CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Tuesday is the official start of gray squirrel hunting season in Massachusetts.
The season goes from September 5 to February 29, 2024 but is closed during the two weeks of shotgun deer season, November 27 through December 9. Hunting is allowed a half an hour before sunrise and ends a half an hour after sunset. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays.
The gray squirrel season allows shotguns (including muzzleloaders), archery, rifles and handguns for hunting. Massachusetts residents are required to have a hunting or sporting license, which can be purchased on the MassWildlife website.
There is no limit to the amount of gray squirrels you can hunt over the whole season. However, there is a five per day limit and you can only have ten in possession at a time.
Hunters must wear an orange cap when hunting on Wildlife Management Areas where pheasant or quail are stocked during their hunting seasons, between October 14 and December 30.
A reminder to hunters, it is unlawful to intentionally leave a wounded or dead animal in the field or forest without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and use it. However, this does not apply to animals unfit for consumption use (animals whose parts are damaged, destroyed, decayed, rotting, diseased, or infected.)
Full rules and regulations of the hunting season can be found on the Mass.gov website.
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