A bill proposed in the Maryland General Assembly that would allow Sunday game hunting in September on privately owned land in Carroll County has run into opposition from horse owners who say they fear for their safety.

Currently, Sunday hunting is allowed from October through the end of January. The county’s all-Republican delegation unanimously approved the legislation, proposed specifically for Carroll County. It has been referred to a Senate committee but had not been passed in that chamber as of Monday, known as Crossover Day. Typically bills must be passed by one legislative body and passed to the other by this date in order to guarantee they receive a hearing in the opposite chamber.

The legislative session in Annapolis ends April 8.

Del. Eric Bouchat, a Republican representing District 5 in Carroll and Frederick counties, presented the bill to the House Environment and Transportation Committee last week.

“I am the resident hunter of the delegation, so I drew the straw to present this bill,” Bouchat said. “This bill unanimously came out of our delegation, and it is a real simple bill. We want to add Sunday hunting to our hunting repertoire to maintain our deer herd. Carroll County’s number one industry is agriculture, and our farmers take a loss every year from over population of deer, which impacts their harvest.

“It can be the difference between making a profit, breaking even or taking a loss,” he said. “By adding Sunday hunting we hope to add more hunting resources to help our farmers out.”

Bouchat also pointed out that senior citizens make up a majority of the hunters in the county, and allowing hunting on Sundays would be a plus for them.

“We depend very heavily upon our senior citizens that do this duty for us,” he said. “They’re aging out, and there’s less youth hunters coming in. By adding Sunday hunting, which is the warmer weather, we’re going to give grandparents, both males and females, a chance to hunt with their grandchildren and bring them into the fold to learn and accept the heritage of our county.”

Opposition to the bill came from horseback riders in Carroll County concerned about safety.

“I strongly oppose the Sunday hunting bill,” Gina Miller said. “Currently I have two horses. I believe that Sunday should remain a safe, non-hunting day for all the outdoor enthusiasts. As a trail rider, I avoid riding during hunting days, because the sudden crack of the gunfire can startle the horses causing them to spook, an extremely dangerous situation for riders.”

Rebecca Paraguay of Carroll County agreed.

“I have four horses and participate in most of the equine events that you can participate in, including trail riding,” she said. “I trail ride almost every weekend when I can, but I have to adjust my plans often because of the hunting season, especially in the fall.”

Though committee members said they understood the concerns, they advocated for the rights of property owners.

“I certainly understand and sympathize with your perspective that safety is really important, and I know that some of you have had close calls,” said Del. Sheila Ruth, a Democrat representing District 44B in Baltimore County. “We also hear from property owners who say they should be able to use their own private property, and we’re restricting what they can do on their own private property, which I think is also a fair question.

“I understand bullets don’t stop at the edge of the property line. I do understand that,” she said.

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