Hunting laws listening sessions
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife) will hold public listening sessions on several opportunities to expand hunting access in Massachusetts, including Sunday hunting, hunting with crossbows, and minimum setback distances for hunting.
“Hunting has always been woven into Massachusetts’ history – supporting families, boosting local economies, and helping keep our deer populations healthy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Expanding opportunities for hunters will carry that tradition forward while protecting public health and ensuring we’re maintaining balance in our wildlife populations.”
“We encourage the public to take part in these upcoming listening sessions and share their perspectives about Sunday hunting, hunting with a crossbow, and opening additional areas,” said Department of Fish & Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “By expanding access, we can ensure that people have more opportunities to participate in this tradition, connect with the outdoors and each other, and put food on the table.”
“Massachusetts hunters play an important role in conservation, all while boosting food security in our communities,” said MassWildlife Deputy Director Eve Schlüter. “Through programs like Hunters Share the Harvest, which has donated more than 90,000 meals in recent years, we see the tangible benefits of regulated hunting as we explore ways to increase access.”
Regulated hunting is an important tool for managing wildlife populations, connecting people with nature, and providing food for families across Massachusetts. While MassWildlife has been working to improve access and opportunity for hunting, there are statutory limitations on hunting locations and times which would require legislative action to change, including:
- Prohibition against Sunday hunting: Massachusetts is one of only two states in the country with an outright ban on Sunday hunting. The Sunday hunting prohibition originated in the 19th century over 200 years ago.
- Prohibition against crossbows for hunting: Currently, crossbows are prohibited for hunting by statute except for hunters with a permanent disability. Crossbows are generally more accessible than traditional and compound bows because they require less physical strength to use. Modern archery equipment, including crossbows, incorporate built-in safety features that enhance reliability and safe use in the field. In recent years, several states in New England have changed laws to allow crossbows for deer hunting.
- Setback limits: Currently, Massachusetts statutes prohibit hunting within 500 feet of a dwelling/building in use or within 150 feet of a road. Other states in the Northeast have less restrictive setbacks for archery hunting than Massachusetts.
How to Provide Feedback:
MassWildlife welcomes the public to provide input on these hunting laws at upcoming listening sessions. The public may also provide feedback using this online form or by mail to Attn: Hunting Laws, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA, 01581 by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026.
- January 27 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Click here to register.
- January 28 at 6 p.m. at MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough)
- January 29 at 6 p.m. at Berkshire Community College (Robert Boland Theatre, 1350 West Street, Pittsfield)
- February 2 at 6 p.m. at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Admiral’s Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Bourne)
- February 3 at 1 p.m. on Zoom. Click here to register.
Following the listening sessions, MassWildlife will evaluate public input and anticipated wildlife management impacts to inform its recommendations. The upcoming listening sessions build on recent regulatory changes that expand deer hunting seasons on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket with a six-week primitive firearms and bowhunting season from January 1 through February 14. The Islands have the highest deer densities in Massachusetts, which can lead to the spread of tick-borne disease, increased deer/vehicle collisions, habitat damage, and coastal erosion.
MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa Retires
On January 9, 2026, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) announced the retirement of Director Mark Tisa after 38 years of dedicated public service, including 7 years as Director. Deputy Director Dr. Everose (Eve) Schlüter will serve as Acting Director while a national search for the next permanent Director begins.
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead the agency and its programs that help protect, manage, and conserve the Commonwealth’s wildlife resources and biodiversity, in trust, for all the public and future generations to enjoy,” said Mark S. Tisa. “I want to thank Commissioner O’Shea, Secretary Tepper, and Governor Healey for their support of our mission and the impact of our work at the Department and MassWildlife, including investing in Massachusetts’ nation-leading biodiversity goals and the modernization of our trout hatchery system.”
Tisa’s career at MassWildlife spanned nearly four decades, beginning as an aquatic biologist and advancing through roles as Assistant Director of Fisheries, Deputy Director, and ultimately Director. During his tenure, he built a lasting legacy centered on wildlife conservation, habitat protection, and expanding opportunities for people across Massachusetts to connect with nature through hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.
“The Commonwealth is grateful for Mark Tisa’s 38 years of service and 7 years of leadership as Director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “Throughout his tenure, Mark has been recognized nationally for his leadership and was instrumental in the modernization of the Division’s facilities and operations, increasing the relevance of the mission and access to nature for all, and advocating for strategic, landscape-level conservation. I look forward to carrying on Mark’s legacy and achievements into the future.”
Among his many accomplishments, Tisa served as lead project manager for the design and construction of MassWildlife’s Westborough Field Headquarters, a 45,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum, zero-net-energy building—the first state building of its kind. Under his leadership, nearly 20,000 acres of land were permanently protected and MassWildlife completed the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan while supporting the Department of Fish and Game’s development of Massachusetts’ Biodiversity Conservation Goals.
“Under Mark’s leadership and guidance, we have increased days in the field for hunters, expanded access opportunities to the outdoors, and built our habitat restoration programs,” said Emma Ellsworth, Chair of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board and Executive Director of the Mount Grace Land Trust. “He worked steadfastly to increase visibility and resources for MassWildlife and his long career reflects a passion for wildlife, conservation, and biodiversity in Massachusetts.”
Tisa is also a nationally recognized conservation leader, having served as President of the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, a member of the Board of Directors for the American Sportfishing Association, and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports. He represented the Department of Fish and Game on the State Water Resources Commission for 20 years and organized three regional NEAFWA conferences in Massachusetts.
“Mark has been a visionary leader at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies where he has served with distinction on the Executive Committee for many years,” said Ronald Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “Along the way, Mark has developed highly important relationships with national partners and conservation leaders. Mark will be sorely missed by the Association, and myself personally, having worked alongside him for over two decades, but I wish Mark the best possible future in retirement."
Additional achievements during Tisa’s career include establishing youth pheasant and turkey hunt programs, expanding hunting opportunities for pheasant, deer, bear, and turkey, launching the award-winning Hunters Share the Harvest program to address food insecurity, advancing habitat restoration partnerships, and helping to secure a permanent, gravity-fed water supply to the McLaughlin Trout Hatchery through construction of a pipeline from the Quabbin Aqueduct.
Dr. Everose (Eve) Schlüter, who has served with MassWildlife for more than 16 years and most recently as Deputy Director, will assume the role of Acting Director. Schlüter brings extensive experience in wildlife biology, conservation planning, and agency leadership and will guide the Division during the transition period.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Acting Director and to continue advancing MassWildlife’s mission during this transition,” said Eve Schlüter. Mark Tisa's leadership has helped position the agency for the future, and I look forward to working with our dedicated staff, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, and partners to continue conserving wildlife and expanding access to the outdoors.”
A milestone for Massachusetts’ roseate terns
The roseate tern is Massachusetts’s most iconic—and only endangered— seabird, relying mainly on two offshore islands in the Bay State for breeding. Listed as endangered at both the federal and state levels, the species faces ongoing challenges from habitat loss and climate change, and its highly specialized diet increases its vulnerability. Decades of intensive protection and habitat management by MassWildlife and partners have led to a major conservation milestone. In 2025, roseate terns reached a record-high 4,010 nesting pairs in Massachusetts, a remarkable rebound from historic lows.
The roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) is a slender bird with a wingspan of about 30 inches. Its breeding range is mainly in tropical and subtropical oceans with a few scattered populations in temperate waters. Massachusetts supports the majority of the North American population. The roseate tern is a symbol of the state’s coastal biodiversity and even appears on one of the state’s conservation license plates alongside the North Atlantic right whale.
Although terns are often referred to as shorebirds and do nest along the shore, they are part of the seabird group because they rely primarily on the sea for food. Roseate terns flutter high above schools of fish, then plunge head-first, submerging to nab prey to eat on the spot or carry back to hungry chicks at nesting colonies miles away. Feeding flocks of roseate terns and common terns (Sterna hirundo), sometimes numbering in the hundreds, are commonly seen in Massachusetts waters from April through September. The small fish hunted by terns are often pushed to the surface by larger, predatory fish which are targeted by people. For this reason, these highly animated tern flocks serve as beacons to fishing boats.
Specialists in a shifting world
The roseate tern has the most specialized diet of any of the four species of tern that nest in Massachusetts. It favors sand lance (Ammodytes species), an eel-shaped fish that burrows in sandy ocean bottoms. Sand lance play a crucial role in marine ecosystems in the Northeast and are relied upon by whales, seals, and large fish such as cod and tuna. As the climate changes and marine species shift in response, persistence of the roseate tern and other sand lance-dependent species in Massachusetts may be determined in part by their ability to broaden their diets.
Roseate terns are also highly selective about where they nest. They are migratory birds, returning each spring to nesting grounds from New York to Atlantic Canada after a winter spent on the north and east coasts of South America. Roseate terns nest primarily on offshore islands, concentrating at just a few long-established sites. Two tiny, low-lying islets—Bird Island, owned by the town of Marion, and Ram Island, a MassWildlife-owned Wildlife Sanctuary in Mattapoisett—typically support over 95% of Massachusetts’ nesting roseate terns. With a combined area of only about 5 acres, these islets are two of the three largest roseate tern colonies in North America, supporting nearly 60% of the endangered population.
Turning the tide for roseate terns
Massachusetts’ outsized role in roseate tern conservation underscores the importance of continued action. Over the past three decades, MassWildlife and partners have worked to protect roseate and common terns on Bird and Ram islands. Each year, staff and volunteers install signs and fencing, build and deploy roseate tern nest boxes, remove nuisance vegetation, census the populations, and monitor nesting success. A major stabilization project at Bird Island from 2015 to 2018 addressed climate-change impacts by rebuilding and raising the surrounding stone revetment and adding sand and gravel to nesting areas, effectively doubling available nesting habitat.
Persistence has paid off. In 2025, a record high 4,010 pairs of roseate terns nested at Bird and Ram—an astounding tripling of the population since 2013, when numbers were as low as when the species was listed as endangered. Preliminary data from other North American colonies indicate that the Bird Island colony was the largest at 2,807 pairs. Additionally, roseate terns outnumbered common terns at Bird Island for the first time since 1987.
Restoring rapidly-shrinking Ram Island is critical to keep the North American roseate population stable. MassWildlife, partners, and engineers are currently designing a project to expand nesting habitat and keep Ram Island above water for as long as possible.
How you can help
Large-scale restoration is critical for tern recovery, but simple actions by Bay State beach visitors are also vital for seabird and shorebird conservation. Like most wildlife, roseate terns need space. During the nesting season, never enter or bring pets to the colonies, where camouflaged eggs and chicks are on the ground. When terns fly up, leaving eggs and chicks exposed to the elements and predators, it is a signal that you are too close.
After the nesting season, from July through September, magnificent flocks of up to tens of thousands of roseate and common terns frequent Massachusetts shorelines, especially around Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. These birds originate from colonies all over the Northeast. They spend weeks feeding offshore to prepare for fall migration, occasionally returning to land to rest and feed still-dependent young. During this time, it is important for people to give tern flocks lots of room and ensure that dogs are leashed. This allows birds to reserve energy for migration and stay with their families instead of spending it fleeing from disturbance. This will increase the birds’ chances of surviving to alight on Massachusetts shores again in the spring.
Enjoy the ice safely this year
Ice fishing is a great way to get the whole family outdoors during the winter months. Whether you're an expert or just getting started, check out our ice fishing guide to ensure a fun and safe experience on the ice. Plan your ice fishing adventure with how-to videos, fishing tips, gear list, and more.
What hunters should know about HPAI
In January 2026, HPAI was confirmed in a flock of domestic birds in Dukes County. Additionally, officials are investigating small numbers of wild bird deaths in Massachusetts to collect and test for HPAI.
Both wild and domesticated birds can become infected with HPAI. Raptors, waterfowl, and other aquatic birds are most at risk for infection, although any bird species should be considered susceptible. Birds may be infected with HPAI without showing any signs of illness. Wild mammals can also become infected, especially those that scavenge on birds such as foxes.
Humans are rarely infected with avian influenza viruses. Humans that have prolonged close contact with sick or dead birds infected with HPAI are the most at risk of becoming infected. The virus is shed from infected birds through bodily fluids, most commonly saliva, mucous, and feces. Inhaling those shed particles or contacting them and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth can allow the virus to pass to humans.
Safety tips for hunters:
- Reporting and handling birds: Hunters should avoid handling any birds that appear sick or have been found dead. Report observations of sick or deceased birds if 5 or more birds are found at a single location using this simple form at mass.gov/reportbirds.
- Processing and cooking: Dress game birds in the field when possible. While eating wild game meat is generally considered safe, hunters can minimize risk from wildlife diseases by wearing gloves when dressing birds and washing hands with soap and water afterwards. Cook game meat to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill bacteria and viruses, including avian flu viruses. Click here for more information on best practices for processing and cooking wild game.
- Hunting dogs: While dogs are generally considered low risk for contracting avian influenza, use your best judgment when using hunting dogs for retrievals. It is recommended that dogs should be kept away from birds that appear sick or have been found dead. Hunters should avoid feeding dogs raw meat from harvested birds and keep them away from field dressed carcasses.
More information: People with questions about the public health impact of HPAI can visit DPH’s avian influenza webpage or call the Division of Epidemiology (available 24/7) at (617) 983-6800.
Click here for more information about avian influenza from the CDC.
Why you shouldn't feed wildlife this winter
Each winter, MassWildlife receives inquiries from the public regarding whether or not to feed wildlife. While people have good intentions, supplemental feeding of wildlife typically does more harm than good. Most wildlife seasonally change their behavior to adapt to cold temperatures and scarce food supplies. Supplemental feeding can alter that behavior and have detrimental, and sometimes fatal, effects. Wildlife in Massachusetts have adapted over thousands of years to cope with harsh winter weather, including deep snow, cold temperatures, and high winds.
Supplemental feed sites congregate wildlife into unnaturally high densities, which can:
- Attract predators and increase risk of death by wild predators or domestic pets;
- Spread diseases among wildlife or cause other health issues (e.g. Rumen acidosis in deer, Aflatoxicosis in turkeys);
- Cause aggression and competition over food, wasting vital energy reserves and potentially leading to injury or death;
- Reduce fat reserves, as wild animals use energy traveling to and from the feeding site;
- Cause wildlife to cross roads more frequently, therefore increasing vehicle collisions;
- Negatively impact vegetation and habitat in areas where feeding congregates animals.
Providing wildlife with food at any time of year teaches them to rely on humans for food, which puts them at a disadvantage for survival and can lead to human/wildlife conflicts. Once habituated behavior is established, it can be very difficult or impossible to change.
What can you do?
The best way to help wildlife make it through the winter is to step back and allow the animals’ instincts to take over. To help wildlife near your home, focus on improving the wildlife habitat on or near your property, by including natural food and cover (e.g., some conifer cover and regenerating forest or brushy habitat). It is also important that wildlife populations are in balance with what the habitat can support.
Bird feeding
MassWildlife biologists advise against feeding wildlife, including birds. Bird feeders may increase mortality from window strikes and predation by pet cats. Supplemental feeding also congregates wildlife into unnaturally high densities, which increases the risk of spreading diseases. Bird feeders often draw wildlife other than songbirds closer to homes, including bears, coyotes, wild turkeys, and rodents. As an alternative, consider using native plants and water to attract birds to your yard.
A tiny beetle, a big wake-up call for Massachusetts forests
Join MassWildlife's habitat team for a guided tour to hear about upcoming management plans for pine barrens habitat. January 17 at the Mashpee Pine Barrens WMA from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Southern pine beetles (SPB) have been detected on two Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) on Cape Cod. MassWildlife staff are moving quickly to remove select pines and contain the spread of the beetle. The ongoing pine barrens restoration project at Mashpee Pine Barrens, which consists of forest thinning and firebreaks construction, has been adapted to include removal of infested trees and a buffer to suppress the spread of SPB. Members of the public are invited to see the restoration project site, visit the SPB infestation, and learn how management can help make our pine barrens more resilient. Registration is full.
The story behind southern pine beetles in Massachusetts
No larger than a grain of rice, the southern pine beetle (SPB) has become one of the most destructive forest pests in the Northeast. Native to the southeastern United States, this beetle has expanded northward as winters warm, leaving tens of thousands of acres of dead pine forests in New Jersey and Long Island (NY) over the last two decades. In 2023, it arrived in force in Massachusetts.
Southern pine beetles were first detected in low numbers in Massachusetts in 2015, likely blown across Long Island Sound by southwest winds. For years, those small populations failed to gain a foothold. That changed in 2023, when favorable conditions allowed beetle numbers to surge, overwhelming pine defenses and killing trees across Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Southern pine beetles attack trees in large numbers. A single beetle poses little threat, but together they overwhelm a pine’s resin defenses, burrowing beneath the bark to lay eggs and introduce fungi that hasten the tree’s death. Within weeks, new beetles emerge and move on to nearby trees, creating expanding clusters of mortality that can grow rapidly—up to 10 feet per day.
Stopping an active infestation is difficult. Chemical treatments are rarely effective, leaving tree removal as the primary tool. Known as suppression cuts, these involve removing infested trees and thinning a buffer of surrounding pines.
Overgrown forests are highly vulnerable to SPB. Dense, even-aged pitch pine stands—often the result of decades without fire—are stressed, water-limited, and ideal for beetle outbreaks. These same conditions also increase wildfire risk and diminish the quality of wildlife habitat. The solution is proactive management: thinning trees, restoring open canopies, and using prescribed fire to promote regeneration and resilience.
MassWildlife applies these forest management techniques on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and supports similar work through our Habitat Management Grant Program. To date, MassWildlife has restored about 3,000 acres of pine barrens on WMAs statewide, from southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod to inland barrens on sandy soils and ridgetops. While this is an important start, more than 100,000 acres of pine barrens remain at risk.
Thankfully, MassWildlife is not the only organization working on this problem. To promote biodiversity and reduce wildfire risk, other agencies and organizations have been restoring pine barrens for many years. The Massachusetts Army National Guard manages the pine barrens on Joint Base Cape Cod, one of the largest contiguous pine barrens in the Northeast. DCR has been thinning and burning in other sites, including Freetown and Myles Standish state forests. The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service have both supported prescribed fire programs and restoration projects to promote habitat on their lands and have supplied grant funding and technical support to partners. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe implemented thinning and burning on tribal lands in Mashpee to promote wildlife habitat and culturally important plants. More than a dozen towns, land trusts, and nonprofits have already taken steps to restore their pine barrens for biodiversity values.
While the arrival of southern pine beetle does not signal the end of pitch pine forests in Massachusetts, it does highlight a long-standing issue: widespread forest neglect. Outbreaks will rise and fall with climate conditions, but restoring pine barrens before infestations take hold can lower long-term costs, improve public safety, support rare species, and help create healthier, more resilient forests. For decades, MassWildlife has been restoring pine barren habitats across the state.
FY2025 Land protection report
Each year, MassWildlife works to protect lands to conserve wildlife and to expand public access to outdoor recreation. In 2025, nearly 3,200 acres of forests, grasslands, and water frontage were acquired. Check out property highlights and get a full list of lands protected by district.
Education corner
Calling all young artists: Consider participating in the 2026 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp contest! Submit your entry by February 15, 2026. Any student K–12 can submit artwork in this fun, educational competition. Learn how to participate.
High school teams, step up to the challenge: The Massachusetts Envirothon is a dynamic blend of science, teamwork, and community action that inspires the next generation of environmental professionals, problem-solvers, and active citizens who value stewardship of our planet. Registration for the 2026 Envirothon is now open.
Free dam owner technical assistance
The MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is offering free engineering support to help privately owned high- and significant-hazard dams meet safety requirements. Get program details.
Canopy Conference 2026
Please join us for the Canopy Forestry Forum on March 5, 2026, at UMass Amherst Conference Center, where landowners, foresters, and natural resource professionals come together to explore practical, climate-friendly land management strategies that strengthen both forests and communities.
Keynote Speaker David King, retired Wildlife Biologist with the US Forest Service Northern Research Station, will share insights and lessons learned from more than 30 years of research and personal experience on the connection between biodiversity and forest management. Also, come hear Paul Catanzaro, Professor & State Extension Forester, UMass Amherst; Co-Director, Family Forest Research Center discuss practical paths forward on your lands from estate planning to ownership transitions. This session will offer space for landowners to share experiences and explore creative ways to keep forests cared for and connected across generations, communities, and changing circumstances.
Don’t miss this opportunity to step under the canopy and grow your expertise, expand your network, and invest in the future of our forests. Register Now!
Contact
Online
| Date published: | January 7, 2025 |
|---|