Md. Code Regs. 08.03.07.07 - Areas Open to Offshore Waterfowl Hunting
A.
Consistent with a final rule published in the Federal Register pursuant to 50 CFR
20, except as provided in §C of this regulation, a person may hunt migratory
waterfowl from a boat or floating blind which is anchored, drifting, sculled, or
paddled, or while standing in the water on the natural bottom in those open areas
described in §B of this regulation.
B. The following areas are open:
(1) Chesapeake Bay: Beginning at Turkey Point on
the northern side of the mouth of Elk River; then westerly to Sandy Point; thence
along the eastern and southern shores of Spesutie Island to Bear Point; thence to
Black Point; thence southwesterly along shore to Abbey Point; thence to Lego Point;
thence along shore of Gunpowder Neck to southwestern tip of Rickett Point; thence to
Lower Island Point; thence to the northeasterly point of Millers Island; thence
southeasterly along the shores of Millers Island, Hart Island, and Patapsco River
Neck to North Point; thence to Bodkin Point; thence southerly along the shores of
Mountain Point; thence to Persimmon Point; thence along the shores to a point on
Sandy Point due west of Sandy Point Light; thence to Hackett Point, thence to
Greenbury Point; thence to Tolly Point; thence southerly along the shore to
southeasternmost tip of Arundel on the Bay; thence to Thomas Point; thence in a
straight line across the mouth of South River to Saunders Point thence in a
southwesterly direction along the shore to Dutchman Point; thence in a straight line
across the mouth of West River to Curtis Point; thence to Horseshoe Point; thence to
Franklin Point; thence in a southwesterly direction along the shore to Holland
Point; thence southerly along the shores to Cove Point and to Drum Point; thence to
Hog Point; thence along the shores to Cedar Point to Point No Point and to Point
Lookout; thence southeasterly across the Potomac River to Smith Point; thence
northeasterly along State Line to intersection with westerly shore of Smith Island,
crossing Big Thorofare at points marking its western entrance and continuing
northward along shore to Fog Point; thence northwesterly to Holland Island Bar
Light; thence to the southernmost point of Holland Island; thence along the western
shores of Holland Island, Adam Island, Billys Island (Pone Island) and Bloodsworth
Island to tip of shore on southwesterly side of entrance into Okahanikan Cove;
thence northwesterly to Richland Point, Middle Hooper Island; thence following the
western shores of Hooper Islands to Pons Point; thence to Sand Point; thence along
the western shore of Barren Island to Barren Island Point; thence to the
southernmost tip of The Marshes; thence along the western shores of Meekins Neck,
Taylors Island and James Island to James Point on Upper James Island; thence to
Black Walnut Point; thence northerly along the western shore of Tilghman Point to
Triangulation Station WAP on the northern shore of Paw-paw Cove; thence running
northwesterly to the most southwest point of Poplar Island; thence northeasterly
along shore to the northeasternmost point of Poplar Island; thence to Kent Point;
thence northerly along western shore of Kent Island to Love Point; thence northerly
to Swan Point Channel Quick Flashing Red Buoy #4; thence in the same direction to
Tolchester Channel flashing buoy #15; thence to can buoy #26B; thence to Tolchester
Channel flashing buoy #21; thence in a northeasterly direction to black and white
spar buoy #N25B; thence to black and white spar buoy #N23B; thence to black can
#42B; thence to flashing bell buoy #30; thence to flashing buoy #34; thence to
flashing buoy #36; thence easterly to Howell Point, Kent County; thence to Grove
Point; thence to Turkey Point.
(2)
Potomac River: Beginning at the intersection of mean low watermark at Point Lookout,
marking Chesapeake Bay waters; thence following the mean low waterline of the shore
northwesterly across the respective mouths of all creeks to Gray Point at the
westerly entrance into Rowley Bay; thence in a straight line northwesterly to the
southerly extremity of Kitts Point; thence along the mean low waterline to the
southwesterly point of St. Inigoes Neck; thence in a straight line westerly to the
most easterly point of St. Georges Island; thence following the mean low waterline
in a general northwesterly direction, across the respective mouths of all creeks and
inlets to the southwesterly point of Huggins Point, thence in a straight line
southwesterly to the eastern extremity of the sandbar known as Heron Island; thence
southwesterly in a straight line to the most southerly point of Blackiston Island;
thence in a straight line northwesterly to the southern extremity of Colton's Point;
thence following the mean low waterline, westerly, excluding all creeks and inlets,
to the point marking the southeasterly entrance into St. Catherine Sound; thence
westerly in a straight line to the southern extremity of St. Catherine Island
Sandbar; thence northwesterly along the westerly edge of that sandbar continuing
along the mean low waterline of the southwesterly side of St. Catherine Island to
the northwesterly point of the island; thence westerly in a straight line to Cobb
Point Bar Lighthouse; thence northwesterly along the ridge of Cobb Point Sandbar to
the southerly extremity of Cobb Point; thence following the mean low waterline in
general northwesterly and northerly directions across the respective mouths of all
creeks and inlets to a point where the eastern span of the Potomac River Bridge
(Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge) crosses the mean low watermark on the
Maryland shore; thence following the mean low waterline, northerly, excluding all
creeks and inlets to a point on the shore due east of Windmill Point; thence west to
Windmill Point; thence following the mean low waterline southwesterly, excluding all
creeks and inlets to Upper Cedar Point; thence following the mean low waterline
westerly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Blossom Point; thence in a straight
line southeasterly to Blue Heron Point; thence following the mean low waterline
southwesterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Maryland Point; thence following
the mean low waterline northwesterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to Smith
Point; thence following the mean low waterline northerly, excluding all creeks and
inlets to Sandy Point; thence following the mean low waterline northerly, excluding
all creeks and inlets to Moss Point; thence in a straight line northeasterly to the
southern tip of Stump Neck; thence following the mean low waterline northeasterly,
excluding all creeks and inlets to the most northwesterly point of Stump Neck;
thence in a straight line northeasterly to Deep Point; thence following the mean low
waterline northeasterly, excluding all creeks and inlets to a point on the shore due
south of Hollis Point; thence in a straight line northerly to Hollis Point; thence
following the mean low waterline northeasterly to a point on the shore that marks
the boundary between Charles and Prince George's Counties; thence following the
Charles-Prince George's County line northwesterly across the Potomac River to where
the Charles-Prince George's intersects the mean low watermark on the Commonwealth of
Virginia shore; thence southerly following the Maryland-Virginia state line to Smith
Point and thence in a straight line across the mouth of the Potomac River, on the
established line from Smith Point to Point Lookout, to the mean low watermark at
Point Lookout, the place of the beginning.
(3) Susquehanna Flats: Beginning at Stump Point on
the western side of Furnace Bay; thence in a straight line easterly to Carpenter
Point; thence in a straight line southeasterly to Red Point; thence southerly along
the mean low waterline to Turkey Point; thence in a straight line westerly to Sandy
Point; thence northwesterly along the mean low waterline to Locust Point; thence
westerly following the shoreline to Plum Point; thence in a straight line
northwesterly to Swan Creek Point; thence northeasterly along the mean low waterline
to Concord Point; thence in a straight line easterly to Stump Point.
(4) Elk River: Beginning at Turkey Point; thence
northeast following the shoreline to Hyland's Point on the Elk River; thence
northeast following the shoreline to Bull Minnow Point; thence east to Welch Point;
thence southeast following the shoreline to Town Point; thence southwest to Arnold
Point; thence southwest following the shoreline to Grove Point; thence north to
Turkey Point.
(5) Sassafras River:
Beginning at Grove Point, only in the Cecil County portion of the Sassafras River
located west of 75° 58' 45".
(6) The
open waters of Hooper Strait, Fishing Bay, and Holland Strait in Dorchester County
and Kedges Strait and Pocomoke Sound in Somerset County.
(7) That part of the open waters of Tangier Sound,
Monie Bay, Manokin River, and Big Annemessex River in Dorchester, Somerset and
Wicomico counties described as follows: Keeping to the south of a line drawn between
the southernmost tip of Frog Point, Dorchester County and the southernmost tip of
Nanticoke Point, Wicomico County; keeping to the south of a line drawn between the
southernmost tip of Nanticoke Point, Wicomico County and the westernmost tip of
Wingate Point, Somerset County; and keeping to the south of a line drawn between St.
Pierre Island, Somerset County and the northernmost tip of Cormal Point, Somerset
County.
(8) Chincoteague Bay: Beginning
at the State line on the western side of Chincoteague Bay; thence northeasterly
following the shoreline of Mills Island to Assacorkin Island; thence northeasterly
to Big Bay Point; thence northwesterly to Martin Point; thence northerly to
Watermelon Point; thence northerly to Richs Point; thence northerly to Kelly Point,
thence northerly to Out Point; thence northeasterly to the southeast tip of Cropper
Island; thence easterly to Knot Point; thence southerly to Island Point; thence
southeasterly to South Point; thence northerly to Green Point; thence easterly to
Sandy Point Island; thence southerly to Goose Point; thence southwesterly to the
eastern tip of Great Egging Island; thence southerly to the eastern tip of Tingles
Island; thence southerly to Fox Hill Point; thence southeasterly to Whittington
Point; thence southeasterly to Bay Island; thence easterly to Bay Point; thence
southeasterly to Striking Marsh; thence southerly to West Bay Tump.
C. A person hunting wild waterfowl in
the offshore hunting zone shall remain at least:
(1) 800 yards from any shore including shore
emerging at mean low water, except in the following waters, where a person hunting
wild waterfowl shall remain at least 400 yards from shore including shore emerging
at mean low water:
(a) Chesapeake Bay located in
Baltimore, Harford, and St. Mary's counties as described in §B(1) of this
regulation;
(b) Potomac River as
described in §B(2) of this regulation;
(c) Susquehanna Flats as described in §B(3)
of this regulation; and
(d) Dorchester,
Somerset and Wicomico counties as described in §B(6)-(7) of this
regulation.
(2) 250 yards
from any person legally hunting wild waterfowl; and
(3) 500 yards from any bridge, road, or
causeway.
Notes
Regulation .07A amended effective July 25, 1988 (15:15 Md. R. 1809)
Regulation .07B amended effective August 11, 2008 (35:16 Md. R. 1390); amended effective 45:12 Md. R. 617, eff.
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