Massachusetts Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for Massachusetts, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
2 of 7 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Massachusetts Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for Massachusetts including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in Massachusetts
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Nov 30 - Dec 5, 2026
Opens in 47 days
Dec 7-12, 2026
Opens in 54 days
Recorded Season Windows
All Massachusetts hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 5 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 13 - Nov 29, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Archery season | |
| Shotgun | Nov 30 - Dec 5, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Zone10 — private-land antlered white-tailed deer | Upcoming | Actual current agency deer regulations and2026 season summary agree on shotgun Nov30–Dec12 in zones1–14; only Zone10 private-land antlered white-tailed base dates are reviewed here. Sunday hunting is prohibited, so Dec6 is excluded and two Monday–Saturday windows are separate. Current chapter permits shotguns no larger than10 gauge and rifled barrel shotguns. Check current license/tags or exemptions, antlered eligibility/bag, ammunition, blaze-orange, hours, reporting, CWD, zone boundaries, permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Early/youth/paraplegic, archery, primitive,2027 winter, antlerless and public/controlled hunts are excluded. No printed-guide or license-year refresh is inferred. | |
| Shotgun | Dec 7-12, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Zone10 — private-land antlered white-tailed deer | Upcoming | Actual current agency deer regulations and2026 season summary agree on shotgun Nov30–Dec12 in zones1–14; only Zone10 private-land antlered white-tailed base dates are reviewed here. Sunday hunting is prohibited, so Dec6 is excluded and two Monday–Saturday windows are separate. Current chapter permits shotguns no larger than10 gauge and rifled barrel shotguns. Check current license/tags or exemptions, antlered eligibility/bag, ammunition, blaze-orange, hours, reporting, CWD, zone boundaries, permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Early/youth/paraplegic, archery, primitive,2027 winter, antlerless and public/controlled hunts are excluded. No printed-guide or license-year refresh is inferred. | |
| Shotgun | Dec 1-13, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Shotgun season | |
| Muzzleloader | Dec 15-31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Primitive firearms | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 27 - May 24, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring season | |
Waterfowl 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun | Oct 7 - Nov 22, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Coastal Zone | Historical record | Sea ducks | |
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Massachusetts Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025
- Available Species
-
- Deer
- Turkey
- Waterfowl
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Shotgun
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for Massachusetts
Only Zone10 private-land antlered white-tailed shotgun base dates from current agency2026 summary/deer chapter are reviewed: Nov30–Dec5 and Dec7–12, excluding Sunday Dec6. Other seasons, antlerless and public/controlled hunts remain unreviewed. Check current licenses/tags, eligibility/bag, shotgun/ammunition, blaze-orange/hours, reporting, CWD, zone boundaries, access/permission and closures. Five historical rows and2025 license-year metadata remain unverified.
Hunting Method Legend
Massachusetts Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in Massachusetts
What are the hunting season dates for Massachusetts?
Recorded Massachusetts entries cover Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in Massachusetts?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-10-13 to 2025-11-29; 2026-11-30 to 2026-12-05; 2026-12-07 to 2026-12-12; 2025-12-01 to 2025-12-13; 2025-12-15 to 2025-12-31. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does Massachusetts require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current Massachusetts agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in Massachusetts?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Nov 30, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in Massachusetts?
Only Zone10 private-land antlered white-tailed shotgun base dates from current agency2026 summary/deer chapter are reviewed: Nov30–Dec5 and Dec7–12, excluding Sunday Dec6. Other seasons, antlerless and public/controlled hunts remain unreviewed. Check current licenses/tags, eligibility/bag, shotgun/ammunition, blaze-orange/hours, reporting, CWD, zone boundaries, access/permission and closures. Five historical rows and2025 license-year metadata remain unverified.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
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