Retriever Dog Training Permit Details

A Maryland permit to allow the owner or custodian of a retriever dog to shoot artificially reared game birds (quail, pheasant, chukar, mallard) for the purposes of training the dog.

A permit holder, while training a retriever dog, may possess and shoot with a shotgun any artificially reared game bird that has been liberated by hand and tagged before its use with an identification band. All birds shall be banded, or similarly marked, prior to release. The permit allows the owner or custodian of a retriever dog to train the dog at any time of the year.

For the purposes of retriever training, a person may possess bobwhite quail, chukar partridge, ring-necked pheasant, and mallard ducks after obtaining a retriever training permit. If the birds are held for more than 72 hours or a call-back pen is used, a Game Husbandry Permit is also required.

Only the trainer of a retriever dog, and not an assistant to the trainer, is required to obtain a permit.