Potomac — A pilot Archery Managed Deer Hunting Program has been approved by Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, for the Great Seneca Stream Valley Park, Unit 1 in Germantown and the Watts Branch Stream Valley Units 1 & 2 in Potomac.
Approximately four hundred comments were received. Public support was greater than opposition, by a slight margin. Those in opposition shared concern for potential excessive wounding and suffering by way of archery hunting. Through selection and training of hunting participants, the Department of Parks seeks to reduce the probability of wounding loss. Similar programs, throughout the region have shown varying rates of of unintended injury ranging from 3 - 17 percent.
The intent of the pilot Archery Managed Deer Hunting Program is to evaluate the method. The program will be in place concurrent with the Maryland regulated archery season, Sept. 11 through Jan. 31. Affected parks will remain open to public use while archery hunting is occurring. Archery hunting, by permit only, will be permitted Monday through Saturday. Program suspension will occur during the month of December and during established state-regulated firearms and muzzleloader seasons.
The selected units of Great Seneca and Watts Branch Stream Valley Parks will be posted with signage to notify park users of this activity. Hunting and weapons discharge will be restricted to a distance of at least 130 yards from homes, and a maximum of six hunters will be permitted at each park location per day.
More details about these programs are available at www.parksdeermanagement.org.