45 Acres in Baltimore County - Now what?

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  • Mule789

    Member
    Dec 23, 2016
    4
    Hey All,

    My fiancé and I just bought a house in Baltimore county that has 45 acres of wooded land. The seller mentioned they hunted the property and I certainly believe them considering the amount of deer activity on the property.

    I'm reaching out to see what we should do to get our arms around the property. We plan to hunt the property in the future, but want to make sure we do it the right way. We can skip the obvious ones of purchasing firearms or archery equipment, I'm mainly concerned with deer population information, legal/liability information, etc.

    Any thoughts on what our next steps should be?
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    Congratulations fist off. Secondly, stop off at the Introductions section and give a short intro. Feel free to put as much or little info in there you wish. More of a formality than anything else. There are a lot of deer hunting members here so, ask a question and we'll be glad to offer our opinions. :)
     
    Last edited:

    DoormanTNT

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 17, 2012
    1,844
    Glen Burnie
    Great karma....

    I'm in.


    Intro first, then brag.....


    On serious note. Pattern the deer. More does then buck? Any genetics issues?

    Is all bout mangement. You looking for quality or numbers?
     

    AACo

    Tiny Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 11, 2015
    868
    Westminster
    Great karma....

    I'm in.


    Intro first, then brag.....


    On serious note. Pattern the deer. More does then buck? Any genetics issues?

    Is all bout mangement. You looking for quality or numbers?

    Good advice!

    Put out a few trail cams and a salt lick or some corn. See what you have passing through.

    If you find you have too many, let us know. We can help. :)

    Welcome
     

    Chris

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Jun 21, 2005
    2,128
    Cecil Co, Maryland
    Pull the Maryland Department of Natural Resources web site, it will have a lot of info for you as the land owner and as the hunter. Chris
     

    Jerry M

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 13, 2007
    1,688
    Glen Burnie MD
    Post no trespassing signs around the border to keep poachers off the property. That was a big problem when I hunter Baltimore Co.

    Good luck

    Jerry
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,266
    variable
    Do you have a survey. If yes, in addition to posting signs, paint the trees along the edge with blue blazes.

    If this property has been for sale for a while, you may encounter local hunters who consider it public land or claim that they have permission. Wear orange, carry a copy of the property record when you venture into your land and make very clear that you will have them prosecuted if you ever encounter them again.
     

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    I'm not sure what you're asking? If you're wanting to find out what's on your property, set up some feeder corn with a trail camera on each pile. Within a month, you should know what's using your property. If you have a stream on the property, look for signs of deer and where they are drinking from. Talk to your neighbors. They should be able to tell you what the area is like. You might want to find out if your property is just a pass through or you have resident deer.

    Good luck and congrats on the new property!
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Do you have a survey. If yes, in addition to posting signs, paint the trees along the edge with blue blazes.

    If this property has been for sale for a while, you may encounter local hunters who consider it public land or claim that they have permission. Wear orange, carry a copy of the property record when you venture into your land and make very clear that you will have them prosecuted if you ever encounter them again.

    What in the blue blazes!?!

    Actually, I mean, what are blue blazes?


    OP- with that much acreage you might want to consider opening a private outdoor range, with semi-permanent metal stages/targets. Try to make it inexpensive and go for volume; folks would happily pay $5 a 'round' to shoot a simple tactical course. I could help you design it, that's half the fun!

    I shot the Steel Challenge at AAFG this morning, what a great sport. If they could be made in a way that they could sit outside all the time and be easily reset, it would be a wonderful course of fire/sport. If feasible, make a small trail (for an ATV) to enable you to patrol the entire plot of land. Happy hunting!
     

    F2S

    Active Member
    Oct 24, 2013
    197
    What in the blue blazes!?!



    Actually, I mean, what are blue blazes?





    OP- with that much acreage you might want to consider opening a private outdoor range, with semi-permanent metal stages/targets. Try to make it inexpensive and go for volume; folks would happily pay $5 a 'round' to shoot a simple tactical course. I could help you design it, that's half the fun!



    I shot the Steel Challenge at AAFG this morning, what a great sport. If they could be made in a way that they could sit outside all the time and be easily reset, it would be a wonderful course of fire/sport. If feasible, make a small trail (for an ATV) to enable you to patrol the entire plot of land. Happy hunting!



    I would gladly help as well. Heck I would do labor for free if I could shoot for free


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    http://dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/Pages/default.aspx

    A good place to start.

    Highlights, as your own property you don't need a hunting license. You do need a DNR number and call in harvests. I'd still recommend taking the hunters safety course and getting your hunting license, especially if you've never hunted or haven't since a little kid.

    You don't have to wear orange hunting on your own property (only the owner is exempt). I'd still recommend you do it. Don't need some idiot on a neighboring property shooting a "deer" on your property. Upside is you can still roll out your front door and take down a deer without needing to don a thing and it isn't poaching. Or doing work on your property and seeing a fox, etc. though you'd need a fur bearer permit ($5) for that even with no license.

    Anyway, it'll take months and maybe some hunting before a lot of the regulations sink in and you've memorized a lot of them.

    Other important things.
    *cant have a loaded weapon in, on or resting against a motorized vehicle. Doesn't matter if it is on your property. Gun and ammo fine, but not in the magazine or chamber. No arrow on a crossbow or a muzzleloader that is primed (loaded is fine)
    *handguns are ridiculously restricted on hunting with them or carrying them anywhere.
    *Baltimore means archery, muzzleloader or shotgun only for deer hunting. No rifles or pistols
    *only certain seasons you can you certain weapons. Check the DNR site
    *150 yds minimum distance to any occupied dwelling is the safe zone unless you have the occupant's permission in writing to hunt there. That is from where you are as well as whatever you are shooting is. Do NOT rely on "well I didn't think my neighbor was home". Safe zone violations are a good way to get your weapon confiscated and a big fine. MD has new laws on deer poaching where bucks you are fined on rack size, so even a little buck or a doe might be a $500 fine and losing your rifle/bow/shotgun, a decent 8 point might be a $3000 fine and a big deer might be a $20,000 fine
    *you need permission to retrieve a wounded or dead animal from a neighbor's property. You can call DNR if they won't give you permision to retrieve it (once you've killed it, it is yours, but just like if your bike was on someone's property, it is trespassing to go get it).
    *for above, I wouldn't hunt within 100yds of someone else property unless they are cool with it. Deer can sometimes run a good distance after being shot. I've never had one to more than 20yds, but I know folks with a good hit where a deer still ran 150+yds
    *try to make friends with your neighbors. Mention you were thinking of hunting your property once you've met your neighbors a couple of times. Can work on warming them up to things like "hey if a deer ever runs on to your property, are you ok with me retrieving it? Mind if we just put it in writing?"

    Those are the things I can think of off the top of my head.

    Oh, singleton deer are likely to be resident deer (could "live" half a mile away still) and groups are likely to be migrating through. In the September through December period they tend to go on their own to breed, but does still sometimes herd up and the herds are again often just passing through. Bucks basically never herd during that period. The rest of the year deer tend to herd all the time.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    What in the blue blazes!?!

    Actually, I mean, what are blue blazes?


    OP- with that much acreage you might want to consider opening a private outdoor range, with semi-permanent metal stages/targets. Try to make it inexpensive and go for volume; folks would happily pay $5 a 'round' to shoot a simple tactical course. I could help you design it, that's half the fun!

    I shot the Steel Challenge at AAFG this morning, what a great sport. If they could be made in a way that they could sit outside all the time and be easily reset, it would be a wonderful course of fire/sport. If feasible, make a small trail (for an ATV) to enable you to patrol the entire plot of land. Happy hunting!

    Does Baltimore county ban that? Howard county does. IIRC you have to have 320 acres minimum for recreational shooting (anything non-hunting or self defense) unless it is a registered range.

    I'd bet anything if you are charging it, you must register it with the county or state and deal with all the regulations. Something tells me you don't want to find out if the county/state finds out you are running an unregistered commercial range (changing anyone anything in their eyes is probably going to make it a commercial range even if you only charge a few buddies to use it).

    At a minimum I'd want to research the crap of of it before proceeding.
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Do you have a survey. If yes, in addition to posting signs, paint the trees along the edge with blue blazes.

    If this property has been for sale for a while, you may encounter local hunters who consider it public land or claim that they have permission. Wear orange, carry a copy of the property record when you venture into your land and make very clear that you will have them prosecuted if you ever encounter them again.

    http://dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/Pages/default.aspx

    A good place to start.

    Highlights, as your own property you don't need a hunting license. You do need a DNR number and call in harvests. I'd still recommend taking the hunters safety course and getting your hunting license, especially if you've never hunted or haven't since a little kid.

    You don't have to wear orange hunting on your own property (only the owner is exempt). I'd still recommend you do it. Don't need some idiot on a neighboring property shooting a "deer" on your property. Upside is you can still roll out your front door and take down a deer without needing to don a thing and it isn't poaching. Or doing work on your property and seeing a fox, etc. though you'd need a fur bearer permit ($5) for that even with no license.

    Anyway, it'll take months and maybe some hunting before a lot of the regulations sink in and you've memorized a lot of them.

    Other important things.
    *cant have a loaded weapon in, on or resting against a motorized vehicle. Doesn't matter if it is on your property. Gun and ammo fine, but not in the magazine or chamber. No arrow on a crossbow or a muzzleloader that is primed (loaded is fine)
    *handguns are ridiculously restricted on hunting with them or carrying them anywhere.
    *Baltimore means archery, muzzleloader or shotgun only for deer hunting. No rifles or pistols
    *only certain seasons you can you certain weapons. Check the DNR site
    *150 yds minimum distance to any occupied dwelling is the safe zone unless you have the occupant's permission in writing to hunt there. That is from where you are as well as whatever you are shooting is. Do NOT rely on "well I didn't think my neighbor was home". Safe zone violations are a good way to get your weapon confiscated and a big fine. MD has new laws on deer poaching where bucks you are fined on rack size, so even a little buck or a doe might be a $500 fine and losing your rifle/bow/shotgun, a decent 8 point might be a $3000 fine and a big deer might be a $20,000 fine
    *you need permission to retrieve a wounded or dead animal from a neighbor's property. You can call DNR if they won't give you permision to retrieve it (once you've killed it, it is yours, but just like if your bike was on someone's property, it is trespassing to go get it).
    *for above, I wouldn't hunt within 100yds of someone else property unless they are cool with it. Deer can sometimes run a good distance after being shot. I've never had one to more than 20yds, but I know folks with a good hit where a deer still ran 150+yds
    *try to make friends with your neighbors. Mention you were thinking of hunting your property once you've met your neighbors a couple of times. Can work on warming them up to things like "hey if a deer ever runs on to your property, are you ok with me retrieving it? Mind if we just put it in writing?"

    Those are the things I can think of off the top of my head.

    Oh, singleton deer are likely to be resident deer (could "live" half a mile away still) and groups are likely to be migrating through. In the September through December period they tend to go on their own to breed, but does still sometimes herd up and the herds are again often just passing through. Bucks basically never herd during that period. The rest of the year deer tend to herd all the time.


    Thanks for that excellent summary of the hunting laws, and in particular, explaining some of the special provisions for land owners. It's been a few years since I took the hunter safety course (only went hunting 1 day), so my recollection of the rules/laws were fuzzy.

    Does Baltimore county ban that? Howard county does. IIRC you have to have 320 acres minimum for recreational shooting (anything non-hunting or self defense) unless it is a registered range.

    I'd bet anything if you are charging it, you must register it with the county or state and deal with all the regulations. Something tells me you don't want to find out if the county/state finds out you are running an unregistered commercial range (changing anyone anything in their eyes is probably going to make it a commercial range even if you only charge a few buddies to use it).

    At a minimum I'd want to research the crap of of it before proceeding.

    You bring up good points, I have no idea; and absolutely this would have to be thoroughly researched and done legally. Every private or public range I've ever shot on (except maybe Fort Meade) has been less than 320 acres. I know Berwyn has been buying the property around their range for some time now; and I still don't believe they have anywhere near that much acreage. Pretty sure it would vary by county, Berwyn is in PG county for the record.

    The OP was asking for suggestions on what to do with his 45 acres, my first thought is 'private range'. Something like PG County Trap and Skeet, but with a tactical flair would be exceptional.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Oh I'd love the land to have a range, but it would be personal, friends and family only. Cause I am selfish like that :-)

    I don't think any counties have minimum space for a formal range, but recreational shooting (where it isn't a registered shooting range) I think some of the counties have minimum property sizes for.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    https://apps.howardcountymd.gov/olis/GetFile.aspx?id=5919

    Found this BTW. One interesting part that I don't think is enforced is shooting "from, across or within 100yds of any public highway or road" paraphrased. I know there are a couple of WMA/state parks where the safety zone starts within about 30yds of a public road. Example, Patuxent off long corner is Howard county on one side and the marked hunting area is about 15yds from the road. Though that might be an exception since it is state land and likely not subject to Howard county ordinances.

    That said, I've seen plenty of people with blinds and stands that are obviously within 100yds of a public road. I suspect that is a "don't be an idiot" provision. As well as "don't roll up in your vehicle, jump out and shoot a deer standing 10ft off the road.

    That claims you can't discharge a firearm outside of a basement range or a registered range in HO CO, but I've at least heard different and I know folks that do shoot on big properties recreationally with no problems.

    The other interesting tidbit is it claims shotguns only and 150yds if containing shot or from a stand at least 10 feet up. 300yd safety zone otherwise. There is nothing about that in DNR and I don't know anyone that follows the 300yd safety zone thing in Howard county.
     

    foxtrapper

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 11, 2007
    4,533
    Havre de Grace
    Balto county's rules on shooting ranges ( your typical backyard rednecky range) is I think the same 150 yd rule as hunting. I can't really remember, but I think my dad looked it up for me. As to other counties, the only one I know about otherwise is Cecil, which has nothing in the county books pertaining to shooting ranges ( I personally looked that 1 up).

    To get started, if you want deer to bed near your hunting spots, cut down some trees and thin the woods out and let that get full of brushy stuff. Deer love that to bed in. Make trails through it here and there. Any trail you make and keep cleared, deer will use it. Even more cleared out areas you can use to make food plots.

    Boundaries- yes, the blue paint on the border trees, facing towards the bordering properties. I think it has to be at eye level and also has to be a certain amount of paint area ( square inches). "Posted" signs should be put up too. One every 100 yards perhaps? Not sure about the guidelines for that.

    If you are in the "Hereford Zone", aka the region north of Hereford/Monkton extending to the PA line, it's full of rednecks and libertarian types, so if you target shoot the only people who might complain are fresh city idiots who moved there, or if you are stupid about your backstops and shoot at your neighbor's property. I never had anyone complain to me about me shooting and I was on only 10 acres with houses all around ( I was ok as far as the 150 yd rule went where I stood or sat to shoot). I had a hillside I could shoot downward from the top of. The only "complaint" was the oddball but nice next door guy who asked me to not shoot a certain amount if standing down the hillside a bit instead of all the way up top, as it seemed to amplify the sound and bother him. I only did that once. I had a neighbor a ways away who actually was upset at me for not shooting enough LOL. He said he hadn't heard it in a while and wanted to know if I was ok.

    Other rules on shooting (Hereford Zone): first off, the county law is no full auto stuff. 2nd, the redneck rule is tannerite and .50 BMG are ok, as are cannons lol. Just not too close to your neighbors houses. Unless you have those type horsey people. Those type do not like any shooting, as they say it spooks their horses. These same type also seem to hate hunting. Well, there are plenty of horses around who are subjected to neighbor target shooting and gun hunting and they seem to be alright. So if you are legally far enough from their spooky horses, go ahead and shoot, hunt, and you may even want to rub it in and trap too. If the neighbors are fox chaser horse people, they likely hate fox trapping, so you may want to get into doing that lol. And yes you need a furbearer permit to do that. No need for trapper ed requirement if on your own property.

    On 45 acres you will get poacher problems time to time, so keep up patrolling and call DNR police if needed. If the problem is bad enough DNR police will sometimes help you out more often if you bug them. Offer to an officer to hunt your place.

    4 wheeler/dirtbike trespassers- a major PIA! Block off trails at the property lines with cut down trees, big ass rocks, jersey barriers lol, or well marked thick cable strung between trees about 3 feet off the ground. Booby trapping is illegal, unfortunately. Ideally an old dry stacked stone wall bordering the entire property with 1 or 2 openings for ingress/egress, would be great for everyone's property boundaries. LOL. Some of the remnant ones still standing are 4-5 feet high and 3+ feet across.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    Vertical blue paint stripes on trees denote property lines symbolically.

    Cheaper than posting signs, safer because no nails are going in trees to gum up a chainsaw later.

    ...and can't be torn down.:thumbsup:
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,266
    variable
    Vertical blue paint stripes on trees denote property lines symbolically.

    Cheaper than posting signs, safer because no nails are going in trees to gum up a chainsaw later.

    I suggest to do both. Many people don't know what the blue stripes mean (many states south of here use purple). Add signs at anything that could be a point of ingress.
     

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