MassWildlife considers extending archery deer hunting season

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Massachusetts residents will have a chance to voice their opinions on if the state should extend the archery deer hunting season.

Currently in Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) one through nine, which includes western Massachusetts, archery deer hunting season begins on the sixth Monday before Thanksgiving and ends on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. A proposed regulatory amendment looks to extend the starting date to two weeks earlier, meaning the season would begin on the eighth Monday before Thanksgiving.

In WMZ 10 through 14, archery deer hunting season already begins on the eighth Monday prior to Thanksgiving.

The meeting on the changes will be held Tuesday, August 15 at 1:00 p.m. in-person at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough) or through Zoom:

• Use this link for the webinar (Meeting ID: 872 1636 1535; Passcode: 3giq1H) or join by phone (Dial 646-931-3860; Meeting ID: 872 1636 1535; Passcode: 049312).

If you can not attend the meeting, you can email any comments on the proposal to susan.sacco@mass.gov.

This year’s archery deer hunting season for WMZ one through nine is October 16 through November 25. Hunting hours begin a half an hour before sunrise and end a half an hour after sunset, there is no hunting allow on Sundays.