2020-21 Hunting & Fishing Plan Summary Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Comparisons of proposed changes for 2020-2021 seasons w/ State Regulations Assabet National Wildlife Refuge is located Wildlife Management Zone 10 *No proposals to open Safety Zone and Closed area for hunting

Assabet River NWR Summary of Current and Proposed Changes by Hunt Units and Species C= Currently Opened for Species X= New Opportunity S= Special Hunts Only

*NOTE: All hunters are still required to follow the 500ft setbacks per Massachusetts hunting regulations for occupied dwellings and 100ft setbacks for roads. The acres listed below, may not reflect the total acre available to hunt after allowing for required setbacks. Hunters can use mobile apps such as OnX to determine if an areas is open to hunting.

Hunt Unit Fox Bear Take Deer Acres Rabbit Turkey Coyote Grouse Squirrel Woodcock Method of Waterfowl

North Unit A 1,332 X X C X C C C C S C North Unit B 520 Archery Only X X C X C Archery Only Unit C 123 (Except X X X X X X Waterfowl) South Unit 298 Archery Only X X C X C Total Acres 2273 2273 2273 2273 2273 1332 1332 1332 2273 123 1332

Assabet River NWR Summary of Proposed Changes by Species (If there are no changes to the hunt opportunity of the species, it is not listed in the table. Please see our current hunt brochure to learn about the current refuge regulations for that species)

Method of Additional Refuge Regulations MA Regulations Species Hunt Unit take (Dates approximate) (For comparison) Only concurrent w/ deer season MA Season: 10/13-3/7 (following year) (10/17-12/31) Baiting is legal North Unit A* Align w/ State No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before sunrise to Coyote Hours of hunt: No night hunting Midnight Only concurrent with deer season MA Season: 10/13-3/7 (following year) North Unit B (10/17-12/31) Baiting is legal Unit C Archery Only No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before sunrise to South Unit Hours of Hunt: No night hunting Midnight Refuge Season: Only concurrent with MA Season: 11/2-2/27 (following year) deer season (10/17-12/31) Baiting is legal North Unit A* Align w/ State No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before sunrise to Fox Hours of hunt: No night hunting Midnight Refuge Season: Only concurrent with MA Season: 11/2-2/27 (following year) North Unit B deer season (10/17-12/31) Baiting is legal Unit C Archery Only No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before sunrise to South Unit Hours of hunt: No night hunting Midnight Currently open for Archery, Shotgun, muzzleloader Spring: 4/2/27-5/23 North Unit A* Align w/ State Currently Spring Season Only Fall: 10/5-11/28 Proposing to Add Fall Season Turkey Proposing to open for Spring and Fall Spring: 4/2/27-5/23 Unit C Archery Only Season Fall: 10/5-11/28

North Unit B Current open: Spring Season Only Spring: 4/2/27-5/23 Archery Only South Unit Proposing to Add Fall Season Fall: 10/5-11/28

Method of Additional Refuge Regulations MA Regulations Species Hunt Unit take (Dates approximate) (For comparison) Unit C would only be open for Special Refuge Season dependent Waterfowl Unit C Sponsored Hunts targeting veterans, persons w/ Align w/ State on Species North Unit A* disabilities, youth, and underserved user groups Earliest: 9/2, Latest: 2/15 (Refuge would be closed on day of special hunt)

Archery Only Archery (10/5-11/28) White- Unit C Archery Only Hunters can hunt all 3 season Shotgun (11/30-12/12) Tailed Deer w/ Archery equipment only in Unit C. Muzzleloader (12/14-12/31)

Proposing to open during State's 2nd Season & 1st Season: 9/8-9/26 North Unit A* Align w/ State shotgun season only (11/2-11/21 and 11/30- 2nd Season: 11/2-11/21 12/12) 3rd Season: 11/30-12/12 Bear North Unit B Proposing to open during State's 2nd Season & 1st Season: 9/8-9/26 South Unit Archery Only shotgun season only (11/2-11/21 and 11/30- 2nd Season: 11/2-11/21 Unit C 12/12) 3rd Season: 11/30-12/12

2020-21 Hunting & Fishing Plan Summary Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Comparisons of proposed changes for 2020-2021 seasons w/ State Regulations Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is located Wildlife Management Zone 10

Great Meadows NWR Summary of Current and Proposed Changes by Hunt Units and Species C= Currently Opened for Species X= New Opportunity

Hunt Unit

(Archery Only for all hunt Acres Bear Deer Turkey Units, except for waterfowl) Coyote Waterfowl

CONCORD UNIT

Bedford 279 X C X X

Carlisle 259 X C X X

Concord River Waterfowl 109 X C X X C

Kinnelly 53 X C X X

South of SR 225 484 X X X

SUDBURY UNIT

North of Sherman Bridge Rd 294 X X X X

Water Row 628 X C X X

Sudbury River Waterfowl 274 X C X X C

Wolbach Strand 237 X C X X

Pelham Island 376 X C X X X

Stone Bridge 303 X C X X

South of Heard Pond 105 X C X X C

Total Acres 3,401 2,623 3,401 3,401 3,401 1,004**

** Acres open to waterfowl may only reflect a portion of the hunt unit to reflect riverine and wetland areas. See Figures 2 and 3 for specific waterfowl hunting areas.

Great Meadows NWR Summary of Proposed Changes by Species (If there are no changes to the hunt opportunity of the species, it is not listed in the table. Please see our current hunt brochure to learn about the current refuge regulations for that species)

Additional Refuge Method of MA Regulations Species Hunt Unit Regulations Take (For comparison) (Dates Approximate) Bedford Carlisle Concord River Waterfowl Kinelly Only concurrent w/ deer Pelham Island MA Season: 10/13-3/7 season South of SR 225 (following year) (10/17-12/31) Coyote Stone Bridge Archery Only Baiting is legal No baiting South of Heard Pond Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before Hours of hunt: No night Sudbury River Waterfowl sunrise to Midnight hunting Sudbury Waterfowl Water Row Wolbach-Strand North of Sherman's Bridge

Bedford Carlisle Concord River Waterfowl Kinelly Pelham Island South of SR 225 Spring: 4/29-5/25 Turkey Stone Bridge Archery Only Archery Only Fall: 10/21-11/2 South of Heard Pond Sudbury River Waterfowl Sudbury Waterfowl Water Row Wolbach-Strand North of Sherman's Bridge North of Sherman Bridge Road Season dependent Align w/ Waterfowl Pelham Island None on Species State Water Row Earliest: 9/2, Latest: 2/15 South of SR 225 Archery Only Deer: Archery (10/7-11/30), White-tailed South of SR 225 Archery Only Hunters can hunt all 3 season Shotgun (12/2-12/14), Deer North of Shermans Bridge w/ Archery equipment Muzzleloader (12/16-12/31) Bedford Carlisle Concord River Waterfowl Kinelly Pelham Island 1st Season: 9/2-9/21 Currently closed, Proposing Bear South of Heard Pond Archery Only 2nd Season: 11/4-11/23 Archery Only Stone Bridge 3rd Season: 12/2-12/14 Sudbury River Waterfowl Sudbury Waterfowl Water Row Wolbach-Strand

2020-21 Hunting & Fishing Plan Summary Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

Comparisons of proposed changes for 2020-2021 seasons w/ State Regulations Oxbow Wildlife Refuge is located Wildlife Management Zone 9

Oxbow NWR Summary of Current and Proposed Changes by Hunt Units and Species C= Currently Opened for Species X= New Opportunity

Hunt Unit C= Currently Opened Fox Bear Deer Snipe Rabbit Turkey Coyote Grouse X= New Opportunity Squirrel Woodcock Waterfowl Acres On Map as Bishop North Unit 234 X C C X X X X X X X (proposing Road to merge) Total acres = Walker Rd 158 X C C X X C C C X C 392 Hospital Road North 128 X X X X X (Archery Only) Hospital Road South 169 X C C X X C C C X Sheridan Rd 142 X C C X X C C C C Still River Depot Area 126 X C C X X (Archery Only) On Map as Waterfowl Route 2 466 X C C X X C C C C C C South Area (proposing to merge) Route 2 248 X C C X X C C C C X C Total acres = South 714 Total Acres 1671 1671 1671 1671 1671 1671 1417 1417 714 1417 1275 1248

Oxbow NWR Summary of Proposed Changes by Species (If there are no changes to the hunt opportunity of the species, it is not listed in the table. Please see our current hunt brochure to learn about the current refuge regulations for that species)

Notes & Additional Refuge Method of MA Regulations Species Hunt Unit Regulations Take (For Comparison) (Dates Approximate) Route 2 South Waterfowl Area 1st Season: 9/2-9/21 Bishop Rd Align w/ Aligned w/ State for seasons 2nd Season: 11/4-11/23 Sheridan Rd State 3rd Season: 12/2-12/14 Bear Walker Road Hospital Road South 1st Season: 9/2-9/21 Archery Hospital Rd North Aligned w/ State for seasons 2nd Season: 11/4-11/23 Only 3rd Season: 12/2-12/14

MA Season: 10/13-3/7 Only concurrent w/ deer season (following year) Archery (10/17-12/31) Hospital Rd North Baiting is legal Only No baiting Still River Depot Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before Hours of hunt: No night hunting sunrise to Midnight Coyote Bishop Rd MA Season: 10/13-3/7 Route 2 South Only concurrent w/ deer season (following year) Sheridan Rd Align w/ (10/17-12/31) Baiting is legal Walker Road State No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before Waterfowl Area Hours of hunt: No night hunting sunrise to Midnight Hospital Rd South Currently Closed; Proposing to Deer: Archery (10/7-11/30), Archery open Archery Only Hospital Rd North Shotgun (12/2-12/14), Only Hunters can hunt all 3 season Muzzleloader (12/16-12/31) White-tailed w/ Archery equipment Deer Bishop Rd Currently Open for Archery Only; Deer: Archery (10/7-11/30), Sheridan Rd Align w/ Proposing alignment for method Shotgun (12/2-12/14), Walker Road State of take Muzzleloader (12/16-12/31) Hospital Road South

Only concurrent w/ deer season MA Season: 11/2-2/27 Hospital Rd South Archery (10/17-12/31) (following year) Baiting is legal Hospital Rd North Only No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before Still River Depot Hours of hunt: No night hunting sunrise to Midnight Fox Bishop Rd Route 2 South Only concurrent w/ deer season MA Season: 11/2-2/27 Sheridan Rd Align w/ (10/17-12/31) (following year) Baiting is legal Walker Road State No baiting Hours of Hunt: 1/2 hr before Waterfowl Area Hours of hunt: No night hunting sunrise to Midnight Hospital Rd South

Notes & Additional Refuge Method of MA Regulations Species Hunt Unit Regulations Take (For Comparison) (Dates Approximate) Aligned w/ Bishop Rd Currently closed MA Season: 10/17-11/28 State Grouse Hospital Road South Currently Shotgun Only; Align w/ Sheridan Rd Proposing to come into MA Season: 10/17-11/28 State Walker Road alignment for method of take

Align w/ Currently Closed MA Season: 10/17-2/5 Bishop Rd State no night hunting (Following Year) Rabbit Currently shotgun only; Hospital Road South Align w/ Proposing come into alignment MA Season: 10/17-2/5 Sheridan Rd State for method of take (Following Year) Walker Road no night hunting Route 2 South Align w/ Currently Spring Only Spring: 4/29-5/25 Waterfowl Area State Proposing adding Fall Season Fall: 10/21-11/2

Archery Currently Closed Spring: 4/29-5/25 Hospital Rd North Only Proposing Spring & Fall Season Fall: 10/21-11/2

Currently Archery Only & Spring Align w/ Spring: 4/29-5/25 Bishop Rd Only; proposing adding Fall Turkey State Fall: 10/21-11/2 Season Archery Currently Spring Only Spring: 4/29-5/25 Still River Depot Only Propose Adding Fall Season Fall: 10/21-11/2 Currently Shotgun & Spring Hospital Rd South Align w/ only; proposing alignment for Spring: 4/29-5/25 Walker Road State method of take and adding fall Fall: 10/21-11/2 Sheriden Road season Bishop Rd Season dependent Hospital Rd South Align w/ Waterfowl Currently Closed on Species Walker Road State Earliest: 9/2, Latest: 2/15 Route 2 South Currently Shotgun only; Sheridan Rd Align w/ proposing alignment for method 10/3-11/23 Woodcock Walker Road State of take

Align w/ Bishop Rd Currently Closed 10/3-11/23 State