Maryland Bear Hunting: Lottery Wins, Record, Safety & Appalachian Recipes

As the crisp October chill settles over Maryland's Appalachian ridges, black bear hunters in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties are celebrating a bumper draw—1,050 permits issued via lottery, up from 950 last year, fueling a harvest of 89 bruins during the Oct. 20-25 season. With a rebounding population of 1,500-2,000 bears—the highest since the 1950s near-extinction—the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) balances thrill with stewardship, harvesting just enough to curb orchard raids and vehicle strikes (over 50 annually). This isn't a free-for-all; it's a lottery-locked quest demanding savvy, from scouting hickory groves in Savage River State Forest to dodging mast-fueled phantoms.

Maryland's Bruin Backbone: One Species, Regional Resilience

The Free State fields a solo ursine star: the American black bear (Ursus americanus), a 4-6 foot, 125-600 pound omnivore that's clawed back from oblivion. No grizzlies or polars in these hollers; just these adaptable acorn addicts, whose western stronghold boasts 1-2 bears per square mile in peak pockets, with wanderers probing Montgomery suburbs. Phases add flair: - Classic Black Phase: Glossy ebony (80%), vanishing into midnight oaks. - Cinnamon Phase: Auburn accents (15%), mimicking fall foliage in Garrett's gaps. - Blond/Brown Variants: Scarce goldens (5%), igniting "cougar confusion" in Washington County cams. Boars average 200-400 pounds, sows 125-250; cubs tip 8-12 ounces at birth. Scout smart: DNR's BearWise map flags hotspots—Garrett leads with 62 of 2025's haul.

Heaviest Hauls: Maryland's Monster Bears

Maryland's harvest logs prioritize biology over bling (no Boone & Crockett mandates), but weights whisper wonders. The record-shattering black bear bulked at 643 pounds, a Garrett County goliath arrowed by hunter Melissa on Oct. 23, 2023—eclipsing the 615-pounder from 2015's frenzy. Recent roars: A 650-pounder from Frederick (2024), and 2025's 534-pound champ from the same county, felled amid hickory windfalls. These behemoths bulk in nut-nurtured refuges—Garrett's Potomac ridges for boars, Allegany's valleys for sows. As densities climb (up 10% yearly), 2026 could crown an 700-pounder—target white oaks near streams for shot success.

Bear Essentials: From Ridge Roams to Cub Cradles in Maryland

Maryland black bears are habitat hackers, thriving in the state's fractured folds.

Core Counties: Mountainous Mix

They stake mature mixed forests—oaks, hickories, and conifers laced with wetlands—in the four western counties, from Green Ridge State Forest's bogs to Catoctin Mountain's clear-cuts. Sows claim 13-50 square mile realms; boars prowl 100+, spilling east during dispersals.

Menu Mastery: 85% Forage Feast

Mostly veggie virtuosos: Spring sedges/clover, summer berries/insects (ants aplenty), fall acorns/hickory nuts (mast jackpot), winter bark/carrion. Hyperphagia heaps 30% body mass—crop clashes spike 20% post-nut flops, per DNR tallies.

Den Details: Elevated Escapes

They hole up in hollow trees, rock ledges, or root wads on elevated slopes, dodging Potomac floods.

Hibernation Highlights

Southern semi-slumber: 3-5 months of torpor (late Nov-April), birthing 1-4 cubs (avg 2.9) in January dens—moms surface May with 10-pound tots.

Pairing & Parenting: Seasonal Sparks

Mating march June-July: Boars trek far for flings, maturing at 3-5 years; delayed implantation shelves embryos till fall fat reserves greenlight. Sows breed biennially post-3 years, solo-steering cubs 16-18 months—forage field trips before farewell. Boars? Benchers, with infanticide whispers.

Hazard or Hype? Black Bear Risks in the Old Line

Maryland black bears are bashful brush-dwellers, not bold berserkers—just two human attacks ever, both defensive sow swipes. They're fawn-fanciers and hive-heisters but livestock-light (under 5% conflicts). To humans: Maternal bluffs (huffs, slaps) if cubs compromised; habituated "nuisances" (dump divers) get relocated. Key clashes: Nov. 16, 2016, Frederick County—Karen Osborne (63) mauled in driveway after dog treed cubs; 200-pound sow inflicted bites, breaks (arm/pelvis), 78 stitches—first recorded attack since 1940s tracking; bear (collared) euthanized, cubs released. Sequel: Sept. 2020, Frederick—similar sow defense, minor injuries; bear trapped. No fatalities; 2025 saw zero incidents amid 89 harvests. To fauna: Opportunistic, but regulated culls (89 in 2025) ease apiary angst.

Secure the Stalk: DNR's Hunt & Hike Handbook

2025 specs: Shotgun/muzzleloader Oct. 20-25 (Zones 1-2); one bear/party, fluorescent required in overlaps. For Catoctin treks or Garrett gunning: - Vocal Vigil: Whoop "Hey bear!" or trail-tune every 200 yards—bears evade echoes 90%. - Pepper Prep: Bear spray (20-ft burst) at the ready; 95% charge-check—legal in all parks. - Brush with Bruin: No flight—stand firm, shout, sidestep. Charged? Counter (poles to proboscis); fetal only for browns. - Hunt Hacks: $15 lottery (July 15-Aug 31); scout via apps like HuntStand. Viral: Elevated stands in oak draws—dawn draws yield 60% shots. - Path Protocols: Crew cruises—dawn/dusk duos near streams. Leash leads (cub catalysts). Pro: Sling scraps 10 feet high/200 yards off-trail; no cosplay chow.

Bruin Bites: Taste Test & Maryland's Mountain Morsels

Harvest alert: Trichinella-test at check stations; hit 160°F internal. Flavor? Lean venison-pork crossover—nutty-sweet on acorns, robust if berry-binged; gamier than beef, silkier than moose. Buttermilk brine 24 hours; slow-cook sinew. Chesapeake cooks crown bear in stews. Two timeless twists (sub venison if lotteryless; serves 6): 1. Garrett Bear Brunswick Stew (Frontier Fusion, Crockpot Crown) Echoes 1700s settler pots—smoky, shreddy for tailgates. - Ingredients: 3 lb bear shoulder (cubed), 1 lb sausage, 2 onions (diced), 4 potatoes, 2 cups corn/limas, 1 qt tomatoes, 1/2 cup Old Bay, 1/4 cup vinegar, salt/cayenne. - Method: Brown bear/sausage in bacon fat; toss in crock with veggies/spices. Low 6-8 hours till pull-apart. Mash for heft. Slurp with cornbread. Hack: Add crab boil for Bay bite—BearBrunswick brews shares! 2. Frederick Bear Bourguignon (Bourbon Barrel Bliss, Oven Opulence) Nods French-Acadian roots—braised, boozy for brunches. - Ingredients: 2 lb bear stew meat, 1 lb bacon (chopped), 2 carrots/onions (sliced), 2 garlic cloves, 2 cups red wine (MD cab), 1 cup beef stock, thyme/bay, pearl onions/mushrooms. - Method: Crisp bacon; brown bear in fat, deglaze wine. Simmer oven 325°F 3 hours with stock/herbs. Sauté veggies last 30 min. Spoon over mash. Pro: Render fat for fries—Appalachian au poivre! These alchemize "ridge rough" into refined repast—snap your simmer.

Permit & Pursuit Pricing: Maryland Bear Breakdown

Unguided: $15 non-refundable lottery app (odds ~1:5 with prefs); winners grab $50 res/$100 non-res hunting license + free bear seal—total $65-115, gear/gas extra. 70% success over public lands like Youghiogheny NEA. Guided: Scarce in-state (focus on self-guided); nearby VA/MD border outfitters charge $1,500-2,500 for 5-day shotgun hunts (Double Spur, incl. lodging/scouts); $3,000+ full American Plan. One species: Same slate.

Heritage in the Hollers: Maryland's Bear Saga

Bears aren't beasts—they're bedrock lore. Susquehannock/Piscataway tribes tracked 'em with firelines, fat for salves, hides for robes; "Bear Rocks" scar Sideling Hill from 1000 AD. Colonial carnage: 1700s bounties ($1/head) cleared canebrakes for corn, slashing statewide to stragglers by 1800s. Near-nadir nadir: 1953 ban after ~12 bears left in Garrett wilds—habitat havoc from logging/farms. Renaissance? 1980s protections + forest rebirth (90% western cover) sparked surge; 2004's hunt revival (first post-moratorium) culled conflicts, harvesting 89 in 2025. Culture clash? "Bear Days" fests in Oakland blend Native nods with NRA grit—$15M economic echo.

Etch Your Appalachian Epic: Hunt Honed, Hike Hearty

Maryland black bears embody the ridges' raw rhythm—tenacious, tasty, tied to turf. Lock that lottery, ladle that stew, and log your legend: Frederick find or Garrett glory? Chime in. Fair fields, fellow frontiers—may your mountains murmur.

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About The Author

Mike Mendenhall is the the founder of Lunker Hunter. This website is an extension of the Mendenhall family’s lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors. Everything that they learn, and experience, along the way that they find may be valuable to our website visitors is on the site for you to enjoy. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive free products from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase.