2021 – 2022 SEASON DATES & BAG LIMITS CHUS SA E S T A T 2021 – 2022 SEASON DATES BAG POSSESSION S NEW BAG LIMITS M Sora Rail Sep. 1 – Nov. 6 5 15 In the Berkshire Zone, the Canada Goose daily bag limit during MIGRATORY D E the Regular Goose Season has been decreased from 2 birds to I Virginia Rail Sep. 1 – Nov. 6 10 30 V F I I 1, with a possession limit of 3. S L GAME BIRD I D Snipe Sep. 1 – Dec. 16 8 24 O L N I O ES T.18 6 6 W REGULATIONS Woodcock Oct. 1 – Nov. 22 3 9 F & ACTIVE MILITARY & VETERAN F S IS H E RIE DucksA WATERFOWL HUNT Berkshire: Oct. 11 – Nov. 27 6* 18* MASSWILDLIFE Dec. 6 – Dec. 25 6* 18* Two statewide Active Military & Veteran Waterfowl Hunt Central: Oct. 11 – Nov. 27 6* 18* season dates (Sept. 25 and Oct. 9, 2021), concurrent with the Dec. 13 – Jan. 1 6* 18* Youth Waterfowl Hunt days, are open for waterfowl hunting by veterans and current members of the Armed Forces on Coastal: Oct. 16 – Oct. 23 6* 18* active duty, including members of the National Guard and Nov. 23 – Jan. 22 6* 18* Reserve on active duty (other than for training). The term Dec. 31 – Jan. 22 (Scaup with 2-bird daily bag, Coastal Zone only) “veteran,” is defined, per section 101 of title 38, United States American Coot Same as ducks 15 45 Code, as a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom MergansersB Same as ducks 5* 15* under conditions other than dishonorable. Proof of eligibility Regular Goose (except Snow & Blue) is required and must be carried on person while hunting. All Berkshire: Oct. 11 – Nov. 13 1 3 regular season waterfowl regulations and bag limits apply. Central: Oct. 11 – Nov. 27 2 6 Dec. 13 – Jan. 1 2 6 YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNT Coastal: Oct. 16 – Oct. 23 2 6 During the Youth Waterfowl Hunt season dates (Sept. 25 and Nov. 30 – Jan. 29 2 6 Oct. 9, 2021), concurrent with the Active Military & Veteran Early Canada Goose (Statewide)C Sep. 1 – Sep. 24 15 45 Waterfowl Hunt days, waterfowl hunters ages 12–17 may hunt ducks, coots, mergansers and geese. All youth hunters Late Canada Goose (Central Zone) Jan. 15 – Feb. 11 5 15 must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter with a valid (Northern portion of Coastal Zone) Jan. 31 – Feb. 15 5 15 MA waterfowl stamp. One firearm only. Adult hunter may not Snow & Blue Goose Same as ducks 15 45 hunt and may carry firearm only when unloaded and cased. No license or waterfowl stamps required for Youth Waterfowl Late Snow & Blue Goose season hunters aged 12–14. License and MA waterfowl stamp (Central Zone / Northern portion of Coastal Zone) Same as Late Canada Goose 15 45 required for 15 year old Youth Waterfowl season hunters. Sea DucksD Nov. 15 – Jan. 22 5** 15** License, MA waterfowl stamp, and federal waterfowl stamp required for Youth Waterfowl season hunters aged 16–17. All Brant (Coastal Zone Only) Nov. 26 – Jan. 22 2 6 regular season waterfowl regulations and bag limits apply. Falconry (Ducks & Coot only, no geese) Oct. 2 – Feb. 3 3* 9* Youth Waterfowl Hunt (Statewide) Sep. 25 & Oct. 9 Same As Regular Season HIP SURVEY REQUIRED ALL migratory game bird hunters must register with the Active Military & Veteran Waterfowl Hunt (Statewide) Sep. 25 & Oct. 9 Same As Regular Season Harvest Information Program (HIP) each calendar year. * Singly or in the aggregate Licensed woodcock, snipe, coot, rail, and waterfowl hunters ** 5 singly or in the aggregate, but no more than 4 Scoter, 4 Eider (one female), 4 Long-tailed duck [Oldsquaw] in the daily bag. 15 in possession, but must complete a HIP survey online at mass.gov/massfishhunt no more than 12 Scoter, 12 Eider (3 females), 12 Long-tailed ducks. or anywhere hunting licenses are sold. When purchasing a state waterfowl stamp, waterfowl hunters are automatically A. The daily bag may contain no more than 6 ducks, and no more than 4 of any species not additionally restricted (see below): registered with HIP. American Black Duck 2 Hooded Merganser 2 Redhead 2 Cover photo/Wood duck drake © Dean Cerrati Canvasback 2 Mallard 2 (only 1 female) Scaup 1 (See Coastal Season) Fulvous Whistling 1 Mottled 1 Wood Duck 3 Harlequin NONE Northern Pintail 1 All other duck species 4 Possession limits are triple the daily bag. (e.g., Mallards — possession limit is 6 of which only 3 may be female). B. Daily bag of mergansers may not include more than 2 Hooded Mergansers; no more than 6 Hooded in possession. C. For Early Canada Goose season only, hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. 1 Rabbit Hill Road | Westborough, MA 01581 p: (508) 389-6300 | e: [email protected] D. Scoter, Eider, and Long-tailed duck [Oldsquaw] may be hunted only in coastal waters and rivers and streams seaward of the first upstream bridge during the designated sea duck season. Sea ducks count as regular ducks during the regular duck season in the Berkshire and Central Zones. Visit mass.gov/migratory-game-bird for more information. MASS.GOV/MASSWILDLIFE 2021 – 2022 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD REGULATIONS DRIVING A person shall not hunt migratory game birds from or in which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun. WATERFOWL ZONES connection with a motor driven land conveyance, aircraft, or any kind of motor or sail boat used in concentrating or driving birds SHOTGUN DEER SEASONS During the shotgun seasons for either for himself or for others. deer (including Youth Deer Hunt on Oct. 2, 2021), dogs can be used for waterfowl, snipe, rail, and falconry hunting only on ELECTRIC CALLS No person shall take migratory game birds using coastal waters and salt marshes. All hunters must wear 500 pre-recorded calls or sounds or any electronic imitations of calls. square inches of blaze orange (cap and vest) while hunting or in transit to their blind or boat during these periods. The orange FALCONRY All permitted ducks and coot may be taken by falconry may be removed once a hunter is in a blind or boat. COASTAL (*LATE GOOSE SEASON) October 2 – February 3. No geese. Falconry closed Sundays. STAMPS Waterfowl stamps are required for most hunters HUNTING HOURS 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset except who hunt any ducks (including sea ducks), geese, and brant. during the pheasant or quail seasons on WMAs stocked with Stamps are not required for hunting woodcock, snipe, rails or pheasant or quail when hunting hours begin at sunrise. During coot. Waterfowl hunters aged 12–14 do not need stamps (or a Early Canada Goose season only, hunting hours end 1/2 hour after license). Waterfowl hunters aged 15 or older must possess a MA sunset. waterfowl stamp. MA waterfowl stamps are valid from Jan 1 – BERKSHIRE CENTRAL Dec 31 and may be obtained online at mass.gov/massfishhunt IMPORTATION No person shall import migratory game birds or wherever hunting licenses are sold. Waterfowl hunters aged killed in any foreign country except Canada unless such birds 16 and older are required to possess a federal waterfowl stamp. REPORT ALL BANDED BIRDS are dressed, drawn, and the head and feet removed. One fully- Federal stamps are valid from July 1 – June 30. Federal eDuck WWW.REPORTBAND.GOV feathered wing must remain on each bird transported between stamps may be obtained online at mass.gov/massfishhunt or port of entry and the hunter’s home or preservation facility. No wherever MA hunting licenses are sold. The Federal eDuck ZONE LINES person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another. Stamp is a temporary stamp expiring 45 days from the date of For further information on migratory game birds killed in another COASTAL purchase. Before the eDuck expires, a physical Federal Duck During the 2021 – 2022 waterfowl hunting season, the state (NO HUNTING DURING country, consult Title 50 CFR 20.61-20.66. Stamp will be sent to customers via U.S. mail. Upon receipt of is divided into zones. A map of these zones is above and LATE GOOSE SEASON) the physical Federal Duck Stamp, it must be signed across the online at mass.gov/migratory-game-bird. LIVE DECOYS No person shall hunt migratory game birds with face in ink and carried while waterfowl hunting. If a physical the aid of live decoys or domesticated fowl of any kind. Such fowl Duck Stamp does not arrive after a few weeks, contact Amplex BERKSHIRE Westward of a line running from the Vermont must be removed for 10 consecutive days prior to hunting and be at [email protected] or (800) 852-4897. Physical federal boundary, southward along I-91 to Route 9, West on Route COASTAL Eastward and southward of the Central zone line confined in an enclosure which reduces the audibility of their calls waterfowl stamps are also available at all National Wildlife 9 to Route 10, South on Route 10 to Route 202 and South on to the coast. and conceals them from the sight of migratory waterfowl. Refuges and select post offices. Route 202 to the Connecticut line. *NORTHERN PORTION OF COASTAL ZONE (late Goose NON-TOXIC SHOT Is required for all waterfowl and coot hunting. TAGGING Any migratory game birds not in the custody of the CENTRAL Eastward of the Berkshire zone line and westward season only) is that portion of the Coastal Zone lying north of No lead shot in possession.