IDYLWILD WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
Maryland hunters often overlook the Idylwild Wildlife Management Area (WMA), particularly during the dead of winter. The WMA is situated in the southeastern corner of Caroline County and extends from the town limits of Federalsburg toward the Delaware state line. It is bordered by state Route 306 to the east, and Marshyhope Creek to the west. This sprawling expanse has more than 25 miles of hiking trails, all of which wind their way through some of the Eastern Shore's most productive deer-hunting opportunities.

The terrain is mainly flat, and nearly 25 percent of the WMA is below sea level, thus deer have many isolated hummocks to take refuge in during the regular firearms season. By the time the late bow season rolls around, deer are scattered throughout the WMA's 3,000 acres, often foraging on the 300-plus acres of leased farmlands for the remaining kernels of corn dropped by pickers during the harvesting process.

A half-dozen designated parking areas can be found along Houston Branch Road; however, the only access to the WMA is via foot or by horseback. There is a considerable amount of horseback riding activity at Idylwild throughout much of the year; however, by January the equestrians become somewhat scarce, particularly during the middle of the week.

"This is an area that does not get nearly as much deer hunting pressure as we would like," Hotton said. "There's a good-sized whitetail population at the WMA, and we have some hunting taking place during the regular firearms season, but there's not much activity during the latter part of bow season at all."

SENECA CREEK STATE PARK
"Seneca Creek State Park has expanded its deer-hunting opportunities this year, and we're hopeful that this will increase the harvest level to some degree," Hotton said. This particular location is not at all large, and the amount of available land open to hunting is just over 1,200 acres. The park is fragmented into four parcels, and the only parcel open to hunters is the segment bordering the C&O Canal along the Potomac River's shores.

At press time, public hearings were taking place to open an additional 75 acres of parkland to bowhunters at the park's northern end. Ironically, after several years of managed hunts at Seneca, the park still experiences severe problems from roaming herds of whitetails that have virtually destroyed much of the park's understory plants.

Park officials are quick to point out that during the past two years the number of whitetails harvested during managed hunts has dropped to an average of 80 deer during the two-day period, but considering that only 65 hunters are permitted to participate each day, the success ratio is still amazingly high. Is this an indication that the park's herd is nearing levels where the environment can support them? While the managed hunts have resulted in a significant decline in deer/motor vehicle accidents, nearby residents claim there is not a day that goes by when at least one commuter passing through the park's boundaries strikes a deer.

There are no restrictions or special permits required to hunt the area bordering the C&O Canal, as hunting pressure is fairly light, particularly during the latter portion of January. The odds are definitely in the hunter's favor.