Massachusetts law about recreational hunting and fishing

Laws, regulations, cases, and web sources on recreational hunting and fishing law.

If you are unable to find the information you are looking for, or if you have a specific question, please contact our law librarians for assistance.

Best bets

Fishing & hunting, Mass.gov.
Provides a topical list of links to hunting and fishing information on Mass.gov.

Hunting prohibitions, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
A list of activities that are illegal in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts guide to hunting, freshwater fishing, and trapping laws, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Each year, MassWildlife publishes a guide containing a summary of laws and regulations for the current year. Some people refer to this publication as “the Abstracts” or “the Guide.”

The Massachusetts saltwater recreational fishing guide, Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries.
Comprehensive guide to regulations, species, access sites, bait and tackle shops, and more, updated annually.

Massachusetts laws

MGL c. 130 Marine fish and fisheries

MGL c. 131 Inland fisheries and game

MGL c. 131B Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact

Massachusetts regulations

302 CMR 12.11 Hunting, fishing & trapping in state parks

313 CMR 11.13 Deer management program in the Quabbin Reservoir area

321 CMR 2 Miscellaneous regulations relating to fisheries and wildlife 

321 CMR 3 Hunting 

321 CMR 4 Fishing 

322 CMR Division of Marine Fisheries
The Division of Marine Fisheries manages the state’s commercial and recreational saltwater fisheries and oversees other services that support the marine environment and fishing communities.

Freshwater fishing regulations, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Includes information on fishing seasons, fishing limits, and other fishing regulations.

Hunting regulations, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
These pages provide a summary of the regulations and statutes that relate to hunting and trapping in Massachusetts. Regulations are set annually by the Fisheries and Wildlife Board.

Recreational saltwater fishing regulations, Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries.
Includes fishing limits and size regulations for fish and shellfish. For example, quahogs must be 1 inch in thickness.

State agencies

Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
Primary resource for official information about freshwater fishing and hunting, as well as Massachusetts wildlife and conservation.

Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)
Primary resource for official information about saltwater fishing, lobstering, and crabbing.

Federal regulations

50 CFR 32 Hunting and fishing

Selected cases

Dapson v. Daly, 257 Mass. 195 (1926)
"…the title to wild animals and game is in the Commonwealth in trust for the public, to be devoted to the common welfare…"

Web sources

About the hunter education courses, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Basic required course as well as advanced classes. Basic Hunter Education, Bowhunter Education, Trapper Education, Map, Compass, and Survival, Waterfowl Identification and Hunting, Black Powder (Muzzleloader) Education.

Apply for a crossbow permit, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
If you have a permanent disability and want to hunt with a crossbow, you can apply for a permit.

Hunting at Cape Cod National Seashore, National Park Service.
Hunting is permitted for deer, upland game, and migratory waterfowl. There is no open season on non-game species.

Hunting information for minors, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Youth hunters, 12 to 17 years of age, must follow regulations specific to their age. Learn about how to buy a minor hunting license online or in person. Get information about youth hunt days and programs in Massachusetts as well as rules about minor firearms licensing.

Hunting with a firearm in Massachusetts, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

MassFishHunt licensing and harvest reporting, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Use MassFishHunt to purchase and print fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses, permits, and stamps. You can also use it to report a harvest or manage your account. 

MassWildlife lands viewer, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Tool to create customizable maps showing wildlife lands open to hunting, fishing, trapping and other recreation activity jointly owned by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and MassWildlife throughout the Commonwealth.

Recreational shellfishing and clamming, Visit New England.
Information on noncommercial digging for clams, oysters and mussels. Many coastal towns in Massachusetts have control over the local shellfishieres, including permitting and regulations. Check city and town websites for more information.

Take me fishing: Get a fishing license online, Takemefishing.org.
Resource by state to all things fishing-related, including regulations, licenses, places to fish, fishing reports, educational programs and events, species of fish, and fishing techniques.

Where to hunt in Massachusetts, Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Learn about hunting on different types of properties and get scouting tips.

Print sources

The little book of hunting and fishing by Cecil C. Kuhne III, American Bar Association, c2011. (eBook available with library card)

Massachusetts environmental law, 5^th ed., MCLE, 2024.
Chapter 8: "Fisheries and Wildlife Law."

Last updated:	March 7, 2025