(5) That part of the open waters of the Middle River in Baltimore County described as follows: Keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Lower I Point and the southernmost tip of Bowley Point; and keeping to the north of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Wells Point and the northernmost tip of Miller Island;

(6) Potomac River: Beginning at the intersection of mean low watermark at Point Lookout, marking Chesapeake Bay waters; thence following the mean low waterline of the shore northwesterly across the respective mouths of all creeks to Gray Point at the westerly entrance into Rowley Bay; thence in a straight line northwesterly to the southerly extremity of Kitts Point; thence along the mean low waterline to the southwesterly point of St. Inigoes Neck; thence in a straight line westerly to the most easterly point of St. Georges Island; thence following the mean low waterline in a general northwesterly direction, across the respective mouths of all creeks and inlets to the southwesterly point of Huggins Point, thence in a straight line southwesterly to the eastern extremity of the sandbar known as Heron Island; thence southwesterly in a straight line to the most southerly point of Blackiston Island; thence in a straight line northwesterly to the southern extremity of Colton's Point; thence following the mean low waterline, westerly, excluding all creeks and inlets, to the point marking the southeasterly entrance into St. Catherine Sound; thence westerly in a straight line to the southern extremity of St. Catherine Island Sandbar; thence northwesterly along the westerly edge of that sandbar continuing along the mean low waterline of the southwesterly side of St. Catherine Island to the northwesterly point of the island; thence westerly in a straight line to Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse; thence northwesterly along the ridge of Cobb Point Sandbar to the southerly extremity of Cobb Point; thence following the mean low waterline in general northwesterly and northerly directions across the respective mouths of all creeks and inlets to a point where the eastern span of the Potomac River Bridge (Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge) crosses the mean low watermark on the Maryland shore; thence following the mean low waterline, northerly, excluding all creeks and inlets to a point on the shore due east of Windmill Point; thence west to Windmill Point; thence following the mean low waterline southwesterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Upper Cedar Point; thence following the mean low waterline westerly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Blossom Point; thence in a straight line southeasterly to Blue Heron Point; thence following the mean low waterline southwesterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Maryland Point; thence following the mean low waterline northwesterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Smith Point; thence following the mean low waterline northerly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Sandy Point; thence following the mean low waterline northerly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Moss Point; thence in a straight line northeasterly to the southern tip of Stump Neck; thence following the mean low waterline northeasterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to the most northwesterly point of Stump Neck; thence in a straight line northeasterly to Deep Point; thence following the mean low waterline northeasterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to a point on the shore due south of Hollis Point; thence in a straight line northerly to Hollis Point; thence following the mean low waterline northeasterly to a point on the shore that marks the boundary between Charles and Prince George's Counties; thence following the Charles-Prince George's County line northwesterly across the Potomac River to where the Charles-Prince George's intersects the mean low watermark on the Commonwealth of Virginia shore; thence southerly following the Maryland-Virginia state line to Smith Point and thence in a straight line across the mouth of the Potomac River, on the established line from Smith Point to Point Lookout, to the mean low watermark at Point Lookout, the place of the beginning.

(7) That part of the open waters of the Chester River in Queen Anne's and Kent counties described as follows: Keeping to the west of a line drawn between the northernmost tip of Coursey Point, Queen Anne's County and the southernmost tip of Cedar Point, Kent County;

(8) That part of the open waters of Eastern Bay and Miles River in Queen Anne's and Talbot counties described as follows: Keeping to the southeast of a line drawn between Romancoke pier, Queen Anne's County and Bodkin Island, Queen Anne's County; keeping to the south of a line drawn between Bodkin Island, Queen Anne's County and the southwesternmost tip of Parsons Island, Queen Anne's County; keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Narrow Point, Queen Anne's County and the southernmost point of Brian Point, Queen Anne's County; and keeping to the north of a line drawn between Bennett Point, Queen Anne's County and Tilghman Point, Talbot County;

(9) That part of the open waters of the Choptank River in Talbot and Dorchester counties described as follows: Keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Blackwalnut Point, Talbot County, thence to the southernmost tip of Bar Neck, thence to the southernmost tip of Change Point, thence to the southernmost tip of Nelson Point, thence to the southernmost tip of Benoni Point, thence to the southernmost tip of Chlora Point; keeping west of a line drawn from the southernmost tip of Chlora Point, thence to the northernmost tip of Castle Haven, Dorchester County; keeping north of a line drawn from the northernmost tip of Castle Haven, thence to the northernmost tip of Cook Point;

(10) That part of the open waters of the Little Choptank River, Dorchester County described as follows: Keeping to the west of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Casson Point and the northernmost tip of Susquehanna Point;

(11) That part of the open waters of Tangier Sound, Fishing Bay, Monie Bay, Manokin River, Big Annemessex River, and Kedges Straits in Dorchester, Wicomico, and Somerset counties described as follows: Keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Frog Point, Dorchester County and the southernmost tip of Nanticoke Point, Wicomico County; keeping to the south of a line drawn between the southernmost tip of Nanticoke Point, Wicomico County and the westernmost tip of Wingate Point, Somerset County; and keeping to the south of a line drawn between St. Pierre Island, Somerset County and the northernmost tip of Cormal Point, Somerset County;

(12) The open waters of Pocomoke Sound, Somerset County and in Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay and Isle of Wight Bay, Worcester County; and

(13) The waters of the Atlantic Ocean opposite the Maryland Shore.

B. A person hunting wild waterfowl in the Sea Duck Zone shall remain at least:

(1) 800 yards from any shore, including shore emerging at mean low water, except in the following waters, where a person hunting wild waterfowl shall remain at least 400 yards from shore, including shore emerging at mean low water:

(a) Chesapeake Bay located in Baltimore, Harford, and St. Mary's counties as described in §A(1) of this regulation;

(b) Potomac River as described in §A(3) of this regulation;

(c) Susquehanna Flats as described in §A(2) of this regulation; and

(d) Dorchester, Somerset, and Wicomico counties as described in §A(11) and (12) of this regulation;

(2) 250 yards from any person legally hunting wild waterfowl; and

(3) 500 yards from any bridge, road, or causeway.

C. Hunters may pursue and shoot crippled waterfowl in a vessel (boat) under power in the Sea Duck Zone.

Md. Code Regs. 08.03.07.04

Regulations .04 were previously codified as Regulations .04 under COMAR 08.03.01 Wildlife Conservation. This recodification was effective June 3, 1985 (12:11 Md. R. 1047)
Regulation .04A amended effective July 25, 1988 (15:15 Md. R. 1809); August 15, 1994 (21:16 Md. R. 1382); September 4, 2000 (27:17 Md. R. 1618); September 3, 2001 (28:17 Md. R. 1555)
Regulation .04C amended effective September 4, 2000 (27:17 Md. R. 1618); amended effective 49:16 Md. R.758, eff. 8/8/2022; amended effective 51:20 Md. R. 899, eff. 10/14/2024.