Hunting and Fishing Abstracts 2011

8/7/2019 Hunting and Fishing Abstracts 2011

1/41

2011massachusettsfish&wildlifeguidetohunting, freshwaterfishingandtrapping

officialmassachusettshunting, fishingandtrappingregulations


2/4112011 MA Division o Fisheries & Wildlie

Features 6 Hunting Access in Massachusetts

11 Century Bog Acquisition

18 Managing Deer Populations: A Matter o Balance

39 Waterowl Stamps: A Tradition in Transition

40 Stop the Spread o Nuisance Aquatic Plants & Animals

ContentsGENERAL

From the Director ............................................3

Oces and Facilities Directory

and Location Map .......................................4

Wildlie Lands .................................................5

Licenses, Permits and Stamps ......................8

License and Permit Fees ..............................10

Wildlie Management Zones ....................... 20

Landowner Liability .....................................22

Oce o Law Enorcement Directory .......36

Sunrise-Sunset Table ...................................35

Outdoor Skills and

Wildlie Education Programs ................. 37

FISHING ....................................... 1217

Species Regulations ......................................12

Bait Regulations ............................................13

Catch and Release Areas..............................13

Fish Consumption Advisories .....................13

Free Fishing Weekend ..................................14

Interstate Ponds .............................................13

Marine Fisheries In ormation Hotline ......14

Fishing Prohibitions .....................................13

Boat and RV Registrat ion Inormation .....14

Common Fish o Massachusetts .................15

Freshwater Sportshing

Awards Program .......................................16

HUNTING .....................................2131

General Hunting Regulations .....................21

Non-resident Hunters ...................................21

Wildlie Management Area

(WMA) Regulations .................................20

Massachuset ts Gun Laws ............................22

Hunting Prohibitions ...................................23

Specia l Hunts .................................................28

Species Regulations ............................... 2431

Black Bear ................................................24

Upland Game Birds .................................25

Deer .................................................... 2728

Rabbits and Squirrels .............................29

Reptiles and Amphibians ......................30

Furbearers ................................................31

TRAPPING ...................................3234

Species Regulations ......................................32

Furbearer Check Stations ............................33

Problem Animal Control Licensing ...........34

Trapping Prohibitions ..................................34


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About the GuideThis Guide contains a summary o the

laws and regulations in place as o

September 1, 2010. Any changes in law or

regulation enacted ater September 1 are

publicized through releases to the news

media, town clerk's oces, all license

sales outlets, and on our website. These

are not the complete laws and regulations.

Laws and regulations (MGL Ch. 131 and

321 CMR) are subject to change.

Hunting, shing, sporting, and trapping

licenses must be carried on your person

and shown on demand to any ocer

empowered to enorce these laws, and

to landowners or lessees while on their

property. A hunting, shing or trapping

license is not permission to trespass or

intrude on private land, posted or not.

Remember, your privilege to enter on

private land is a courtesy extended to

you by the owner. Practice courtesy and

leave a good impression i you want to

continue hunting, shing or trapping.

License sales outlets may sell a hunting

or sporting license only a ter seeing proo

o a previous hunting license rom any

state or province, or year, or a certicate

o completion o a Basic Hunter Educa-

tion course rom any state or province.

Minors, see page 8.

COMMONWEALTH OFMASSACHUSETTS

DEVAL L. PATRICK, Governor

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY& ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

IAN A. BOWLES, Secretary

DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAMEMARY B. GRIFFIN, Commissioner

DIVISION OF FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

WAYNE F. MacCALLUM, Director

FISHERIES & WILDLIFE BOARD

GEORGE L. DAREY, Chair (Lenox)

FRED WINTHROP (Ipswich)

JOHN F. CREEDON, Esq. (Brockton)

JOSEPH S. LARSON, Ph.D. (Pelham)

BONITA J. BOOTH (Spencer)

MICHAEL P. ROCHE (Orange)BRANDI VAN ROO, Ph.D. (Douglas)

NATURAL HERITAGE & ENDANGEREDSPECIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

KATHLEEN S. ANDERSON, Chair (Middleborough)

MARILYN J. FLOR (Rockport)

JOSEPH S. LARSON, Ph.D. (Pelham)

MARK MELLO (South Dartmouth)

GLENN MOTZKIN (Shutesbury)

THOMAS J. RAWINSKI (Oakham)

JONATHAN A. SHAW (Sandwich)

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSWILLIAM E. BRUMBACK (Framingham)

ANDY FINTON (Boston)

TIMOTHY FLANAGAN (Lenox)

WAYNE R. PETERSEN (Hanson)

MARK POKRAS (North Graton)

BRYAN WINDMILLER (Concord)

NEW FOR 2011:Allanglers16yearsorolder,shinginsaltwatermusthaveaMassachusettsSaltwaterFishingPermitthatwillbeavailableon-line,bymail,andinpersonatDivisionofMarineFisheries

ofcesinGloucester,Boston,andNewBedford.Seepage10.

Bobcatharvestquotahasbeenremoved.Allbobcatstakenmustbetaggedwithin4workingdaysoftheendoftheseason.

NewATVregulations;seepage30.

COMING IN 2012:

Leadshingsinkersandjigslessthan1ouncewillbeprohibitedinallinlandwatersoftheCommonwealtheffectiveJanuary1,2012.

22011 MA Division o Fisheries & Wildlie

This Guide is designed and produced incollaboration with The MassachusettsDivision o Fisheries & Wildlie by J.F. Gri fnPublishing, LLC .

430 Main Street, Suite 5Williamstown, MA 01267www.jgrifn.com(413) 884-1001

Senior Designer: Erin Murphy

Associate Designer: Evelyn Haddad

The MA Division o Fisheries & Wildlie allowsappropriate advertising in its annual regulationguide. Advertisers signifcantly reducepublishing costs to the agency. Promotionaladvertising does not constitute endorsementby the MA Division o Fisheries & Wildlie.Please call us at (413) 884-1001 to inquireabout advertising in this publication.

J.F. Grifn Publishing, LLC is proud to print

the ofcial Massachusetts Guide to

Hunting, Fishing and Trapping on recycled

content paper.

HAVE A QUESTION? VISIT OUR WEBSITEwww.mass.gov/masswildlie, or

e-mail us at [email protected]

The Massachusetts Division o Fisheries &Wildlie is an agency o the Massachusetts

Department o Fish & Game.

ON THE COVERThis Massachusetts buck in velvet was

photographed in the Connecticut Valley

District in July, near the end o its annual

antler development. (Photo by Bill Byrne)

Most photographs contained in this Guide

were taken by MassWildlie sta.
http://www.jfgriffin.com/http://www.mass.gov/masswildlifemailto:mass.wildlife%40state.ma.us?subject=http://www.jfgriffin.com/mailto:mass.wildlife%40state.ma.us?subject=http://www.mass.gov/masswildlife


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From the DirectorEvery year at this time I think about what we have done to

enhance wildlie management and customer service to the

sportsmen and women o Massachusetts. Last year we intro-

duced the new ormat Guide. Since then many o you have

weighed in to express strong positive reviews. We are glad

you like the new Guide and we are continuing to improve it.

This has been a good year or the Massachusetts Division

o Fisheries and Wildlie. Although we are small, our sta

continues to produce exceptional results in many ways.

Last year DFW land agents, working with the Department

o Fish and Game, secured 6,164 acres o land or wildlie

at a cost o $10.49M. Fully 50% o that land was protected

at no cost to the Commonwealth! This brings the acreage

we have conserved or wildlie to just over 187,000 acres or

about 292 square miles.

Our Distr ict oces manage immense tracts o land with only

eight staersincluding both a District Supervisor and areceptionist. District sta also release some 40,000 pheasants

each yearmore than all other New England states combined.

An additional 3,500 quail are released into appropriate habitat

in the southeast part o the state.

Increasing numbers o hunters are nding that they no longer

need to travel to other states to nd prime huntingit has come

to them. Similarly, anglers report that Massachusetts lakes

and rivers oer some o the nest shing in New England.

We have our trout hatcheries that raise 450,000 lbs. o trout

each year, releasing 400,000 lbs. each spring and another

50,000 lbs. in all. The Divisions th hatchery, dedicated

to rearing salmon, raised 995,515 Atlantic salmon ry which

were released as part o the salmon restoration program.

Two new educational programs introduce youngsters to eld

sports. Archery in the Schools is now available in ten pilot

schools across the state. Here students learn to ocus their

attention by staying on target both literally and gura-

tivelylearning to concentrate while learning archery skills.

A new youth turkey hunting program operates through

cooperating sportsmens clubs that join with the DFW to

oer training to young hunters in turkey hunting skil ls and

saety in preparation or a mentored turkey hunt (see page 38).

All o this is good, but we constantly seek new ways to pro-

vide you, the sportsmen and women o the Commonwealth,

with more opportunities and with better customer service.

At this point we are working toward development o a new

and integrated licensing and database system. Most states

have gone electronic in their licensing process. Beore long,

Massachusetts will do so as well.

Imagine a system where not only can you purchase a license,

stamps, and permits at any time o the day or nightyou can

report harvest inormation (check in your game) by logging

in and loading the inormation into a database. Then you

would immediately receive a conrmation number which is

the equivalent o having a seal or tag. The license and as-

sociated permits would have a space where you would write

in that conrmation. This will serve as conrmation that

you have lled the permit and reported the harvest.

Once operational, this system wil l translate into convenience

or hunters and a complete and up-to-date database or biolo-

gists which is critical or sound management. As you log in

your harvest , the inormation goes directly into a biological

database. Hours that are now spent distributing and collect-

ing licenses, or on manual data entry, will be available or

habitat projects, hatchery operations, and more. This will be a

major improvement in eciency and service. Keep an eye on

our website where we will keep you posted on our progress!

A challenging economy aects us all and requires state agen-

cies to exercise scal restraint, but there are no constraintson creativity and innovation. Creative planning on the part

o our sta will allow the DFW to maintain its level o ser-

vices while adding to customer conveniences. As always it is

our goal to make the most ecient possible use o the unds

you provide to the Division though your purchase o licenses,

stamps, permits, and through your donations.

Wayne F. MacCallum, Director



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Division o Fisheries & WildlieAll DFW lands and acilities are open to the general public without regard to race, color, creed, sex, handicap, or age.

WESTERN WILDLIFE DISTRICT

88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton 01226, (413) 684-1646

Andrew Madden, District Supervisor

CONNECTICUT VALLEY WILDLIFE DISTRICT

341 East Street, Belchertown 01007, (413) 323-7632

Ralph Taylor, District Supervisor

McLAUGHLIN FISH HATCHERY

90 East Street, Belchertown 01007, (413) 323-7671

Jim Hahn, Supervisor

CENTRAL WILDLIFE DISTRICT

211 Temple Street, West Boylston 01583, (508) 835-3607

Bill Davis, District Supervisor

FIELD HEADQUARTERS1 Rabbit Hill Rd., Westborough 01581, (508) 389-6300

Dr. Robert D. Deblinger, Deputy Director, Field Operations

Dr. Thomas W. French, Asst. Director,

Natural Heritage & Endangered Species

Ellie Horwitz, Chie, Inormation and Education

Thomas K. OShea, Asst. Director, Wildlie

Dr. Ken Simmons, Chie Fish Culturist

Dr. Mark Tisa, Asst. Director, Fisheries

NORTHEAST WILDLIFE DISTRICT

85 Fitchburg Road, Ayer 01432, (978) 772-2145

Patricia Huckery, District Supervisor

BOSTON OFFICE

251 Causeway Street, Ste. 400, Boston 02114, (617) 626-1590

Wayne F. MacCallum, Director

Jack Buckley, Deputy Director, Admin.

Jessica Patalano, Chie Financial Ocer

Craig MacDonnell, Chie o Wildlie Lands

Mary Gri n, Commissioner, (617) 626-1550

HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM

51 Groton-Shirley Road, Ayer 01432, (978) 772-0693

Susan Langlois, Administrator

SOUTHEAST WILDLIFE DISTRICT

195 Bournedale Road, Buzzards Bay 02532, (508) 759-3406

Jason Zimmer, District Supervisor

VISIT US ATwww.mass.gov/masswildlie

QUESTIONS?Contact us at [email protected]

http://www.mass.gov/masswildlifemailto:mass.wildlife%40state.ma.us?subject=mailto:mass.wildlife%40state.ma.us?subject=http://www.mass.gov/masswildlife


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WILDLIFE LANDSTheacquisitionofkeyparcelsofwildlifehabitatisanimportantpartoftheDepartmentofFish&Game'sandtheDFWsmanagementprograms.Wildlifeisaproductofthelandandwithoutgoodhabitatwildlifepopulationscannotexist.Lastyear,landagentssecuredjustover6,000acresofopenspace,bringingthetotaloflandsownedbytheCommonwealthand

managedforwildlifeandforrecreationbytheDFWto187,141.6acres.

Theselandsarebrokenoutasfollows:

DIVISION OF FISHERIES & WILDLIFE LANDSTOTAL ACREAGE BY AREA TYPE (through 2010)

AREA TYPE # OF AREAS ACRES

Wildlie Management Areas 139 130,800.8

Wildlie Sanctuaries 13 1,197.0

Fish Hatcheries 5 534.3

Game Farms 3 382.1

River Access 35 3,019.1

Salt Marsh 7 774.7

Lake, Pond & Coastal Access 27 295.6

Fisheries & Wildlie Areas 6 515.0

Natural Heritage Areas 33 2,728.5

Conservation Restrictions/Easements(Some acreage included in WMAs)

53 31,247.6

Mass. Military Reservation 1 15,000.0

Other 646.9

GRAND TOTAL 187,141.6

THE 2011 HUNTING, FISHING & TRAPPING

GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE ON-LINE IN

VARIOUS VERSIONS

You can nd them (or link s to them) on the DFW website at:

http://www.mass.gov/dwele/dw/regulations/abstracts/abstracts.htm

Or you can reach three o them directly as ollows:

DIGITAL EDITION: This is t he complete Guide in color with ads laidout like a book that al lows you to fip the pages with a click o the

mouse. To view this you must have Adobe Flash Player, available as

a ree download. This will come up when you access the document.

See this version o the Guide at:

http://www.eRegulations.com/MA

ENLARGED PRINT (11x17) GUIDE: For those who preer a large print

version o the Guide, this version is it. It can be viewed on the

screen or printed out on 11 x 17 paper. At 13.6 MB, this version

takes a whi le to download so be patient. See this version o the

Guide at:

http://www.eRegulations.com/MA/2011enlarged.pd

POCKET REFERENCE OF KE Y DATES AND INFORMATION: This is

a handy reerence document (968 KB) which provides seasondates or hunting, shing and trapping, a list o weights o the

reshwater sportshing awards, a sunrise and sunset table and

some reminders about species that must be tagged. See this

document at:

http://www.eRegulations.com/MA/2011pocket.pd

ADA COMPLIANT VERSION: This is a stripped down version o the

Guide, 1.5 MB, which contains the in ormation without ads or

pictures and can be used by individuals using special readers.

It is available as a .pd on MassWildlie's website onlysee the

DFW link above.

Please make use o any and all o these versions and eel ree to

orward the links to any interested riends and colleagues. Happy

Hunting and Fishing Ahead!

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/abstracts.htmhttp://www.eregulations.com/MAhttp://www.eregulations.com/MA/2011enlarged.pdfhttp://www.eregulations.com/MA/2011pocket.pdfhttp://www.eregulations.com/MA/2011pocket.pdfhttp://www.eregulations.com/MA/2011enlarged.pdfhttp://www.eregulations.com/MAhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/abstracts.htm


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Hunting Accessin MassachusettsBy Tom OShea| Assistant Director for Wildlife

Hunters are in decline, both in numbers and as a percentage o our

population. Between 1958 and 2008, the number o resident huntersin Massachusetts declined by 49%rom 124,849 to 63,667. Tistrend should be o concern to everyone because, in addition to themany cultural and health benets o hunting, hunters are a crucialtool that wildlie biologists and the public rely on to manage certaingame populations, support wildlie research, and contribute to landprotection and other natural resource conservation programs.

According to a nationwide survey conducted in 2008, the top threereasons why people discontinue hunting are: 1) aging and associatedphysical limitations, 2) time constraints because o work and amilyobligations, and, 3) lack o access or hunting. O these, lack o ac-cess is the only one that sh and wildlie agencies, conservation andsporting organizations, communities, and landowners can realisticallyexpect to inuence in any signicant way.

In Massachusetts, the countrys third most densely populated state,it is not surprising that the urbanization o the landscape presents abarrier to access. Urbanization erects both physical and psychologicalbarricades between people and undeveloped lands. Tis can graduallyseparate and isolate people rom participating in traditional outdooractivities like shing and hunting, and even more insidiously, preventthem rom developing a healthy relationship with nature and acquiringa realistic understanding o its workings. Young people in particularare now largely separated rom the natural world and spending lesstime outdoors than any previous generation.

But are hunters separated rom access in Massachusetts? What bar-riers to hunting do they encounter on our landscape? o answer thesequestions, we need to look at three major barriers to hunting accessin the Commonwealth: 1) discharge setbacks around developed areas,2) private lands posted against hunting, and 3) city/town restrictions(local bylaws/ordinances) on hunting practices.

Discharge Setbacks and SprawlUsing modern geographic tools we see that 60%roughly 3.1 millionacreso Massachusetts alls within a discharge setback or saetyzone. A discharge setback, a s illustrated in Figure 1, is an area denedby state law which prohibits the discharge o any rearm or releaseo any arrow across or within 150 eet o a hard-suraced highwayor the possession o a loaded rearm or hunting by any means onthe land o another within 500 eet o a dwelling in use, except asauthorized by the owner or occupant thereo. Tis statute has beenaround or over 50 years to provide a saety zone or the public,landowners, and hunters alike.

While discharge setbacks around roads and houses are important

or public saety, the loss o hunting access that setbacks create is ex-acerbated by sprawl and rapid development o the landscape. Figure2 shows a small part o Middlesex County (shown in red) currentlyencompassed by discharge setbacks. Communities with 25% or moreorest cover, coupled with a large percentage o land area closed bydischarge setback or municipal restrictions on shooting or hunting,requently experience impacts rom higher deer densities. ypically,these impacts include a higher incidence o vehicle collisions with deer,damage to landscaping and agricultural crops, and Lyme disease. Suchcommunities requently ask the DFW or assistance in nding waysto deal with their concerns.

While it is possible or landowners to permit hunters to hunt withinthe setback, it is typically dicult or hunters to gain access whenpermission is required rom multiple abutting landowners. As a re-

sult, many hunters take their sportand their ability to reduce deer

numberselsewhere. However, when town residents, hunters, and our

staf work cooperatively to nd ways to reduce deer densities, successcan generally be achieved within just a ew years.

Posting of Private Land A hunting license afords an individual the privilege to hunt wildgame regardless o whether or not he or she is a landowner. Wildlie in

America is the sovereign property o the government, held in trust asa public resource or the enjoyment o all. Te New England colonies

were the rst to create laws to provide physical access to this commonresource. Tey allowed the public the right to access private land orthe purposes o hunting, trapping, and shing.

Tis legal tradition later resulted in the development o postingstatutes within states which sought to provide public access to wildl ieresources while balancing the private property rights o landowners.

As the colonial agrarian landscape o Massachusetts began to change,posted land probably increased with the growing population associatedwith industrialization. A study in 1956 indicated that 20% o all privatelandowners in the Commonwealth posted their land at that t ime. A 2004survey estimated that about 477,000 acres (29%) o privately owned

woodlands were posted by their owners in Massachusetts. Tere arelikely thousands o additional acres posted by other types o landown-ers including certain land trusts and other non-prot organizations.

Research on why landowners post their land has yielded conictingresults, but a ew reasons consistently oat to the top: 1) ear o propertydamage, 2) concern or liability, 3) negative interactions with hunt-ers, and, 4) exclusive hunting use (hunters wishing to exclude otherhunters). Hunters can have a genuine, positive inuence in changinglandowner attitudes and gaining access, however. Te author o the1956 study noted that 59% o landowners who post their land willallow hunters i permission is asked. Tat nding still rings true inlandowner surveys conducted today and indicates that hunters whoask or permission to hunt will oten be rewarded. A hunter can go along way toward gaining access rom a landowner by showing respectand developing a riendly relationship. Tere are any number o waysto do this including politely asking or permission rom landowners,educating them about the saety and benets o hunting, learning

what is important to them, helping them with property stewardship,and inorming them about your own experiences, ethics, and saety.Te uture o hunting access is dependent on hunter conduct and therelationships hunters build with private landowners.

Some landowners post their land because they are concerned aboutthe risk o liability. In Massachusetts, however, there is a statute (Chapter21, Section 17C) that protects landowners rom liability or personal

injuries or property damage when they permit the public to use theirland or recreational, conservation, scientic, educational, environmental,ecological, research, religious, or charitable purposes without imposinga charge or ee Landowners are protected by this statute unless theycharge a ee or access to their land. Te ee aspect o this law may helpdiscourage the prolieration o hunting leases that preclude public accessor all in avor o the highest bidder. Exclusive leasing is anathema to

common use o a public resource and runs counter to outdoor culturaltradition in New England.

City / Town RestrictionsNot a year goes by without a town or city in Massachusetts consideringthe question o hunting access on town lands. Conservation commis-sions and other municipal ocials are oten aced with questions over

whether a town or city should open or close its municipal lands to



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hunting. What types o hunting should be allowed and under whatconditions? What can be done about managing the deer population?Is a bylaw necessary? DFW staf is available to provide technical as-sistance and guidance when such issues arise.

It is understandable that communities tend to look at such issuesand the consequences o whatever decisions they makeas solelytheir own, but the results o each city or towns decisions i lands areclosed to hunting can accumulate to signicant regional and statewidelosses o access. As o 2003, at least 161 cities and townsor 45% oall municipalities in the Commonwealthhave restricted huntingaccess in some way (Figure 3). In comparison, only about 12% omunicipalities restricted hunting access in 1956.

Behind many o these restrictions are the same reasons that privateland is posted. Like landowners, communities are oten unaware thatthe discharge setback already encompasses much o their land area andhas worked to protect landowners, hunters, and the public. Tey maynot know that Massachusetts has an excellent record o hunter saetyand requires all rst time hunters to attend and pass a comprehensivehunter education program. Cities and towns will undoubtedly continueto grapple with the issue o hunting access. Hunters are reminded thatthey can play an important role not only in the discussion o the publicbenets o hunting access, but also in bringing acts and evidence tobear in the local decision-making process.

While maintaining and even increasing hunter access to state and

municipal lands is important, access to private land will always be acrucial actor in responsible deer management. Te deer herd doesnot restrict its range to public lands open to hunting, so in order tomanage the herd, we cannot restrict hunters to public lands. With 56%o the statewide deer harvest now taken on private land, i all privateland in the state were closed to hunting, the deer harvest would bereduced by more than hal and local deer populations would quicklygrow out o control.

What Will the Future Look Like?According to Mass Audubons Losing Ground IVreport, the rate odevelopment in Massachusetts between 1995 and 2005 was 22 acresper day. I this rate continues over the next 50 years, what will thismean or the loss o hunting access? First, consider that a 22-acre

development in a orest, without overlap o any existing setbacks, canremove at least 54 acres through the discharge setback. Next, assumethat uture development o 22 acres per day removes only one-hal othat, or 27 acres. At this rate, there would be a loss o nearly 500,000acres in discharge setback over the next 50 years, plus another 400,000acres in actual direct loss rom development. Is a loss o one millionacres over the next 50 years unreasonable?

I the estimates are correct, over 75% o the state would all withindischarge setback! Add in closures o private land, conservation orga-nizations, land trusts, and town lands, and the majority o huntingaccess in the uture may likely rest squarely on state public land, mosto which is located in western and parts o central Massachusetts. Sure,50 years is a long time and the loss o hunting access is gradual. It isso gradual that we can orget that we are losing it. Although publicland acquisition has been valuable or ensuring hunter access, land

acquisition alone may not be enough.Non-commercial, private orest landowners control about 76% o

all orestland in the state. Tese landowners, along with communities,will be part o any long-term solution or providing hunting access andthe public benets hunting and wildlie management sustain. Fromthis perspective, hunters and other conservation and environmentaladvocates have a shared interest in protecting these lands rom develop-ment. Te older you get, the aster time seems to slip away. Fity years

will be here in no time. I you think hunting is an important traditionto pass on to your children here in Massachusetts, dont orget: they

will need a place to hunt

om OShea is Assistant Director o Wildlie or the MDFW and a licensedMassachuset ts orester. He oversees the Wildlie Section which is responsibleor research and management o the states game and urbearer species, aswell as the agencys orestry and upland habitat management programs.Te original and much more detailed version o this article frst appearedin Massachusetts Wildlie magazine, issue No. 4, 2009.



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LicensesHUNTING, FRESHWATER FISHING& TRAPPING LICENSESLicenses are valid rom January 1 through December 31

(except or limited term licenses). Licenses are issued by

many city and town clerks, all DFW oces and other selected

outlets. Licenses, stamps and permits may also be purchased

on-line at www.mass.gov/masswildlie .

LICENSES ARE REQUIRED or all persons 15 years o age and

over or hunting any bird or mammal; and/or or shing

the inland waters o Massachusetts. No reshwater (inland)

shing license is required on the Merrimack River seaward

o the rst upstream bridge (northbound trac) o Route 495

in Haverhill.

A trapping license is required or persons 12 years and over.

Licenses must be shown on demand to any ocer em-

powered to enorce these laws, and to landowners or lessees

while on their property. Face o license must not be obscured.

NOTE: No adult may buy a hunting or sporting license un-

less (s)he shows the issuing agent any previous hunting or

sporting license ( rom any state or province, any year) or acert icate o completion o a Basic Hunter Education Course

issued by any state or province.

MINORS 1517 years o age must be licensed and have required

stamps and permits to hunt any bird or mammal. To obtain

a hunting or sporting license a minor must have a letter o

consent rom a parent or guardian, and either a Basic Hunter

Education Cert icate or a letter signed by a parent arming

that the minor will be accompanied by a person 18 years

o age or older. Minors must carry their Hunter Education

Certicate while hunting.

Minors between 12 and 14 inclusive may hunt when ac-companied by a duly licensed adult, provided that a single

bag limit shall be observed and only one rearm/bow is

possessed by the two. Only one minor per adult is permitted.

No Firearms Identication (FID) card is needed by the minor.

Minors 1217 may obtain a trapping license. To obtain a

trapping license a minor must have a letter o consent rom

a parent or guardian. To trap on the land o another, a minor

must also have a trap registration number.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: To obtain a resident license, applicant

must reside in Massachusetts or six consecutive months

immediately prior to purchase.

NONRESIDENTS: A valid Massachusetts non-resident license

(hunting, shing and trapping) is required o non-residents.

A big game license (license Class H5) is required to hunt

deer, bear and wi ld turkey. For more inormation, see page 21.

TRAP REGISTRATION NUMBERS may be obtained rom the Permit

Section, Boston Oce (617) 626-1575 ater completing a

Trapper Education course.

FURBUYER LICENSESA urbuyer is any person who buys or sells raw urs. A valid

Massachusetts urbuyer license is required or any person

who is receiving, buying, or bartering the raw pelts o wild

animals. This includes persons handling green pelts (pelts

which have not been dried or tanned) or raw pelts (pelts, in-

cluding green pelts, which have been dried, feshed or cured) .

A permit is not required i a skin or skins are purchased rom alicensed urbuyer, hunter or trapper or the personal use o the

purchaser and not or sale.

Licenses are valid rom January 1 to December 31. Furbuyers

receive a reporting book in which they must record transac-

tions o pelts received as they occur. Log books must be open

to inspection by Environmental Police Ocers (EPOs) or any

agents o the Division o Fisheries & Wildlie (DFW) at any

reasonable time.

Furbuyer annual report orms rom record books must be

initialed by an EPO and submitted yearly to the Division

no later than April 1.

Applications or urbuyer licenses, or a listing o current

urbuyers can be obtained by calling (617) 626-1575, or bywriting the Boston oce o the Division o Fisheries & Wildlie.

PERMITSSPECIAL LICENSES OR PERMITS are necessary or possession or

release o certain sh, baitsh, wildlie and or ur dealers,

propagators, wildlie rehabilitators, taxidermists, and/or

ur buyers. Apply to the DFW Boston oce, Permit Section

(617) 626-1575. Contact Field Headquarters in Westborough

(508) 389-6300 about permits or crossbows, alconry, problem

animal control, or shooting preserves.

AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNERS: I you own or lease land that is

principally used or agriculture and you are domiciled on

said land, then you do not need a basic hunting, shing or

trapping license to hunt, sh or trap on that land. Permits

and stamps are still required.

ANTLERLESS DEER PERMIT is required to take antlerless deer

during shotgun, archery, and muzzleloader seasons statewide.

The application or this permit is on the hunting/sporting

license. Online license buyers may apply or these permits

online. DO NOT send ee with application. Selection is by

random drawing. Applications must be submitted byJuly 16 .

Successul applicants will be notied and assessed a $5.00ee. Additional permits, i available ater drawing, will be

issued until the overall quota or each zone is reached. Check

website or details. Applicants must have original hunting

license and $5.00 ee or each permit requested. Permits or

Zones 13 and 14 may also be requested by mail rom the

Westborough oce or at check stations on each island.

http://www.mass.gov/masswildlifehttp://www.mass.gov/masswildlife


10/41

LicensesBEAR PERMIT: Application is on the duplicate slip o hunting/

sporting license. The $5.00 ee must accompany each

completed application. Online l icense buyers may apply or

this permit online. Submit application byJuly 16 to ensure

timely processing.

TURKEY PERMIT: Application is on the duplicate slip o hunting /

sporting license. Online license buyers may apply or these

permits online. Apply by March 15 or spring season;

September 15 or all season to ensure entry in the permit

system. The $5.00 ee must accompany the application. One

ee covers both seasons.

HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM (H.I.P.): Woodcock, rai l, coot,

snipe, and waterowl hunters must have a current Massachu-

setts Harvest Inormation Program (H.I.P.) number. Hunter

must purchase a hunting/sport ing license prior to requesting

an HIP number. The Harvest Inormation Program provides

the U.S. Fish & Wildlie Service with migratory game bird

harvest estimates or ducks, geese, and other migratory game

birds. Hunter cooperation is a critical part o gathering thisinormation and managing game bird populations. This num-

ber can be obtained annually by call ing 1-800-WETLAND,

and completing a brie survey. On-line license buyers may

apply or these numbers on-line. There is no charge or the

numbers. A separate H.I.P. number is required or each state

in which you hunt and or each calendar year.

STAMPSARCHERY: ($5.10), required to hunt deer during the archery

season Oct. 17Nov. 26.

PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: ($5.10), required to hunt deer during the

primitive rearms season Dec. 1231.

MASSACHUSETTS WATERFOWL: ($5.00), required o all waterowl

hunters aged 15 and over. Stamp is not required or hunting

woodcock, snipe, American coot or rails.

FEDERAL MIGRATORY GAME BIRD: In addition to a hunting

license and a Massachusetts Waterowl Stamp, any waterowl

hunter aged 16 or older, must have a Federal Migratory

Bird Stamp. These stamps are available at National Wildlie

Reuges, at selected oces o the U.S. Postal service or by

mail rom the U.S. Postal Service, rom selected private vendors, or on-line at http://www.ws.gov/duckstamps/

Stamps.htm.

2011 CONSERVATION STAMPS

This years Archery Stamp was designed byJerey Klineelter

o Etna Green, IN. No stranger to Massachusetts stamps, Je,

who holds a Bachelors o Fine Arts rom Herron School o

Art at Indiana University, won the Massachusetts Archery

Stamp competition in 1999, in 2004, and in 2009. He has

also won stamp competitions in other states ranging romIndiana (1993 duck stamp) to Caliornia (2009 duck stamp).

A pair o whitetails on snow, painted by Mike Brown o

Canton, GA, a rst time entrant in Massachusetts art contests,

was selected or the 2011 Primitive Firearms Stamp. Mike is

a sel taught artist whose paintings are inspired by his own

outdoor experiences. Mike is best known or his watercolors

and oil paintings done on commission. This is his rst state

conservation stamp.

The 2011 Waterowl Stamp depicts a Brant carved by Joseph

Lincoln o Hingham, MA (18591938) and beautiully rendered

by noted wildlie artistRandy Juliuso East Bridgewater, MA.

This stamp marks Randys eighth win o the state waterowl

competition over the 38 years o the stamp program. For

more inormation about the Massachuset ts Waterowl Stamp

program see page 39.

Foralistofbear,coyote,deer,furbearerandturkeycheckstations,visittheDFWwebsiteatwww.mass.gov/masswildlife.Alistoffurbearercheckstationsisalsoprovidedonpage33.

Ahuntinglicenseisrequiredofanyone

practicingfalconryinMassachusetts.

http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/%20Stamps.htmhttp://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/%20Stamps.htmhttp://www.mass.gov/masswildlifehttp://www.mass.gov/masswildlifehttp://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/%20Stamps.htmhttp://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/%20Stamps.htm


11/41

Licenses2011 LICENSE, STAMP & PERMIT FEES

CLASS LICENSE FEE

F1 Resident Fishing $27.50

F2 Resident Minor Fishing (Age 1517) 11.50

F3 Resident Fishing (Age 6569) 16.25

F4Resident Fishing (Age 70 or overor paraplegic, blind, mentally retarded) FREE

F6 Non-resident Fishing 37.50

F7 Non-resident Fishing (3 day) 23.50

F8 Resident Fishing (3 day) 12.50

F9 Non-resident Fishing (Age 1517) 11.50

F10Quabbin One Day Fishing (Quabbin only)(sold by DCR and Connecticut Valley District only)

5.00

H1 Resident Citizen Hunting 27.50

H2 Resident Citizen Hunting (Age 6569) 16.25

H3 Resident Hunting, Paraplegic FREE

H4 Resident Alien Hunting 27.50

H5

H6

H7

Non-resident Hunting, Big Game(Deer, Bear, Turkey and all other game species)

Non-resident Hunting, Small Game(Small game only)

Non-resident Commercial Shooting Preserve(1 day)

99.50

65.50

10.00

H8 Resident Minor Hunting (Age 1517) 11.50

H9 Resident Commercial Shooting Preserve (1 day) 10.0 0

S1 Resident Citizen Sporting 45.00

S2 Resident Citizen Sporting (Age 6569) 25.00

S3

Resident Citizen Sporting (Age 70 or over)

(includes trapping) FREE

S4 Resident Minor Sporting (Age 1517) 13.00

T1 Resident Trapping 35.50

T2 Resident Minor Trapping (Age 1217) 11.50

T3 Resident Trapping (Age 65-69) 20.25

DF Duplicate Fishing 2.50

DH Duplicate Hunting 2.50

DS Duplicate Sporting 2.50

DT Duplicate Trapping 2.50

M/N 1 Archery Stamp 5.10

M/N 2 Waterowl Stamp 5.00

M/N 3 Primitive Firearms Stamp 5.10

W1 Wildlands Stamp, Resident 5.00

W2 Wildlands Stamp, Non-resident 5.00

Trap Registration Number (Boston Oce) 5.00

Trap Registration Number Renewal(Boston Oce)

Non-resident Trapping Permit(Westborough Oce)

5.00

200.00

Resident Furbuyer 30.00

Non-resident Citizen/Alien Furbuyer 90.00

NOTE: Fee or rst resident license, and all non-resident

licenses include a $5.00 ee or the Wildlands Conservation

Stamp. Fee orsecond resident license in calendar yeardoes not

include the $5.00 ee or the Wildlands Conservation Stamp.

City and town clerksmustadd an additional one dollar ($1.00);

and other sales agents may add up to an additional one dollar

and ty cents ($1.50) service ee to the price o each license

sold. There is no service ee charged or the purchase o

licenses at oces o the Division o Fisheries and Wildlie.

FromSeptember15toMay15allcanoeorkayakoccupantsMUSTWEARaU.S.CoastGuardapprovedPersonalFlotationDevice.


SALTWATER FISHING PERMITBeginningin2011,saltwateranglersinMassachusettswillberequiredtopurchaseastaterecreationalsaltwatershingpermit.Thisstate-issuedpermittakestheplaceofamoreexpensivefederalregistrationthat

wouldotherwiseberequiredin2011.Thefeeforthispermitisestimatedtobe$10andwillbethesamecostforallanglers,includingnon-residents.Anglerswhoareyoungerthan16,ordisabled,orwhoshonlyoncharterboatsor"headboats"willbeexemptfromthisrequirement;Anglersage60andolderwillneedtoobtainapermitbutthepermitwillbefree.Thepermitwillbeavailableon-line,bymail,andinpersonatMassachusettsDivisionofMarineFisheriesofcesinGloucester,Boston,andNewBedford.Formoreinformationonthepermitgoto:www.mass.gov/marinesheries
http://www.mass.gov/marinefisherieshttp://www.mass.gov/marinefisheries


12/41

Century BogAcquisitionFulflls The Vision o Theodore Lyman III

By Steve Hurley | Fisheries Manager, Southeast District

Te purchase o the Century Bog in Wareham in 2010 marked theculmination o a 140 plus year love afair between a small coldwatercoastal stream and a succession o anglers, conservationists, and landstewards. Red Brook, once known as ye gravelly stream, ows rom

White Island Pond (Wareham/Plymouth) and becomes the boundarybetween the towns o Plymouth and Wareham beore owing into the

warm estuarine waters o Buttermilk Bay in Bourne.Te saga began ater the Civil War when Teodore Lyman III re-

turned rom his service as an aide-de-camp to Union General GeorgeMeade and took up the ght to restore the Commonwealths depletedsheries. In 1866, he became one o the rst Massachusetts Commis-sioners o Fisheries and set out to restore the states sheries degradedby industrial development, dams, overharvest and pollution.

Samuel isdale, a Wareham nail manuacturer, was an avid angler andresponsible or introducing smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) toMassachusetts in 1850. Mr. isdale contracted a shipment o what werethen known as Black Bass to be brought via milk can and railroad toFlax Pond in Wareham. Tese bass spawned and were soon spread tonumerous other ponds. While visiting Mr. isdale, who had ofered upsome o his property to establish the rst state trout hatchery at MapleSprings, Teodore Lyman was introduced to the salter brook trout oRed Brook.

Salter brook trout are a variant o the brook trout that become anad-romous, migrating rom their resh water homes to eed on the richood resources, in the orm o shrimp and mummichogs, in brackishand saltwater bays. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, noted anglersrom the Boston area such as John Rowe (an owner o one o the Boston

ea Party ships) and statesman and orator Daniel Webster, traveled bystagecoach to partake o Cape Cods amous salter brook trout shing.

In 1870, Teodore Lyman purchased his rst property along RedBrook, the start o the Lyman Familys stewardship o Red Brook andits watershed. Numerous purchases over the years continued the pro-tection o Red Brook despite two World Wars, orest res, hurricanesand the encroachment o summer homes, suburbia, power and gaslines and highways. In the late 1980s, increasing age and the pressureso development led the Lyman Family to contact rout Unlimited tocontinue the protection o Red Brook and its coldwater shery.

In 2001, a memorandum o agreement about uture cooperativemanagement o the property was signed by rout Unlimited, Terustees o Reservations, and the Massachusetts Division o Fisheriesand Wildlie and the Lyman amily property became the rustees o

Reservations Teodore Lyman Reserve and MassWildlies Red BrookWildlie Management Area. In 2006, 2008 and 2009, small damswere removed and habitat improvements were made with the help oskilled equipment operators hired by the A. D. Makepeace Companyater planning and permitting shepherded by the MassachusettsDepartment o Fish and Game, Division o Ecological Restoration,and Interuve Inc with unding assistance rom American Rivers, theU.S. Fish and Wildlie Service, the Corporate Wetlands Partnershipand other partners.

Te Century Bog Acquisition rom the A. D. Makepeace Companymarks the nal piece o the puzzle Teodore Lyman started to assemble;protecting a river rom its headwaters to the sea. Te A. D. MakepeaceCompany was a willing and generous partner in habitat protection e-orts on lower Red Brook and the sale to the Commonwealth o the bog,created by Lebaron Barker in 1900 and dubbed Century Bog in honor

o the new century, will allow uture habitat restoration o upper RedBrook. As part o the sales agreement, the company will continue to armcranberries or ve years while MassWildlie and its partners undertakeplanning and permitting or the creation o an improved passageway orriver herring and aquatic habitats protective o coldwater trout habitat.Resilience to climate change will be an important design considerationthat will help continue to protect the cold waters o Red Brook and allowthe brook trout that attracted Teodore Lyman to ourish or uturegenerations to cherish.


Tagging Research at Red Brook

The trout population o Red Brook continues to be closely monitored by

MassWildlie biologists. A PIT (Passive-Integrated-Transponder) tagging

program was started in 2007 with technical assistance rom biologists

rom the Conte Anadromous Fisheries Research Laboratory and fnancial

assistance rom Trout Unlimited. Fixed antennas now monitor movements

o tagged trout within the stream and a recent acoustic tagging study

was started by biologists rom UMASS-Amherst, the Conte Lab and theMaine Cooperative Research Unit. A new advocacy group, the Sea Run

Brook Trout Coalition (www.searunbrookie.org), is raising unds through

the sale o prints o a Red Brook trout to help restore populat ions o salter

brook trout.

The Wild Brook Trout of Red Brook

During the 1870s and 1880s, Red Brook trout were sometimes used as

brood stock or hatchery trout stocking programs. But the brook trout

fshing at Red Brook decl ined in the years a ter World War I and the Ly-

man amily sometimes stocked the brook with hatchery brook trout and

even hatchery brown trout. On advice rom fsheries biologists, the amily

stopped the stocking o brown and brook trout in the 1990s relying again

on the streams wild brook trout. Recent genetic research indicated Red

Brook and other area wild brook trout streams were dierent rom each

other and very dierent than the Sandwich State Fish Hatchery strain.

Red Brook is now managed as a wild brook trout stream and is catch-and-

release, single hook artifcial lures only or its entire length.


13/41


14/41

FishingBAITPermit required to take baitish or purpose o sale;

see Permits on page 8. Individuals trapping sh or personal

use as baitsh may use only one trap. Individuals trapping

baitsh under a commercial license may use more than one trap.

Frogs (except leopard rogs) 2 inches or less snout to

vent may be used as bait; 10 daily, 10 in possession; may

not be sold.Baitsh may be taken by licensed anglers at any time

(except or purposes o sale) with a rectangular net not

exceeding 36 square eet o net area or by a hoop or cir-

cular net not exceeding 6 eet in diameter or with a sh

trap with openings not exceeding one inch. The ollowing

species may be taken or personal use as bait by licensed

anglers. Only the sh species listed below may be used

as bait, live or dead.

American eel Banded kill ish Bluntnose minnow

Creek chubsucker Emerald shiner Fallsh

Fathead minnow Golden shiner Mummichog

Pumpkinseed Rainbow smelt* Yellow perchSpottail shiner White sucker

* Smelt may be taken only by hook and line. Possession or

use o smelt as bait in inland waters other than during

the smelt season is prohibited.

Herring: For current regulations on the use, possession, and

taking o herring contact the Division o Marine Fisheries,

(617) 626-1520 orwww.mass.gov/marinefsheries.

CATCH-AND-RELEASE AREASArticial lures only. No bait in possession.

Housatonic River: From the Rte. 20 bridge in Lee down-

stream to Willow Mill Dam AND rom Glendale Dam

downstream to the RR bridge. No shing rom June 15

Aug. 31 inclusive within 100 eet o the mouths o posted

tributaries: Beartown Brook; Goose Pond Brook; Hop Brook;

and Mohawk Brook.

Red Brook: From the outlet o White Island Pond to the

inlet o Buttermilk Bay.

Nissitissit River: From the New Hampshire border to the

Prescott St. Bridge. FLY FISHING ONLY.

Swit River: Winsor Dam to Rte. 9, catch-and-release FLY

FISHING ONLY (year around); Rte. 9 to Cady Lane, catch-and-release July 1Dec. 31 (articials only) .

Deereld River: Fie Brook Dam to Hoosac Tunnel, and

the sect ion extending rom Pelham Brook to the Mohawk

Campground.

Westeld River, East Branch: Immediately below the

Chestereld Gorge parking lot in Chestereld to the gate

north o the Corps o Engineers parking lot at Knightville

in Huntington.

Millers River: Templeton/Athol RR bridge to dam in Athol

and rom Wendell Rd. bridge in Orange to the breached

dam in Erving center.

Quashnet River: From the outlet o Johns Pond to the sign

0.1 mile below Rte. 28.

FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIESThe MA Dept. o Public Health (MDPH), has issued a statewide

advisory or pregnant women, nursing mothers, women who

may become pregnant, and children under 12 not to consume

sh caught in resh water due to elevated levels o mercuryin sh. MDPH has also issued sh consumption advisories or

the general public on selected bodies o water primarily due

to PCB and mercury contamination. For more inormation

or a list o waters with sh consumption advisories, contact

MDPH, Bureau o Environmental Health, at (617) 624-5757

orwww.mass.gov/dph.

INTERSTATE POND LICENSE REGULATIONSWallum Lake, Douglas: shing permitted by persons duly

licensed in Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Rhode Island

regulations apply.

Lake Monomonac and Robbins Pond, Winchendon; Long

Pond, Tyngsboro and Dracut; Bent Pond, Warwick; Tuxbury

Pond, Amesbury: shing permitted by persons duly licensed

in Massachusetts or New Hampshire. New Hampshire regu-

lations apply.

Colebrook Reservoir, Tolland; Perry Pond, Dudley; Muddy

Pond, Southbridge; Breakneck Pond, Sturbridge; Congam-

ond Lake, Southwick; Hamilton Reservoir, Holland: shing

permitted by persons duly licensed in Massachusetts or Con-

necticut. Connecticut regulations apply to Colebrook Reservoir,

Breakneck Pond, Perry Pond and Muddy Pond. Massachusettsregulations apply to Congamond Lake and Hamilton Reservoir.

Sherman Reservoir, Rowe:Massachusetts regulations apply

and MA license required in MA. Vermont regulations apply

and VT license required in VT.

FISHING PROHIBITIONSExplosives

Jug, toggle or trot line shing.

Lead Sinkers at Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs: The

use o lead shing sinkers, including, but not limited to,split shot, bullet weights, egg sinkers, slip sinkers, bell

sinkers, pinch sinkers, rubber grip sinkers, bank sinkers,

pyramid sinkers, or twist, strap or wraparound sinkers or

the taking o sh in the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs

is prohibited. Lead shing sinkers DO NOT include other

lead shing-related items such as articial lures, jigs,

lead-core line, down-rigger weights, keel sinkers, torpedo

casting and trolling sinkers, or weighted fies.

NOTE: Lead shing sinkers and jigs less than 1 ounce will

be prohibited in all inland waters o the Commonwealth

eective January 1, 2012.

http://www.mass.gov/marinefisherieshttp://www.mass.gov/dphhttp://www.mass.gov/dphhttp://www.mass.gov/marinefisheries


15/41

FishingMore than two hooks or shing or more than ve hooks

when ice shing. A hook is dened as an angling device

attached to a shing line which is designed to take one

sh at a time but is not limited to devices commonly called

spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, lead head jigs or plugs.

Possession o: Sturgeon (all species), American Brook

Lamprey, Atlantic (sea-run) Salmon, Bridle Shiner, Burbot,

Eastern Silvery Minnow, Lake Chub, Longnose Sucker, andNorthern Redbelly Dace is illegal! I caught, release im-

mediately. This means remove hook or cut line and return

sh to water immediatelydo not pose or photographs,

place on a stringer, hold in a net, or delay in any way the

immediate return and release o the sh to the water.

Poisons

Releasingsh or spawn into inland waters, except by permit.

Rubbish in inland waters.

Sale o reshwater sh without a permit.

Snagging

Transporting live sh (except bait or personal use)without a permit.

FREE FRESHWATERFISHING WEEKEND

June 4 & 5, 2011Nolicenseneeded!

MARINE FISHERIES

An Agency o the Massachusetts Dept. oFish and Game

Haveanyquestionsregardingsaltwatershingregulations?

CalltheMassachusettsDivisionofMarineFisheriesinformationhotlineat(617)626-1520orvisitwww.mass.gov/[email protected]

SPEARS, BOW AND ARROWSMaybeusedtotakesuckers,carpandeelsonly.Fishinglicenserequired.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOWWHERE TO GO FISHINGOR BOATING?PublicAccesstotheWatersofMassachusettsisa146pagemapbookletthatprovides

informationaboutcurrentpublicaccesssites.Send$8.00payablebycheckto:

OfceofFishing&BoatingAccessDepartmentofFish&Game1440SoldiersFieldRoadBrighton,MA02135

Formoreinformationcall(617)727-1843,orseewww.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/index.htm

NATURAL SHORELINES AREGOOD FOR FISHINGBykeepingshorelinesnatural,youcanhelpprotectwaterqualityandimproveshhabitat.Ashorelinewithouttreesandshrubscangetwashedaway,makingthewatermuddyandunsuitableforsh.Ifyoulivenearalakeorariver,plantabufferstripalongthewatersedgeusingtrees,shrubs,wildowersorothernativeplants.Treesandothervegetationlterpollutionandprovideshade,shelter,habitat,andfoodcriticalforbass,trout,andothershtothriveandreproduce.Keepyourfavoriteshingspotswellvegetated!Formoretipsandinformation,visit:http://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/index.cfm


BOAT, ATV & SNOWMOBILEREGISTRATION INFORMATION(617)626-1610or

www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/elereg.htm
http://www.mass.gov/marinefisheriesmailto:marine.fish%40state.ma.us?subject=http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/index.htmhttp://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/index.cfmhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/elereg.htmhttp://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/index.cfmhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/index.htmmailto:marine.fish%40state.ma.us?subject=http://www.mass.gov/marinefisherieshttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/elereg.htm


16/41

FishingFISH OF MASSACHUSETTSMore than 80 sh species inhabit the inland waters o the

Commonwealth. This is a small sample o some o the most

popular species commonly taken by anglers. For a more com-

plete list pick up a copy oFreshwater Fishes o Massachusetts

at any DFW oce.

TEMPERATURE PREFERENCES OF FISHTemperature preerences are dierent or many sh. Though

sh cannot always nd their exact preerence, they are usu-

ally ound in water closest to their preerred temperature.

< Catfish Family

< Bluegill / Pumpkinseed

< Largemouth Bass

< Calico Bass (Crappies)< Esocids (Pike/Pickerel/Muskellunge), Smallmouth Bass< Perch Family (Yellow Perch/Walleye)

< Brown Trout

< Landlocked Salmon, Rainbow/Brook Trout

< Lake Trout

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

LARGEMOUTHBASS

A warm-water gamesh ound in lakes, ponds and slow movingrivers associated with weeds and structure. Typically 13 lbs,

but can reach up to 15 lbs. Dark line along each side is a goodidentication mark.

BROWNTROUT

This trout thrives in heavy cover and deep pools o cold, well-oxygenated water. Typically stocked at 1014 inches with largerspecimens to 20+ inches. Many wild populations exist in smallto medium streams.

ATLANTICSALMON

The anadromous orm o this species lives in the open oceanbut ascends reshwater rivers to spawn. The landlocked orm

lives in deep, cold, reshwater habitats and spawns in tributaries.Anadromous orm grows to 20 lbs; landlocks average 24 lbs.Landlocked populations occur in the Quabbin and WachusettReservoirs; attempts to restore sea-run populations to theConnecticut and Merrimack Rivers continue.

SMALLMOUTHBASS

Less common than largemouths, these cool-water gamesh areound in clear, rocky habitats. Average size is 12 lbs, but can reachup to 8 lbs. This species oten jumps spectacularly when hooked.

BROOKTROUT

This beautiul native char thrives in clean, cold, well-oxygenatedwaters. It is ound in high gradient streams and slow movingbeaver fowages. Wild brookies average 68 inches, but stockedspecimens are typically 1012 inches or larger. Considered by manyto be the most beautiul sh in North America.

RAINBOWTROUTThese trout thrive in cold, well-oxygenated, ast moving water.Typical hatchery sh are 1216 inches, with larger specimens to 20+inches. Profusely speckled and usually has a pink line along each side.

BROWNBULLHEAD

Our native horned pout catsh thrives in warm-water habitatsassociated with muddy bottoms and aquatic vegetation. Averagesize is 812 inches, but larger ones are not uncommon. Handlethis sh (and all catsh) with care, as spines in the dorsal andpectoral ns can infict painul wounds.

BLUEGILLA sunsh that preers shallow, weedy, warm-water habitats.Typically 47 inches in length with larger specimens to 10 inches.Identied by the solid black fap on gill cover and a dark patchnear the back, bottom edge o the dorsal n.

YELLOWPERCH

A native cool-water pansh ound in the vegetated areas o lakes,ponds, slow streams, and almost any open water with moderatevegetation. Typically 810 inches but larger sh not uncommon.A schooling sh, it is sae to assume that i you nd one, thereare others in the same vicinity.

CHAINPICKEREL

A native cool-water gamesh ound in shallow, vegetated areaso airly clear lakes, ponds and rivers. Typically 1520 inches butlarger specimens are not uncommon. Respected or its sharp teethwhich can easily cut most shing lines and infict minor wounds.

PUMPKINSEED

A native sunsh, this pretty little kivver is ound in weedy,warm-water habitats. Most are 47 inches, but can get up to89 inches. Look or blue "warpaint" on the ace and a red/orange-tipped gill fap.

BLACKCRAPPIE

This "calico" sunsh is ound in weedy, warm-water habitats. Itoten orms schools in submerged structure, especially brushpiles and allen trees. Typically 512 inches, but larger specimensnot uncommon.



17/41

FishingFRESHWATER SPORTFISHING AWARDSAwards or reshwater sh are oered in 22 categories. Each qualied entry receives

a bronze pin. Largest sh in each category each year receives a gold pin and

plaque. There is also an annual Angler o the Year award or the person who has

taken the greatest variety o pinsh during the year. Fish must meet minimum

weight requirements as listed below, and must be weighed on a scale certied by

the Massachusetts Division o Standards or a town ocial. Please check our web-

site or a list o weigh stations and/or to download an adavit. This inormationis also available at DFW oces.

CURRENT MINIMUM WEIGHTS

SPECIES ADULT YOUTHBroodstock salmon 10 lbs. 0 ozs. 5 lbs. 0 ozs.

Brook trout 2 lbs. 0 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

Brown trout 4 lbs. 0 ozs. 2 lbs. 0 ozs.

Bullhead 2 lbs. 0 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

Carp 15 lbs. 0 ozs. 10 lbs. 0 ozs.

Chain pickerel 4 lbs. 8 ozs. 3 lbs. 0 ozs.

Channel catfsh 6 lbs. 0 ozs. 5 lbs. 0 ozs.

Crappie 1 lb. 8 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

Lake trout 7 lbs. 0 ozs. 5 lbs. 0 ozs.Landlocked salmon1 4 lbs. 0 ozs. 3 lbs. 0 ozs.

Largemouth bass 7 lbs. 0 ozs. 4 lbs. 0 ozs.

Northern pike 15 lbs. 0 ozs. 10 lbs. 0 ozs.

Rainbow trout 3 lbs. 0 ozs. 2 lbs. 0 ozs.

Shad 5 lbs. 0 ozs. 3 lbs. 0 ozs.

Smallmouth bass 4 lbs. 8 ozs. 3 lbs. 0 ozs.

Sunfsh2 0 lbs. 12 ozs. 0 lbs. 8 ozs.

Tiger muskie 10 lbs. 0 ozs. 7 lbs. 0 ozs.

Tiger trout 2 lbs. 0 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

Walleye 4 lbs. 0 ozs. 2 lbs. 0 ozs.

White catfsh 4 lbs. 0 ozs. 2 lbs. 0 ozs.

White perch 1 lb. 8 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

Yellow perch 1 lb. 8 ozs. 1 lb. 0 ozs.

1 Landlocked Salmon are recognized only rom Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs .2 Sunsh category includes bluegills, pumpkinseeds, redbreast sunsh, green and rock bass.

MASSACHUSETTS FRESHWATER SPORTFISHING RECORDS

SPECIES WEIGHT WATER YEARAmerican shad 11 lbs. 4 ozs. Connecticut River 1986

Broodstock salmon 22 lbs. 15 ozs. Lake Mattawa, Orange 1997

Brook trout 10 lbs. 0 ozs. Asheld Lake, Asheld 2008

Brown trout 19 lbs. 10 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 1966

Bullhead 6 lbs. 4 ozs. Forest Lake, Methuen 2008

Carp 44 lbs. 2 ozs. Connecticut River 1993

Chain pickerel 9 lbs. 5 ozs. Laurel Lake, Lee 1954

Channel catfsh 26 lbs. 8 ozs. Asheld Lake, Asheld 1989

Crappie 4 lbs. 10 ozs. Jakes Pond, Plymouth 1980

Lake trout 24 lbs. 0 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 2004

Landlocked salmon 10 lbs. 2 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 1985

Largemouth bass 15 lbs. 8 ozs. Sampson Pond, Carver 1975

Northern pike 35 lbs. 0 ozs. South Pond, Brookeld 1988

Rainbow trout 13 lbs. 13 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 1999

Smallmouth bass 8 lbs. 2 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 1991

Sunfsh 2 lbs. 1 ozs. South Athol Pond, Athol 1982

Tiger muskellunge 27 lbs. 0 ozs. Lake Pontoosuc, Pittseld 2001

Tiger trout 9 lbs. 7 ozs. Peters Pond, Sandwich 2004

Walleye 11 lbs. 0 ozs. Quabbin Reservoir 1973

White catfsh 9 lbs. 3 ozs. Baddacook Pond, Groton 1987

White perch 3 lbs. 5 ozs. Wachusett Reservoir 1994

Yellow perch 2 lbs. 12 ozs. South Watuppa Pond, Fall River 1979



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Fishing2009 FRESHWATER SPORTFISHING AWARD WINNERS (2010 data not complete at press time)

ADULT GOLD PIN WINNERS YOUTH GOLD PIN WINNERS

SPECIES WEIGHT WATER WINNER WEIGHT WATER WINNER

Broodstock salmon 16 lbs. 5 ozs. Peters Pond, Sandwich Roy Leyva, Plymouth 13 lbs. 7 ozs. Onota Lake, PittseldJacob LaDouceur,Pittseld

Brook trout 4 lbs. 11 ozs. Peters Pond, Sandwich Roy Leyva, Plymouth 2 lbs. 15 ozs. Cli Pond, BrewsterSam Donnelly,

Arlington

Brown trout 9 lbs. 7 ozs.Quacumquasit Pond,Brookeld

Steven Ramsey, Sr.,Spencer

5 lbs. 6 ozs. Hoosic River, AdamsJoshua Sworzen,Adams

Bullhead 4 lbs. 6 ozs.Millvale Reservoir,Haverhill

Roger Aziz, Jr.,Methuen

2 lbs. 4 ozs.

Cheshire Lake, CheshireMichael Houghtlin,Pittseld

Moosehorn Pond,Hubbardston

Madison Lovely,Gardner

Carp 30 lbs. 9 oz.Quinsigamond Lake,Worcester

Jonathan Beauchene,Spencer

29 lbs. 15 oz.Connecticut River,Easthampton

Kody Perrier,Easthampton

Chain pickerel 6 lbs. 11 ozs.Herring River Reservoir,Harwich

Roy Leyva, Plymouth 5 lbs. 6 ozs.Middle Pond,Marstons Mills

Philip Weber,Marstons Mills

Channel catfsh 20 lbs. 6 oz.Five Mile Pond,Springeld Mark Bailey, Wilbraham 9 lbs. 1 oz.

Connecticut River,Springeld David North, Agawam

Crappie 3 lbs. 0 ozs. Webster Lake, WebsterRobert Puishys, Jr.,Oxord

2 lbs. 13 ozs. Webster Lake, WebsterMichael Bessette,Dudley

Lake trout 15 lbs. 7 ozs. Quabbin ReservoirDavid Sheets,Belchertown

17 lbs. 4 ozs. Quabbin ReservoirSummer Gaudreau,Belchertown

Landlocked salmon 8 lbs. 3 ozs.Quabbin Reservoir Ralph Rogers, Barre

7 lbs. 2 ozs. Quabbin ReservoirAndrew Roman,HollandQuabbin Reservoir Roger Pyzocha, Ludlow

Largemouth bass 10 lbs. 2 oz. Billington Sea, Plymouth Alec Turner, Plymouth 8 lbs. 14 oz.Schoolhouse Pond,Chatham

Nick Shea, Harwich

Northern pike 22 lbs. 11 oz . Onota Lake, Pit tseld Bryan Kopala , Adams 19 lbs. 11 oz .Housatonic River,Sheeld

Jake Burke, Pittseld

Rainbow trout 8 lbs. 6 ozs. Walden Pond, Concord William Smethurst,Fitchburg

5 lbs. 12 ozs. Wallum Lake, Douglas Matt Huberdault,Webster

Shad 6 lbs. 8 ozs.Merrimack River,Lawrence

Roger Aziz, Jr.,Methuen

4 lbs. 10 ozs.Connecticut River,Holyoke

Eliot Madison, WestSpringeld

Smallmouth bass 5 lbs . 15 ozs . Quabbin Reservoir Phil Belanger, Granby 5 lbs . 8 ozs . Quabbin Reservoir Austin Siegel, Ware

Sunfsh 1 lb. 3 ozs. Snake Pond, Sandwich John Kowszik, Millbury 1 lb. 5 ozs.Shawme Pond,Sandwich

Nate Taddia, Sandwich

Tiger muskie 10 lbs. 7 ozs.Chauncey Lake,Westborough

Mark Potter,Framingham

No youth entries

Tiger trout 8 lbs. 10 ozs. White Pond, Concord Robert Casey, Arlington 2 lbs. 7 ozs. Cochituate Lake, Natick Michael Diruscio, Natick

Walleye 8 lbs. 2 ozs.Connecticut River,South Hadley

Walter Partyka,South Hadley

6 lbs. 4 ozs.Connecticut River,Sunderland

Austin Burdick, Florida

White catfsh 7 lbs. 5 ozs.Mashpee-Wakeby Pond,Mashpee

Richard Doolin,Forestdale

4 lbs. 1 oz. Charles River, NewtonJoe McMahon,Needham

White perch 2 lbs. 11 ozs.Wachusett Reservoir,West Boylston

Joshua Cotier, Clinton 1 lbs. 15 ozs.Wachusett Reservoir,West Boylston

Derek Carpenter,Clinton

Yellow perch 2 lbs. 4 ozs.

Wequaquet Lake,Barnstable

Je Capute, Centerville

2 lbs. 3 ozs. Peters Pond, SandwichRobbie Finerty,Sandwich

Unnamed Pond,Winchendon

Tom King, Hubbardston

Glen Charlie Pond,Wareham

Roy Leyva, Plymouth



19/41

ManagingDeer PopulationsA Matter o BalanceBy Sonja Christensen | Deer Project LeaderHuman and deer populations have shared the Massachusetts landscapeor thousands o years, and they continue to do so today. How peopleeel about deer depends largely on what experiences they have had

with them. People who hunt deer, or who enjoy watching or pho-tographing them, value deer very highly. But when deer abundanceexceeds human tolerance (we call this cultural carrying capacity),deer are oten viewed in a negative light, and even considered pests.Tis isnt surprising since overabundant deer populations can severelydamage natural plant communities, increase the risk o tick-borneillnesses and deer- vehicle collisions, and can cause signicant dam-

age to shrubbery and other landscape plantings. Te major challengeor biologists is to keep deer populations in balance with humantolerance, and thus to reduce negative attitudes while enhancingpositive ones. When a deer population exceeds human tolerance itis typically due to one or more o the ollowing issues:

Deer-vehicle collisions According to State Farm Insurances industry-wide deer-vehiclecollision report, an estimated 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions occurredlast year in Massachusetts. On a national basis, the average propertydamage cost o a deer-vehicle collision was $3,050. Te InsuranceInstitute or Highway Saety reports that deer-vehicle collisions in

the U.S. cause more than 150 atalities each year. In Massachusetts,deer-vehicle collisions are most requent during the breeding seasonin late October and through November. Te combination o highdeer populations and the displacement o deer habitat due to urbansprawl have created dangerous situations or motorists and deer alike.

Property damage to landscapeplants or cropsDeer oten cause problems or homeowners and armers when theybrowse heavily on crops, gardens, or landscape plants. Tere is noprovision in state law or regulation or compensation to landownersor damage caused by deer. Tus, it is to the benet o landowners totry to prevent crop and planting damage by deer beore a signicant

problem develops. Tis can be done by excluding deer with electricor wire encing, deterring deer with sprays, loud noises, or otherrepellents, or by removing deer during the regulated hunting season.

Lyme disease riskLyme disease, which does not afect white-tailed deer but is closely as-sociated with them, is a bacterial disease transmitted to people (as wellas many other domestic animals) by the bite o inected Blackleggedicks (Ixodes scapularis, also known as deer ticks). Deer are one othe important hosts or adult Blacklegged ticks, and they aid in bothtransporting ticks across the landscape and maintaining tick popula-tions. Te lie cycle o ticks is complicated, and the larval stage usesmany hosts, mostly small rodents, including the white-ooted mouse.

Once the adult and nymphal ticks have consumed a blood meal, theydrop of the host and continue the lie cycle. High deer densities havebeen shown to be correlated with high densities o Blacklegged icks,increasing the risk o Lyme Disease transmission to humans. Tis isanother precautionary reason to control deer populations, particularlyin suburban areas. I not diagnosed properly and treated early, Lymedisease can lead to serious health problems.

Environmental damageBased on a variety o research on the impacts o deer browsing on

orest ecosystems, it has been shown that over-abundant deer popu-lations can cause severe ecological damage. Excessive deer browsingcan result in reduced native plant diversity, an increase in non-nativeinvasive plants, a decrease in orest regeneration, and a loss o habitator other animals that rely on the orest understory. Tese ecologicalimpacts are oten overlooked since they do not afect humans directly,but the consequences or the ew natural, open lands that remain inmany suburban areas, are dire.

Despite the deer related conicts listed above, many people doappreciate white-tailed deer and understand their importance as anative wildlie population. Hunters use the venison rom harvesteddeer as a lean, ree-range protein which keeps their reezers ull

throughout the winter. Wildlie enthusiasts o all types enjoy watch-ing deer, collecting shed antlers in the woods, and photographingthese beautiul animals in their environment.

Managing DeerIn Massachusetts white-tailed deer are managed as a valuable natu-ral resource. Te Division o Fisheries & Wildlie (DFW) sets deerdensity goals at levels that balance social and environmental values.Tese deer density goals are the basis or deer population manage-ment which is accomplished through regulated hunting and throughthe annual allocation o Antlerless Deer Permits or each WildlieManagement Zone. When hunters bring their deer to an ocialdeer check station, they provide biological data that is compiled

and analyzed by DFW biologists. Based on this inormation, theyrecommend antlerless deer permit allocations or the ollowing season.By managing deer abundance and keeping deer populations at orbelow human tolerance levels, we avoid the negative consequencesassociated with deer over-population.

Currently there are an estimated 90,000 white-tailed deer in theCommonwealth. About 10,000 o them are taken during the huntingseasons, leaving 80,000 to live and breed. Te annual deer harvestis a unction o two things: the abundance o deer, and the efortput orth by hunters which is in large part a matter o land availableon which to hunt (see article on Hunting Access page 6). Suburbanareas oten have large populations o deer, but limited land available

or hunting. Where deer reproduction exceeds mortality, the deer



20/41

population will continue to grow.West o Route 495, in Wildlie Management Zones 19, deer densities have reached goal

levels, and where hunters have access to sucient land open to hunting, these populationshave begun to stabilize. East o Route 495 in Zones 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, access to hunt-able land is oten severely restricted, varying on a town by town basis, and making it verydicult to manage deer.

Over 50% o the states annual deer harvest comes rom Wildlie Management Zoneseast o Route 495 (Zones 1014). Yet these zones contain only 30% o the total deer range

in the state. Te suburban nature o these zones, particularly in Zone 10, allows deer tolive in back yards and ragmented patches o orest that ofer very little hunter access andan abundance o oods. Garden plants, landscape trees and shrubs, and even bird eedersprovide supplemental ood or these suburban deer populations.

But deer management goals can be maintained statewide, even in highly developed, sub-urban areas. Where rearms are prohibited by local ordinances, hunters can efectively takedeer with archery equipment and they can continue to use archery equipment in these areasthroughout the shotgun and muzzleloader seasons. Tis is highly efective and in act, inZone 10, the archery harvest recently surpassed the shotgun harvest in number o deer taken.

It is important that landowners, hunters, and biologists work together to saely and efec-tively manage the Commonwealth's deer resource and to meet the desired population densitygoals. I done correctly, we can all enjoy the benets o a healthy statewide deer population.

DEER MANAGEMENT GOALS

Deer Management Zones Deer per Square Mile

Zones 1-6 12-15

Zones 7-9 10-12

Zones 10-14 6-8



21/41

Wildlie Management ZonesZONE 1: Northerly by the Vermont border; westerly by the New York border;southerly by a line running along Rte. 20 to the junction with Rte. 7 inPittseld; north on Rte. 7 to Rte. 9 and east on Rte. 9 to the junction o Rte.8; and easterly by a line running rom the Vermont border south along Rte.8 to Rte. 9 in Pittseld.

ZONE 2:Northerly by Vermont border; westerly by Zones 1 and 3; southerly bythe Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) rom the intersection with the HousatonicRiver in Lee, east to the intersec tion (dead end) with Bonny Rigg Hill Road inBecket; and easterly by a line running rom the Vermont border south alongRte. 112 to Rte. 143 in Worthington, along Rte. 143 west to the intersectionwith the Middle Branch o the Westeld River, then south along the MiddleBranch o the Westeld River to the intersection with the East Branch o the

Westeld River, south along the East Branch o the Westeld River to Rte. 20in Huntington, west along Rte. 20 to Bonny Rigg Hil l Road in Becket, southon Bonny Rigg Hill Road to the intersection with the Massachusetts Turnpike.

ZONE 3: Northerly by Zone 1; westerly by the New York border; southerly bythe New York and Connecticut borders; and easterly by a line running southalong the Housatonic River rom the junction with Rte. 9 in Pittseld to the

junction with Rte. 20 in Lee, east along Rte. 20 to the junction with Rte. 8 inWest Becket, and south on Rte. 8 to the Connecticut border.

ZONE 4 NORTH: Northerly by the Vermont border; westerly by Zone 2;southerly by a line running north rom the intersection o Rte. 20 and theEast Branch o the Westeld River in Huntington along the East Brancho the Westeld River to the intersection with Rte. 66, along Rte. 66 to

the intersection with Rte. 9 in Northampton, to the intersection with theConnecticut River at the Northampton/Hadley town line; and easterly bythe Connecticut River.

ZONE 4 SOUTH: Northerly by Zones 2 and 4N; westerly by Zone 3; southerlyby the Connecticut Border; and easterly by the Connecticut R iver.

ZONE 5:Northerly by the New Hampshire border; westerly by the ConnecticutRiver; southerly by a line running rom the intersect ion o the ConnecticutRiver and Rte. 9 at the Nor thampton/Hadley line east along Rte. 9 to Rte.116 in Hadley, north along Rte. 116 to Rte. 63 in North Amherst, east alongRte. 63 and Pine Street to State Street, northeast along State Street and EastLeverett Road to Cushman Road, along Cushman Road to Shutesbury Roadin East Leverett, east on Shutesbury Road and Leverett Road to WendellRoad in Shutesbury Center, north along Wendell Road to Locks Pond Road,north on Locks Pond Road to Lake View Road, northeast on Lake View Roadto Locks Village Road, north along Locks Village Road to Depot Road in

Wendell, north on Depot Road to Rte. 2A in Wendell Depot, east on Rte. 2A

to Rte. 32 in Athol, south on Rte. 32 to Rte. 62 in Barre, and east on Rte. 62to the intersection with Rte. 31 in Princeton; and easterly by a line runningnorth on Rte. 31 to the New Hampshire border.

ZONE 6: Northerly by Zone 5; westerly by Zone 5; southerly by a line runningrom the intersection o Rte. 9 and Rt. 116 in Hadley, east along Rte. 9 tothe intersection with Rte. 32 in Ware; and easterly by a line running romthe intersec tion o Rte. 32 and Rte. 62 in Barre, south along Rte. 32 to theintersection with Rte. 9 in Ware.

ZONE 7: Northerly by Zones 5 and 6; southerly by the Connecticut border;easterly by a line running rom the intersection o Rte. 9 and Rte. 32 in

Ware, east along Rte. 9 to the intersection with Rte. 67, southwest alongRte. 67 to the intersection with Rte. 19 in Warren, and south along Rte. 19to the Connecticut border.

ZONE 8: Northerly by Zone 5; southerly by the Connect icut and Rhode Islandborders; easterly by the ollowing: Rte. 31 in Princeton south to Rte. 56 in

Paxton, Rte. 56 south to Rte. 9 in Leicester, Rte. 9 ea st to Cambridge Streetin Worcester, Cambridge Street east to Rte. 146, Rte. 146 southeast to theRhode Island border, westerly by Zones 6 and 7.

ZONE 9: Northerly by the New Hampshire border; southerly by the RhodeIsland border; easterly by the ollowing: Rte. 3 rom New Hampshire southeastto Rte. I-495 south to Rte. 121 in Wrentham, Rte. 121 southwest to the RhodeIsland border; westerly by Zones 5 and 8.

ZONE 10: Northerly by the New Hampshire border; westerly by Zone 9;southerly by a line running rom the intersection o Rte. 1A and Rte. 27 inthe town o Walpole northeast along Rte. 1A to the intersection with Rte.128 in the town o Dedham, east on Rte. 128 to the intersection with Rte.3 in the town o Braintree, eas t on Rte. 3 to the intersection with Rte. 228in the town o Rockland, and north on Rte. 228 to the Atlantic Ocean atthe intersec tion o Rte. 228 and Nantasket Avenue in the town o Hull; andeasterly by the Atlantic ocean.

ZONE 11: Northerly by Zones 9 and 10; southerly by Buzzard's Bay andthe Cape Cod Canal; easterly by the Atlantic Ocean; westerly by the RhodeIsland border.

ZONE 12: Northerly, southerly and easterly by the Atlantic Ocean; westerlyby Zone 11.

ZONE 13: Dukes County (i.e. Martha's Vineyard).

ZONE 14:Nantucket.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA REGULATIONSThe Division o Fisheries & Wildlie holds 139 Wildlie Man-

agement Areas (WMAs) and 13 wildlie sanctuaries. Maps

are avai lable on-line and at all DFW oces.

1 No person shall possess any alcoholic beverage except un-

der permit, or dump or discard any can, bottle, or rubbish.

2 No person shall remove vegetation, soil, or stones rom

any WMA except under permit.

3 No person shall use excessive speed in driving a vehicle.

4 No person, unless under permit, shall drive or possess any

vehicle except on roads or trails maintained or public

vehicular trac.

5 No person shall deace or tamper with any sign, build-

ing, or equipment.

6 No person shall build or maintain a re without written

permission rom the Director o the DFW or his designee.

7 No person shall camp within any WMA without written

permission rom the Director or his designee.

8 No person shall engage in target practice without writ ten

permission rom the Director or his designee.

9 No person shall use any means other than shotgun or

bow and arrow during the pheasant and quail season on

areas stocked with pheasant or quail except or hunting

raccoons and opossums between 9pm and 3am.

10 No person shall hunt beore sunrise or ater sunset on

any WMA where pheasant or quail are stocked during

the open season on pheasant or quail, Oct. 15 to Nov. 26,

except or the hunting o raccoons and opossums between

9pm and 3am.

11 No person shall hunt during the pheasant or quail seasonon WMAs where pheasant or quail are stocked without

wearing a hunter orange cap or hat except while night

hunting or raccoons or opossums or while hunting rom

a blind or boat.

12 No person, except under permit, shall dig or disturb any

artiact or archaeological remains.

13 The Director may make special regulations to handle

special situations peculiar to any WMA. Controlled hunts

are in eect at certain times on Martin Burns, Delaney,

and Ludlow WMAs. Contact District Supervisor or details.



22/41212011 MA Division o Fisheries & Wildlie

GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONSACCIDENTS: All hunting-related injuries or deaths MUST be

reported to state or local police and to the environmental

police.

ANTLERLESS DEER PERMIT: Required to take antlerless deer in

any zone during any deer season, in addition to a hunting

or sporting license. See page 27 or more details.

ARCHERY: Poisoned arrows, or explosive tips, or bows drawn

by mechanical means, are prohibited except or crossbows

as permitted. Mechanical releases are permitted. Arrows

used on deer, bear or turkey must have well-sharpened steel

broadhead blades not less than inches in width. Expandingbroadheads are legal. Recur ve or long bows or deer, bear or

turkey hunting must have at least 40 lbs. pull at 28 inches

or at peak draw weight or compound bows. No arrows may

be released within 150 eet o, or across, any state or hard-

suraced highway and hunting is prohibited within 500 eet

o any dwelling or building in use, unless authorized by

owner or occupant thereo.A rearms license (FID or LTC card) is not required or

bowhunting. Archers, while hunting deer, shall not possess

rearms on their person or use dogs. (See deer regulations

on page 27.) Archers may hunt with a bow and arrow dur-

ing the shotgun season and muzzleloader season but must

comply with all other shotgun or muzzleloader season

regulations. Crossbows may be used by certain perma-

nently handicapped persons by permit only. For regula-

tions and an application, visit www.mass.gov/masswildlieor contact DFW at (508) 389-6300.

HUNTER ORANGE: No person shall hunt during the pheasantor quail season on public shooting grounds or WMAs where

pheasant or quail are stocked without wearing a hunter

orange cap or hat except while night-hunting or raccoons

or opossums, or while hunting waterowl rom a blind or

boat. During the period when it is legal to hunt deer with

a shotgun, all hunters, except waterowl hunters hunting

within a blind or rom a boat, must wear, in a conspicuous

manner on chest, back, and head, a minimum o 500 square

inches o hunter orange clothing or material. During the

muzzleloader season, all deer hunters must comply with the

500 sq. inch hunter orange requirement.

HUNTING DOGS: May be trained at any time (except during theshotgun season on deer) provided that only pistol or revolver

and blank cartridges are used or possessed. No sporting or

hunting license necessary. During the shotgun season on

deer, dogs may be used or waterowl hunting on coastal

waters only. Hunting bear or bobcat with dogs, or training

dogs on those species, is prohibited.

TREESTANDS: Must have written permission o landowner to

construct or use any treestand held in place with nails, bolts,

etc., or in place or more than 30 days.

HuntingNON-RESIDENT HUNTERS:

Must have a valid Massachusetts non-resident hunting

license in order to hunt.

Must show a Basic Hunter Education course certicate or

previous license rom any state or Canadian province in

order to purchase a Massachusetts hunting license. Non-

resident minors (ages 1517), see MINORS, page 8. Each

license includes a $5.00 charge or a Wildlie Conserva-tion Stamp.

Must obtain the same stamps and permits as residents.

Permit and stamp ees are the same or residents and non-

residents. Non-resident hunters must also obtain a Mas-

sachusetts H.I.P. number or hunting migratory game birds.

May not purchase ammunition in Massachusetts (including

materials used in black powder rearms).

While travelling into or through Massachusetts must have

their rearms unloaded and enclosed in a case.

No gun license is needed to possess or transport long guns.

Must contact the Massachusetts Crimin

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