Wicomico leaders push to allow Sunday hunting on private land; equestrians and riders oppose expansion

Delegate Chris Adams introduced House Bill 654 on behalf of the Wicomico County delegation, asking the Environment and Transportation Committee to consider an amendment that would confine the change to private land in Wicomico County and repeal the current 10:30 a.m. Sunday hunting time limit for private-property archery hunting.

The bill sponsor said the measure responds to public-safety and agricultural concerns, and to residents who say limited weekday free time prevents participation in hunting. Adams said the amendment in committee packets narrows the bill to private land only and that local hearings produced no opposition.

Supporters — including the Wicomico County executive, a county council member and representatives of the Wicomico County Farm Bureau — described crop damage and high deer populations on the Eastern Shore as driving the request. Steve Hurley, president of the Wicomico County Farm Bureau, told the committee his farm family faces repeated losses from deer browsing and urged expanded hunting opportunities for working people and younger hunters. Testimony from Maribeth Kalinage of the Maryland Bowhunter Society emphasized that most proposed Sunday hours would be archery-only and described archery as “the safest form of hunting.”

Opponents included statewide and local equestrian organizations and trail riders who testified virtually and in person. Jane Sigler of the Maryland Horse Council cited polling and DNR surveys she said show a majority of Maryland residents oppose expanded Sunday hunting. Several equestrian witnesses described incidents of stray projectiles and shotgun shells found near trails and urged maintaining a Sunday respite for non‑hunting recreational uses. Tuckahoe Equestrian Center and multiple residents asked for continued public‑land protections, noting many public and private trails border one another.

Committee members questioned scope and safeguards. Delegate Lehman asked whether “public land” in the sponsor’s amendment would include parks, wildlife management areas and state properties; Adams replied the delegation’s amendment was intended to exclude public lands and that he would accept committee amendments to clarify definitions. Adams and county witnesses also said the county planned to provide alternative Sunday riding opportunities at specific public sites during hunting seasons.

Why it matters: support and opposition reflect a long‑running balance between hunting access, agricultural damage mitigation and public recreation. The bill, as amended in the hearing to apply only to private property with landowner permission, would remove a time‑of‑day limit that many Eastern Shore residents say constrains working families' ability to hunt; equestrians and other users say the same changes raise safety concerns where public and private lands abut.

Discussion and next steps: The committee heard multiple local stakeholders and clarified the proposal applies to private lands only. Delegates asked for clearer statutory language to ensure public lands remain excluded and for technical cleanup to address contiguous public/private boundaries. No formal vote was recorded in the transcript.