HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1201
CHAPTER 693.
(House Bill 526)

AN ACT to add a new section to Article 99 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title "Water Fowl-
Birds and Game", sub-title "Otter, Muskrat, Raccoon and
Opossum", said new section to be known as Section 61A,
and to follow immediately after Section 61 of said Article,
providing for a closed season upon the woodchuck, com-
monly called the ground hog in Garrett and Allegany
Counties.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by* the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article
99 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title
"Water Fowl—Birds and Game", sub-title "Otter, Muskrat,
Raccoon and Opossum", said new section to be known as
Section 61 A, to follow immediately after Section 61 of said
Article, and to read as follows:

61A. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt any wood-
chuck, commonly called ground hog, in Garrett and Allegany
Counties, or have the meat or pelts in possession if trapped,
caught or killed, between the thirtieth day of September and
the first day of July following in each and every year, both
dates, exclusive, whether same are trapped, caught or killed
within the State of Maryland, or any other State, territory or
country. However, nothing herein contained shall prohibit the
possession of the skins of such animals for business purposes,
when cured and dried, and any person may have in his posses-
sion green skins until the fifteenth day of November, following
the close of each season, in order that all skins caught late in
the season may be cured for market. During the open season it
shall be unlawful for any one person to kill, trap or catch in
any manner more than four woodchucks in any one day or
more than eight in any one week or to kill or catch any wood-
chuck by digging him out of a den except as hereinafter
provided.

Nothing contained in this section shall prevent woodchucks
from being dug out of their dens or killed, in any manner, at
any time, by landowners or occupants of farms, or by mem-
bers of their family, or hired help. Said animals may also be
dug out of dens in cultivated fields and killed in any manner
during the regular open woodchuck season by any other per-
son, if such person shall first have obtained specific permission
from the owner or occupant of said farm, and shall, imme-
diately after the removal thereof, replace the earth and level
off the area dug out.