This October, CA will hold controlled archery hunts on the following dates: 

• Wednesday, October 14 
• Tuesday, October 27 
• Friday, November 6 
• Friday, November 20 
• Wednesday, December 16 

Designated locations are under consideration in River Hill, Town Center, Kings Contrivance, Oakland Mills and Owen Brown. Maps will be made available as soon as the areas are finalized. 

Hunters will come from Howard County’s screened and qualified pool, which includes background checks, interviews, documentation verification and archery qualification testing. They must have a valid Maryland hunting license and follow all state, county and CA safety rules. 

Hunters are not paid by CA. They participate at no cost and may keep harvested deer in accordance with applicable regulations. 

Community safety is a top priority. Hunters will only operate in designated areas that meet legal requirements and CA safety standards. State regulations require a 150-yard (450 feet) safety zone from all occupied dwellings, and hunters will be at least 100 yards (300 feet) from CA pathways. Additionally, hunters will shoot from designated tree stands and may only take shots within 25 yards to ensure maximum accuracy.  

To support safety and awareness: 

• Signs will be placed in affected areas before hunting begins and on hunt days 
• CA staff will be on-site on nearby pathways during hunt times 
• Residents will receive advance notice about affected locations 

Why archery? 

Controlled archery is one of the safest, most efficient and sustainable methods for deer population control. Hunters use elevated tree stands and take shots at close range, providing clear visibility and reliable target identification – factors that contribute to a strong safety record. 

CA evaluated several options for managing the deer population, including alternatives such as sharpshooting and sterilization. Other methods are not currently considered practical or effective at the scale needed: 

• Sharpshooting can cost approximately $500 per deer. 
• Surgical sterilization requires capturing, tranquilizing, transporting, treating, monitoring, and releasing deer, with estimated costs of $1,100–$1,300 per deer. 

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