The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife recognizes the pheasant program as a core agency program that provides valuable hunting opportunities and other outdoor experiences. Ring-necked pheasants have been imported and released in Massachusetts since 1906. At that time the Massachusetts landscape was much different than it is today. The state was 80% open fields and pasture and 20% forested. Today, just the opposite is true. Pheasants prefer agricultural areas and open field habitats. As both forests and human development have increased, pheasant habitat has decreased. This is why there are only scattered occurrences of breeding pheasants in the state.

For the most part, regulated pheasant hunting in Massachusetts relies on stocking of farm raised birds by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) into appropriate habitat. Pheasants are also stocked on other private and publicly owned lands by cooperating sportsmen's clubs who participate in what is known as the Club Pheasant Program. In this program sportsmens clubs raise birds (or cooperate with county correctional facilities for bird raising) then stock the birds during the pheasant season on lands open to the public.

Over the past 15 years MassWildlife has annually stocked an average of 40,000 pheasants statewide. Of these 40,000 pheasants that are stocked, 4,000 are stocked in the Western District, 10,000 in the Connecticut Valley District, 13,000 in the Central District, 5,000 in the Northeast District, and 8,000 in the Southeast District. The appropriations are based on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and appropriate stocking habitat availability. All 40,000 pheasants stocked for recreational hunting in Massachusetts are paid for entirely by licensed sportsmen and women.

The pheasant hunting season in Massachusetts is open from mid-October through the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Hunting is permitted from sunrise to sunset on any Wildlife Management Area where pheasants are stocked and a high visibility orange cap is required for participants.(See WMA Regulations for more details.) On all other property, hunting hours begin 1/2 hour before sunrise and run through 1/2 hour after sunset on those lands. The orange cap is not required, but wearing it ensures visibility to other hunters and outdoor users. The daily bag limit is two pheasants. The season bag limit is six. Pheasant hunting is an important upland game bird hunting activity and each year thousands of hunters enjoy this recreational opportunity in Massachusetts.

• provide interested young people with an opportunity to practice skills (learned in the Hunter Education course) in a program that includes shotgun shooting,
• pre-hunt field practicum and culminating in a pheasant hunt while supervised by responsible, licensed adult hunters in an enjoyable environment.
• provide local sporting clubs who want to pass on the traditions of hunting and the great outdoors with tools and guidance in implementing a successful young adult hunting experience.

District Map

Pheasant Hunters!-- Please remember to respect the land and property owner's rights to privacy and safety on all lands open to pheasant hunting and stocking. Respect farmland and do not drive on agricultural fields or block barways to pastures and croplands with vehicles. Respectful and responsible behavior towards other hunters and other outdoor users will keep property open to recreation for everyone for years to come. Leave the property cleaner than you found it and be sure to report hunting, littering and other violations to the Environmental Police Radio Room at 1/800-632-8075.

Date Last Updated:  November 7, 2006

WESTERN DISTRICT
Western District Office, 400 Hubbard Ave Pittsfield 413/447-9789

Stafford Hill WMA

Darey Housatonic Valley WMA

CONNECTICUT VALLEY DISTRICT
Conn. Valley District Office, 341 East Street Belchertown 413/ 323-7632

Herm Covey WMA

Poland Brook WMA

Leyden WMA

Montague Plains WMA

Bennett Meadows WMA

Pauchaug Brook WMA

Eastman Brook Conservation Area

East of North East St. and South of Rifle Range Rd.

Between South East St. and Warren Wright Rd.

South Amherst-Lawrence Swamp Conservation Area

Warrenwright Road

Fields at south end of Cementery Rd.

Post 430 Sportsmen, St George Rd

Between St. George Rd and Rt 19.

Access fields at Dwight Rd only

Bandwell Ferry Road

End of Station Road

East end of Pisgah Mt. Rd.

Old Kentfield Farm

Mt. Warner Rd

Between Mt. Warner Rd. and the Mill River

West of Rt. 116 and north of Russellville Rd. in Amherst

Northeast of Cold Spring Lane and west of Shattuck Rd.

North end of River Rd.

North of Honey Pot Rd.

East end of Old Farms Path Rd. and south along Bashin Rd. to Main St.

Little Neponset Rd.

Jericho Rd.

Plain Rd and Hatfield Rd

Fields along Little Neponset Rd.

Fields along Great Neponset Rd. and east along the Connecticut River and Bridge lane.

Flood control area between Bimfield Rd. in Holland and Five Bridge Rd. in Brimfield

North of Teewaddle Hill Rd. and west of Doolittle Brook

North side of Bunyan Mt. off of Macomber Rd.

Fields between Wales Rd., Munn Rd., and East Hill Rd.

High Tension Line

Field south of Rt 10 and west of Rt 63, along the Connecticut River

Field west of Upper Farms Rd next to the Connecticut River

Fields between Rt 63 and Pine Meadow Rd. on the Northfield/Erving town line

Fields off Great Meadow Rd and Caldwell Rd along east & west banks of Connecticut River

Northampton Meadows - Fields off Hockanum Rd., north to Old Ferry Rd.

North Main Street.

South Main Street.

Denows Meadow

Fields between Rt 47 and the Connecticut River south of Bachelor Brook

Fields east of Glendale Rd. and north of Miller Ave., along the North Branch of Manhan River

Fields between Pomeroy Meadow Rd. and Rt. 10, along the Manhan River

Fields north of Rt. 57, east of Rt. 202, and south of Slab Brook

Field between Foster Rd and the Agwam town line, north of South Longyard Rd.

At the south end of Robbins Rd. along the Ware River

Wendell State Forest

Fields along the Manhan River, north of North Rd. and east of Russellville Rd.

Fields and gravel pit west of South Rd., along Rice Brook

CENTRAL DISTRICT
Central District Office, 211 Temple St (Rte. 140) W. Boylston 508/ 835-3607

Millers River WMA

Barre Falls WMA

Bolton Flats WMA

Quaboag River WMA

Bennett WMA

High Ridge WMA

Hubbardston WMA

Moose Hill WMA

Phillipston WMA

West Hill WMA

Westborough WMA

Route 68 (DCR property)

Templeton State Forest

Off Elm Street

Leominster Sportsmen's Club, Elm Street

North Leominster Sportsmen's Club, Lancaster Ave

Cross Street

West Brookfield Road

West Brookfield Road

King Road

Murphy Road

Dennis Murphy Road

Richard Larkin Memorial Area (DCR property)

200 Sportsmen Club, Sutton Road

East Street fields at Moccasin Brook crossing

Nimrod Sportsmen's Club, Coal Kiln Road

Norco Sportsmen's Club, Houghton Road

Intervale Road

Morrows Farm, behind Rutland Sportsmen's Club, Pleasantdale Road

8 Point Sportsmen's Club, Beaman Road

Hamilton Rod & Gun Club, Hamilton Road

No Name Road, Off of Town Farm Road

Whittier's Farm

Gasline off West Millbury Road

Otter River Sportsmen Club, Lord Road

Clarks Sand Pit, Route 68

Maple Street Extension

Henshaw & Barre Road

Dudley Road

South Road

Norco Sportsmen's Club, Houghton Road

Norco Sportsmen's Club, Houghton Road

Riverbend Farm State Park on Oak Street (DCR property)

200 Sportsmen Club

NORTHEAST DISTRICT
Northeast District Office, Harris St, Acton 978/263-4347

Ashby WMA

Crane Pond WMA

Charles River WMA

Martin Burns WMA

Fitchburg Rod and Gun Club, Richardson Road

Washington Street powerlines east of Groton Harvard Road

Dogtown Common

Fields next to Blood Farm (W. Groton) on south side of Rte. 225, adjacent to town forest

Power lines on south side of Rte. 40, east of Gay Road

Harold Parker State Forest west of Middleton Road

Fields across from brick schoolhouse between Prescott St. and Hollis St., north side of Nissitissit River

Field on south side at the end of Pierce Street

Field across from Gardner's Farm along the west side of Nashua River, Rte. 111

Field adjacent to the west bank of the Nashua River at Rte. 119 bridge crossing

Mudnock Road at end of Ferry Lots Lane

Fields adjacent to Squannacook River on east side of West Meadow Road

SOUTHEAST DISTRICT
Southeast District Office195 Bournedale Rd, Buzzards Bay 508/759-3406

Freetown/Fall River WMA

Quivet Neck-Crowes Pasture Conservation Area (Town property) - South Street

Falmouth Rod and Gun Club fields off Carriage Shop Road

Agricultural land by Thompson St., River St., Wood Road, and Fuller St. by town line

Three Ponds Reservation, Waskosim’s Rock Reservation, Sepiessa Point Reservation, Peaked Hill Reservation, Manuel F. Correlius State Forest and Katama Farm.

South Cape Beach State Park (DCR) off Wills Work Road

North Swamp, Eel Point Road, rear of Landfill, Head of the Plains, rear of farms east of Hummock Pond Road, sewer beds west of Surfside Road, Altar Rock area, Madequecham Valley and the old Scionset dump.

Agricultural land by Rte. 58, Center St., Franklin St. and powerlines by town line .

Scusset Beach State Reservation (DCR property) off Scusset Beach Road

Agricultural land northeast of Trucchi's Market - Route 106

Pheasant Hunters!-- Please remember to respect the land and property owner's rights to privacy and safety on all lands open to pheasant hunting and stocking. Respect farmland and do not drive on agricultural fields or block barways to pastures and crops with vehicles. Respectful and responsible behavior towards other hunters and other outdoor users will keep property open to recreation for everyone for years to come. Leave the property cleaner than you found it and be sure to report hunting, littering and other violations to the Environmental Police Radio Room at 1/800-632-8075.

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