Western MA Hunting?

Warrior697 · 09-12-2006, 05:04 PM

Hi, i am new to hunting, i would like to get started hunting whitetail this october, starting with the bow, then going on to the shotgun season. Where are some places I can hunt? I live in amherst and everywhere I go I see "POSTED: NO HUNTING OR FISHING" signs. I anyone knows of any spots of where i can go, I would appricate it. thanks

dsabol · 09-12-2006, 05:23 PM

I am new to Maryland so I don't know any private land. There are some WMAs but I have never been there. You should be able to find some info on the Maryland DNR website.

Warrior697 · 09-12-2006, 05:38 PM

I am in Western Massachusetts. not maryland.

TributeHunter · 09-12-2006, 07:55 PM

your best bet is to go knock on the doors of some farmers and ask if you can hunt there land. there will be some that will be more than happy if you come to take care of there deer on there land because they like to destroy thier crops. and if they say no you didnt lose anything just say thanks anyway and turn around making sure you are polite. but you are bound sooner or later to find atleast one .

jf5 · 09-13-2006, 08:05 AM

Tons of public lands in western MA that are seeing light presure, even during gun season.

www.masswildlife.org

MikeVT · 09-13-2006, 09:07 AM

October Mountain State Forest or Beartown State Forest are the two that come to mind. They take some tremendous bucks out of these areas each year. Check your maps, there is a lot of public land in Western Mass. You also may want to take a ride around Deerfield or Whately. There are a lot of farms in those areas that might not mind a few less whitetails around, also those areas are a bit closer to your home base. Good Luck!!

Western MA Hunter · 09-14-2006, 07:22 AM

October Mountain & Beartown are great! Big woods... Not alot of deer... but BIG deer!
It is getting harder and harder to find quality land to hunt. Many antis here and much of the good hunting land is not owned by locals, but rather city folks who post it up tight and don't allow any hunting... unless you can get in w/ their caretakers.
Blandford / Russell has some public watershed land I believe too.

Unfortunately, it all comes down to who you know in alot of instances.
We gun hunt October Mountain & Beartown and have some good success. We never seem to connect on the freaks though... but every year there are a couple of slammers taken off the 2 areas.