Hunting Information

If you have a hunting concern or observe a violation, please call the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075, or the Plymouth Police Department at 508-830-4182.

Hunting on Town-Owned Land

Hunting is an allowed practice on Town-owned open space. All open space designated as a Conservation Area or Preserve allows hunting, and in many cases it is required that the practice be allowed in accordance with language in grant funding for acquisition or restoration. These properties are multi-use, allowing for passive recreational activities in addition to hunting such as hiking and nature viewing. Please be aware that many of these properties have maintained trail systems and may have walkers utilizing the features during hunting seasons; exercise caution when participating in a hunt.

Hunting is allowed on all town-owned open space that is not designated as a 'park' per Town By-law §30-19. This prohibits hunting at all ballfields, Forge's Field, Morton Park, the north section of Hedge's Pond Recreational Area, Stephen's Field, Nelson Park, etc.

The Town of Plymouth does not have a by-law regulating hunting. As such, laws, rules, and regulations default to State requirements. Please be aware of buffers to dwellings and roads when participating in a hunt. Several schools (Plymouth Community Intermediate School, Plymouth South High School, and Indian Brook Elementary School) are located adjacent to huntable open space. Please be cognizant of the buffers, ensuring not to shoot into buffer areas, and familiarize yourself with property lines so as not to disrupt school function- laws regulating firearms on school property still apply during hunting season.

Motorized vehicles are not allowed on Town open space outside of designated roads. Please consider this when determining hunting location and the distance required to return the harvest to your vehicle. ATVs, OHVs, Side-by-sides, dirt bikes, etc. may never be used on Town land. 

If you're interested in hunting a piece of Town-owned land, but are unsure about access, please give us a call and we're happy to help! Plymouth has too much open space to be able to list all the locations here!

Be a Good Land Steward

It is well-recognized and appreciated that hunters are among the most passionate conservationists in Massachusetts, committed to protecting open space, and keeping wildlife populations healthy. Money from state license and tag purchases are returned directly to the industry in the form of state land purchases and amenities directly related to preservation of open space and improving access for hunting and associated passive recreation. Like we ask non-hunters to share the property with hunters, we ask that hunters please take some steps to keep Town open space clean, safe, and welcoming for all uses.

• Remove any trash and shell casings from the area when done for the day.
• Remove temporary tree stands at the end of each season. Recall that no permanent tree stands are allowed on public property, and temporary stands must be checked every 30-days.
• Bury innards after field dressing your harvest, or ensure it is located far off a walking trail and away from those who are not comfortable with the sight.
• Sensibly locate blinds and sight lines that minimize vegetation cutting or eliminate the need to cut entirely. 
• If waterfowl hunting from one of Plymouth's beaches, please stay out of the fragile dune areas.

For Non-Hunters

As is mentioned above, hunting is allowed on Town open space. There is usually a hunting season open throughout most of the year, though the most popular seasons typically start in early October and run through the end of December, with migratory waterfowl seasons running through winter. Please see the link below to view official season dates. 

During all hunting seasons, it is recommended that all visitors and their pets wear hunter orange when visiting open space. This helps to identify you to any nearby hunters and prevent accidents.

Though the activity is not for everyone, hunting is a legal and protected activity. Per MGL Chapter 131 section 5C, hunter harassment is illegal and can lead to prosecution. Hunting does provide a greater ecological service that has otherwise been disrupted by development and human encroachment.

Hunters need written permission to cross and hunt private lands, but please consider that accidents happen, and if property boundaries are not posted, a hunter could inadvertently cross onto private property. 

Hunting is an important way to control animal populations. State deer biologists set harvest limits based on the state-wide or regional population of the animal. Limits are known as compensatory harvest, meaning the number of deer allowed to be taken during the hunting season is the number that would otherwise be lost over the winter to other factors such as vehicle strikes, disease, starvation, injury, predation, and natural causes. Hunting helps to control the density of deer in a given area and prevents the animals from succumbing to slower forms of expiration. 

Ethical hunters (which is 99% of hunters) DO NOT shot animals for no reason and leave the carcass. The average deer will yield approximately 50lbs of meat- that can feed a lot of people! The State also has the Share The Harvest Program where hunters can donate the meat to those facing food insecurity- to date over 20,000 meals have been donated! In fact, there is a state law that requires those who harvest wildlife to utilize the carcass by dressing or selling it: meat, pelts, feathers, antlers, all have common uses. If the carcass is left, it is considered wanton waste, and is prosecutable.

Massachusetts Hunting Seasons and Regulations