NANJEMOY, Md. — Southern Maryland’s newest national wildlife refuge may soon allow regulated hunting, following a federal proposal to expand recreational access on public lands. The Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge, established in 2024, is one of 16 refuges identified in a plan announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior to open 42 new hunting opportunities nationwide across more than 87,000 acres.
The proposal, released on May 2, 2025, is part of a broader initiative to boost outdoor access through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the National Wildlife Refuge System. The changes would take effect during the 2025-26 hunting season if finalized.
“Proposed new opportunities from these openings and expansions include the first-ever opening of hunting on the newly established Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and the inaugural opening of sport fishing at North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery in Massachusetts,” according to the announcement.
Located near Nanjemoy in Charles County, the refuge was created with an initial 31-acre land donation from The Nature Conservancy. It is the first new refuge established in Maryland in more than 60 years and the first in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in more than 25 years. Conservation officials and partners aim to expand the refuge to include up to 40,000 acres of forest and wetlands across Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties through voluntary conservation agreements.
The refuge protects critical habitat for species such as the northern long-eared bat, forest-interior songbirds, box turtles, and various amphibians and aquatic species. In addition to wildlife preservation, the area will support birdwatching, environmental education, photography and—pending regulatory approval—public hunting.
While the Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated that the proposal will be open for public comment via the Federal Register, the comment period had not yet opened as of May 12. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson confirmed to The BayNet that “the Federal Register notice has not published yet, which will officially open the comment period for the annual proposed update. When it does, the docket will be available at www.regulations.gov.”
The BayNet will continue to monitor the proposal’s status and provide updates as the public comment period begins.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Can we not enjoy nature without hunting? Let’s keep it a SANCTUARY. Hikers & photographers and FAMILIES welcome. There are plenty of other places open for hunters.
johnnyb no problem. It will be a sanctuary for hikers, photographers, and FAMILIES from February 1 – August 31. Then it can be a sanctuary for hunters from Sep 1 – Jan 31. Thanks for the great idea! Can you please list the other places that are open to hunters and not hikers, photographers, and FAMILIES.
In addition, we can petition the government to add a new fair tax addition to the Pittman-Robertson act to tax hikers, photographers, and FAMILIES to help pay their equal extra taxes to use this land equally.
I agree. There are plenty of places to hunt. Myrtle Grove is close by and there are other wildlife management areas in Maryland. Let’s keep this place a sanctuary as its name states.