Massachusetts
100,000
Est. Whitetail Population
70,000
No. Licenses Sold Annually
$43 and up
Resident hunting license is $33 plus $10 archery stamp and $10 primitive firearms stamp.
Resident hunting license and deer permit
$105 and up
Nonresident big game license is $105plus archery and primitive weapons stamps.
Non-resident hunting license and deer permit
193 3/8"
Taken by Kajetan Sovinski in Franklin County in 2002, ranked No. 86 of all time.
Record B&C Typical Stat
20
Total B&C Typical Entries
218 5/8"
Taken by Andrew Healy in Hampshire County in 2018.
Record B&C Non-Typical Stat
9
Record B&C Non-Typical Entries
Check out the latest info for Massachusetts. Image by Tony Campbell
Season Dates (2024):
Youth season is September 28. Archery season runs Oct. 7 to Nov. 30. Shotgun season runs Dec. 2-14. Primitive firearms season is Dec. 16 to 31. Check the MASSACHUSETTS DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES WEBSITE to confirm deer season dates.
The Grade: B
Although public land is scarce and population densities are high (third in the nation in people per square mile), there’s still good deer hunting to be found in Massachusetts for those willing to work for it. Bowhunters in particular are finding more openings in urban settings. Don’t overlook state-managed lands such as parks and state forests, which are experiencing the same deer overpopulation as surrounding neighborhoods. Hunters are needed there to help with population control. Furthermore, there’s an excellent age structure among bucks in Massachusetts, particularly for the size of the state, and the best hunting seems to be happening right now. Of the 29 total entries to the B&C record books, typical and non-typical, 23 have been taken in the past 25 years including the state’s current nontypical record, which is a 218-5/8-inch buck taken by Andrew Healy in Hampshire County in 2018.
Antler Nation Knowledge:
The area along Interstate 495, stretching from Billerica to Hopkinton and then Bellingham in the south, is seeing booming deer numbers. But the entire state should have a healthy population this fall. Densities range from 12 to 18 deer per square mile in most of the state where there is adequate hunting access. Other areas have more than 50 deer per square mile, especially where hunting access is limited, such as eastern counties and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
For an added challenge, find a hot destination on PUBLIC GROUND to test your skills. Pro tip? Agency officials have conducted studies that show pockets of higher deer numbers when you get more than a mile or so from roads and parking areas.
