MassWildlife calendar

2026 fishing & hunting seasons

Read MassWildlife's May newsletter

May 2: Westborough Civic Club Fishing Challenge, Westborough – Join the fun at this learn to fish event at Sandra Pond (get directions) from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, no pre-registration required. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Westborough Civic Club.

May 5: Family Fishing Clinic, Lexington – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Old Reservoir in Lexington (Parking area off of Rt. 2A; get directions) from 5 – 7 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register or call (781) 698-4800 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Lexington Recreation Department.

May 6: Family Fishing Clinic, Lincoln/Sudbury – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Camp Sewataro Fishing Pond (1 Liberty Ledge Road; get directions) from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. All equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register or call (978) 443-9961x3326 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Lincoln-Sudbury Adult and Community Education Program.

May 7: Family Fishing Clinic, Hudson – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Fort Meadow Pond in Hudson (Centennial Beach; get directions) from 5 – 7 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Hudson Recreation Department.

May 9: Eric Tarpinian-Jachym Family Fishing Festival, Westfield — Join a fun, free, family-friendly fishing clinic at DCR Hampton Ponds State Park from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. This event is in honor Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, MA, who was an avid angler with an unmatched passion for fishing and the outdoors. MassWildlife instructors will help you learn how to set up your rod, tie knots, and cast. Bring your own fishing gear or borrow ours; no fishing license or experience needed. Contact jim.lagacy@mass.gov with questions about the fishing clinic. This event will be fully accessible; if you need accommodations, please contact MassAbility at MassAbilityComms@mass.gov. 

May 13: Fisheries and Wildlife Board Meeting, Westborough and Online – The May monthly business meeting of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board will be held at 10 a.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters. Interested persons can attend the meeting either in person or via a Zoom video webinar. Click here to register in advance to join meeting from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android. After registering, you will automatically receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

May 13: Joint Meeting with the DCR Stewardship Council, Westborough and Online – The Fisheries and Wildlife Board will hold a joint meeting with the DCR Stewardship Council at 12:30 p.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters. Interested persons can attend the meeting either in person or via a Zoom video webinar. Click here to register in advance to join meeting from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android. After registering, you will automatically receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

May 13: Family Fishing Clinic, Shrewsbury – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Dean Park Pond in Shrewsbury (get directions) from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register or call (508) 841-8503 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Shrewsbury Recreation Department.

May 14: Family Fishing Clinic, Andover – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Pomps Pond in Andover (147 Abbot Street; get directions) from 5 – 7 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register or call (978) 623-8340 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Andover Recreation Department.

May 16: Veterans Family Fishing Festival, Marlborough –Veterans and their families are invited to this family friendly fishing event at the Marlboro Fish and Game Club (1 Muddy Lane; get directions) from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. No pre-registration is required; contact Jim Lagacy at (508) 389-6309 or jim.lagacy@mass.gov for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Marlboro Fish and Game Club.

May 16: Spec Pond Family Fishing Derby, Wilbraham – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish event at Spectacle Pond (get directions) from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, no pre-registration is required. Contact Jim Lagacy at jim.lagacy@mass.gov or (508) 389-6309 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program, Wilbraham Parks and Recreation Department, and Westfield Bank.

May 18: Public Hearing on Proposed Changes to Freshwater Fishing Regulations, Virtual – A virtual public hearing is being held to collect comments on proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations at 6:00 p.m. Visit the Public Hearings page to view the proposed regulations and to preregister to join the Zoom webinar to provide your comments. Alternatively, you may provide written comments using a link on that page, including whether you support or do not support the regulations as proposed.

May 19: Family Fishing Clinic, Canton – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Bolivar Pond (get directions) from 4:30–6:30 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; click here to register. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Canton Recreation Department.

May 20: Family Fishing Clinic, Wellesley – Join the fun at this family friendly, learn to fish clinic at Longfellow Pond (get directions) from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration is required; call the Wellesley Recreation Department to register at (781) 235-2370. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Wellesley Recreation Department.

May 21: Family Fishing Clinic, Medway – Join the fun at this learn to fish clinic at Choate Park Pond (get directions) from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration required; click here to register or call (508) 321-4740 for more information. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program and the Medway Parks and Recreation Department.

May 23: Bird Walk at Belle Isle Marsh, Revere – Join MassWildlife and DCR on a guided morning bird walk at Belle Isle Marsh Reservation from 8 – 10 a.m. See saltmarsh sparrows, osprey, waders, and shorebirds while learning about salt marsh restoration efforts across northeast Massachusetts. This walk is hosted with support from the Feminist Bird Club of Boston. Event is at capacity; register for the waitlist.

May 29: Evening Whip-poor-will Walk, Montague – Join MassWildlife experts for a moonlit walk through the restored habitats of Montague Plains WMA from 7:15 – 9:15 p.m. Experience the iconic whip-poor-will call, along with American woodcock peents, firsthand. Open to the public but limited spots are available. Pre-registration required; click here to register.

May 30: Cops and Bobbers Family Fishing Festival, Granby – This event is intended for children 14 and under and their families. This free, learn to fish event will be held at Dufresne Pond Recreation Area in Granby (get directions) from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Bring your fishing equipment, or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. This event is in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program, the Amherst, and Granby Police and Fire Departments, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Pioneer Valley Trout Unlimited. This event is open to the public, no registration required. Contact Jim Lagacy at jim.lagacy@mass.gov for more information.

May 30: Evening Whip-poor-will Walk, Hardwick – Join MassWildlife experts for a moonlit walk through the restored habitats of Muddy Brook WMA from 7:15 – 9:15 p.m. Experience the iconic whip-poor-will call, along with American woodcock peents, firsthand. This walk is co-hosted with East Quabbin Land Trust. Open to the public but limited spots are available. Pre-registration required; click here to register.

June 3: Family Fishing Clinic, Newton– Join the fun at this learn to fish clinic at Crystal Lake (get directions) from 5–7 p.m. Bring your fishing equipment or borrow ours; limited equipment and bait will be provided. Open to the public, pre-registration required; click here to register. This event is being held in cooperation with MassWildlife's Angler Education Program, Crystal Lake Conservancy, and the Newton Recreation Department.

June 27: Birds, Bees, and Wildflowers Walk, East Falmouth – Get fired up and ready to grow! Join MassWildlife experts for a guided walk from 9 – 11 a.m. and learn about the many fire-adapted birds, native pollinators, wildlife, and wildflowers that make their home in this amazing grassland. Open to the public but limited spots are available. Pre-registration required; click here to register.

June 28: Evening Whip-poor-will Walk, Belchertown – Join MassWildlife experts for a moonlit walk through the restored habitats of Herman Covey WMA from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Experience the iconic whip-poor-will call, along with American woodcock peents, firsthand. Open to the public but limited spots are available. Pre-registration required; click here to register.

Email Mass.Wildlife@mass.gov

We will do our best to accommodate any needs to allow community members to participate as fully as possible.

• Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. To submit a request for an accommodation, please email eeadiversity@mass.gov or call 617-626-1282; an ADA Coordinator will receive your request. Please include a description of the request in as much detail as possible and a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please allow at least 2 weeks’ (14 days) advance notice. Last-minute requests will be accepted but we may be unable to fulfill the request.
• Please let us know of any language interpretation requests by email to susan.sacco@mass.gov at least 72 hours before the event.
• Se pueden solicitar servicios adicionales de traducción o interpretación enviando su solicitud por correo electrónico a susan.sacco@mass.gov al menos 72 horas antes de la reunión.
• Serviços adicionais de tradução ou interpretação podem ser solicitados ao enviar um e-mail para: susan.sacco@mass.gov com pelo menos 72 horas de antecedência da reunião.
• 如需额外的笔译或口译服务，请至少在会议开始前 72 小时发电子邮件至 susan.sacco@mass.gov 提出要求.
• Ou ka mande plis sèvis tradiksyon oswa entèpretasyon lè w adrese demann ou pou imèl susan.sacco@mass.gov omwen 72 èdtan anvan reyinyon an.
• Các dịch vụ biên dịch hoặc phiên dịch bổ sung có thể được yêu cầu bằng cách gửi yêu cầu của quý vị qua email đến susan.sacco@mass.gov ít nhất 72 giờ trước cuộc họp.
• Предоставление дополнительных услуг письменного или устного перевода можно запросить, отправив просьбу по электронной почте на адрес susan.sacco@mass.gov как минимум за 72 часа до начала встречи
• Des services de traduction ou d'interprétation supplémentaires peuvent être demandés en envoyant votre demande par e-mail à susan.sacco@mass.gov au moins 72 heures avant la réunion.