Blue Hills Deer Management Program

The Blue Hills Deer Management Program is part of DCR’s long-term effort to manage high deer densities within the Blue Hills Reservation. The primary objective and rationale for implementing a deer management program is to maintain an ecologically sustainable deer density that allows for the continuous growth and development of forest regeneration. In particular, DCR wishes to reduce the negative impacts that high deer densities have on the regenerating forest to ensure a healthy forest composed of adequate diversity of species and age classes.

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2024 Hunting Program

ARCHERY ONLY HUNT - November 4 through November 27

The Blue Hills Deer Management Permitted Archery Hunt will take place Mondays through Thursdays only from November 4 through November 27, 2024. There will be no hunting on Thursday, November 28, 2024 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.  The application and selection process as well as the orientation for hunters will be virtual. The areas included in this year’s hunt were opened to archery hunting last year with the addition of two areas previously open to shotgun hunting.  Please review all information carefully whereas there may be differences from previous year hunts. Please address any questions or concerns to mass.parks@mass.gov.

Additional Resources   for 2024 Hunting Program

Context & Need for Deer Management

From the canopy to the understory, healthy forest ecosystems are made up of trees and plants of multiple species and age classes and the diversity of vegetation provides suitable and sustainable habitat for a rich and varied wildlife community. Forests that contain significantly high deer populations are vulnerable to excessive over-browse of young trees, shrubs, plants and other ground-cover. This excessive over-browse results in considerable negative impacts to overall forest health; including:

  • reduced diversity in native plant and tree species (as deer leave behind only those species they prefer not to eat);
  • increased spread of invasive plants that are resistant to deer browse;
  • loss of tree species that serve as the next generation of tree canopy;
  • increased susceptibility to environmental stresses, such as insect pests, severe weather-related disturbances, and climate change; and
  • the destruction of vital habitat for insects, ground-nesting birds, and other wildlife.

Forests in Massachusetts are able to sustain deer densities below 20 deer/mi2. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) also promotes a statewide deer management goal of 6 to 18 deer/mi2. Several deer abundance surveys conducted over the last seven years by DCR and MassWildlife found that the Blue Hills Reservation contains deer densities in excess of this sustainable threshold. While some areas of the Blue Hills have higher densities than others, the overall density estimate for the Reservation based on 2023 pellet count surveys exceeds 26 deer/mi2. Details and results of deer abundance surveying in the Blue Hills can be found below.

Blue Hills Deer Management Plans

Deer Abundance & Annual Program Reports

Additional Resources

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