Harvest reporting

Hunters who harvest a deer, bear, turkey, coyote, or fox must report it within 48 hours. Hunters or trappers who harvest beaver, bobcat, fisher, mink, or otter must report it within 4 working days of the end of the season.

How to report a deer, bear, or turkey harvest

Upon harvesting a deer, bear, or turkey, you must immediately fill out and detach the paper tag from your permit/license and attach it to the animal. Your game must remain intact (other than field dressing), with the harvest tag attached, until it is reported and prepared for food or taxidermy purposes. Until you have reported your harvested bear, a part of the carcass must be visible while transporting it. 

You can report in person at an official check station. You can report online using MassFishHunt*, see instructions below.

*First week of shotgun deer season

All deer harvested during the first week of shotgun season must be reported in person.

1. Go to MassFishHunt.mass.gov and select "Log In."
2. Once logged in, you will automatically be taken to your customer dashboard where you can view your licenses, permits, and stamps. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view current and upcoming harvest reports to see your available tags.

3. Click "Submit" next to the tag you are reporting on.
4. You will be prompted to answer a series of questions. To answer some of the questions, you will need to examine the animal. When finished, click “Submit.”
5. You will have a chance to review the information you entered. After reviewing, click “Submit” (or click “Back” to edit your answers).
6. A message containing your confirmation number will appear after you submit your report. IMPORTANT: You must write this number on the harvest tag (which should still be attached to the harvested animal), where it shall remain until the animal is processed for food or taxidermy.

How to report a furbearer harvest

1. Go to MassFishHunt.mass.gov and select "Log In."
2. Once logged in, you will be taken to your customer dashboard. Scroll to the bottom of the page to a partial list of your harvest reports.
3. Click “View All Harvest Reports”.

Note

Always click "View All Harvest Reports," even when you see a partial listing of your available reports.

4. On the next screen, click "Furbearers" at the top of the page.

5. Click "Submit" next to the species you want to report.

Note

Once you have reported your first harvest of a given species, the blue “Submit” button is replaced with light green “Submit Another” button.

6. You will be prompted to answer a series of questions. To answer some of the questions, you will need to examine the animal. When finished, click “Submit.”
7. You can review the information you entered. After reviewing, click “Submit” (or click “Back” to edit your answers).
8. A message with your confirmation number will appear after you submit your report.
   IMPORTANT: You must write this number on a harvest tag of your own making and attach it to the harvested animal. Confirmation numbers must remain attached until the pelt/carcass is prepared for mounting or the pelt is sold or tanned.
    

How to report a harvest IN PERSON

You can report a harvest at a physical check station. Go to Mass.gov/dfw/checkstation for a map showing check stations that are open during different hunting seasons.

Bobcat and otter harvest reporting rules

Bobcat and otter must be checked within 4 working days of the end of the season at a physical check station. Bobcats and otters cannot be reported online. The seal you receive from the check station must remain attached to the pelt until the pelt/carcass is prepared for mounting or the pelt is sold or tanned.

To find an official check station, visit mass.gov/dfw/checkstation and select Bobcat and River Otter from the layer list.

Beaver, coyote, fisher, fox, & mink harvest reporting rules

You must report harvested  beaver, fisher, mink within 4 working days of the end of their respective seasons. You must report coyote or fox within 48 hours of harvest.

2 ways to report:

• Use MassFishHunt to report a harvest online
  You will get a confirmation number after completion. You must write this number on a harvest tag of your own making. Confirmation numbers must remain attached until the pelt/carcass is prepared for mounting or the pelt is sold or tanned.
• Take your harvested game to an official check station. To find an official check station, visit mass.gov/dfw/checkstation and use the layer list to select the type of game you are reporting.
  The seal you receive from the check station must remain attached to the pelt until the pelt/carcass is prepared for mounting or the pelt is sold or tanned.

Meat processors and taxidermists game possession rules

Meat processors and taxidermists shall only possess bear, beaver, bobcat, coyote, deer, fisher, fox, mink, otter or wild turkey with either:

• An official MassWildlife metal or plastic seal affixed to the carcass or furbearer pelt

OR

• A tag with the assigned MassFishHunt confirmation number affixed to the carcass or furbearer pelt.

It is illegal to accept any of the above game animals that do not have an official MassWidlife seal or have the confirmation number on an attached tag.