Hunters harvest 89 black bears during Maryland's 2026 season; Garrett accounts for 61
The six-day season matched 2025 totals despite scarce natural food on public lands; the largest bear weighed 313 pounds.
Maryland hunters harvested 89 black bears during the state's 23rd annual black bear hunting season, which ran Monday, Oct. 26, through Saturday, Oct. 31, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced Monday, Nov. 2.
Garrett County led the harvest with 61 bears, followed by Washington County with 10, Allegany County with 9, and Frederick County with 9.
The harvest consisted of 28 male and 61 female bears. The average weight was 156 pounds, and the largest bear, taken in Garrett County, weighed an estimated 313 pounds.
"Low nighttime temperatures created beautiful morning and evening conditions ideal for bear hunting," said Karina Stonesifer, director of DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service, in a release. Natural food sources were scarce on public lands this year, DNR said, and early-season success was concentrated near standing agricultural corn.
The 2026 harvest was consistent with the five-year average of 95 bears and matched 2025 totals.
In addition to the hunting season harvest, 15 bears (4 male, 11 female) were taken between Saturday, Aug. 15, and Tuesday, Oct. 27, under agricultural damage permits issued to landowners experiencing crop damage.
Of the 4,819 hunters who applied for permits this year, 1,050 received them. Seventy-two percent of the bears were taken on private land.
Maryland's black bear hunt is limited to the state's four western counties: Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington.
