There will not be a lottery for the 2024-2025 hunting season, but please check this lottery page again in August 2025. All current hunt clubs have paid their leases for the upcoming 2024-2025 hunting season, and the State has not acquired any new properties suitable for ​leased hunting and does not currently have any existing properties that would be appropriate to lease.​

Background:

The department has completed its comprehensive planning process for managing hunting opportunities on Chesapeake Forest Lands, which will incorporate both Public Forest lands and Leased Hunting. Chesapeake Forest tracts open to Public Hunting can be viewed on the Chesapeake Forest website here​. Hunt clubs that are interested in obtaining a hunting lease agreement on Chesapeake Forest can enter the lottery for one of the non-leased tracts that are currently available for Hunt Club leasing.

Lottery Guidelines:

The following are requirements and information for entering the Hunt Club Lottery:

• Only hunt club members at least 18 years of age can participate in the lottery.
• A hunt club must have at least two members licensed to hunt in the State of Maryland with one person designated as the club president.
  
• Each member may fill out a lottery form. Only one submittal per person will be placed in the lottery.

If your lottery entry is selected, you will be awarded the first available tract that you choose.

It is recommended that you visit the tracts before you make your selection. Some tracts have limited access.

Hunt clubs are expected to help maintain access roads, gates, and signs along on the leased property.

A hunt club is also permitted to camp on the tract; however, they must obtain a camping permit from the Forest Service Office for each camping trailer. Permits are $50 for deer season camping (Sept. 1 - Jan. 31) and $25 for Turkey season camping (Apr. 1 - May 31). Trailers must be removed from the property from Feb. 1 - Mar. 31.

There is NO FEE to enter into the lottery drawing.

Hunt clubs are required to carry a Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy, with one million dollars per occurrence, two million annual aggregate, for the club. Proof of insurance is required upon payment.

These lottery tracts will include a ten-year lease agreement for the upcoming hunting seasons in 2023-2024 through 2032-2033. To see a copy of a State Hunting Lease click here.

The lottery entry deadline is Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 11:59 pm.

A random automated on-line drawing for available Chesapeake Forest tracts in the lease program will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 2:00 pm.

The MD Forest Service will contact the winners by phone or e-mail within 2 business days of the drawing. If you decline the tract that you won, it will be awarded to another lottery participant.

The deadline for payment and required paperwork will be on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at 4:00 pm.

Any club that fails to make payment on a lease by the payment deadline indicated will forfeit their lease. The tract will then be offered to the runner up club chosen in the lottery that had that tract selected on their lottery submission.