Press Release  DCR Announces 2024 Deer Management Plan for Blue Hills Reservation

Milton — The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in consultation with the Department of Fish & Game’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), today announced the 2024 Deer Management Plan for the Blue Hills Reservation. Hunting will be conducted only in designated areas of the park during the month of November.  

DCR has safely and successfully conducted controlled hunts in the Blue Hills Reservation since 2015. Following the same format as previous years, the 2024 Deer Management Plan will permit archery-only hunting in approximately 3,900 acres of the over 7,000 acres of parkland that make up the reservation. Hunting will be permitted from Mondays through Thursdays between November 4, 2024, and November 27, 2024. There will not be hunting on Thursday, November 28, 2024, in observance of Thanksgiving. Licensed hunters will be required to submit an application. DCR will issue up to 250 permits.   

Hunters interested in applying for 2024 archery hunting should visit the Blue Hills Deer Management Program webpage to review application instructions as well as to complete and submit an application. Selected hunters will be required to complete a mandatory hunter orientation to review the guidelines for deer hunting in the Blue Hills. Additionally, the website gives an overview and results from previous years, including information regarding logistics and an analysis of harvest results from last year’s controlled hunting program.   

DCR is required by the legislature to implement a management plan where deer overpopulation is negatively impacting forests, water resources, or plant growth on agency-owned land. The Blue Hills Deer Management Program utilizes controlled/permitted hunting as part of DCR’s efforts to manage the high deer densities within the state reservation. Benefits of managing the deer herd within the Blue Hills Reservation include:

• The promotion of tree and plant regeneration, including rare plants;
• The sustainability of species diversity; and,
• The diminished risk of forest wildfires due to the growth of plant life. 

Licensed hunters play a critical role in managing deer populations. Hunting is one of the most widely used management methods throughout the country and is the primary management tool, supported by MassWildlife, to successfully address situations involving deer overabundance and vegetation over-browse in Massachusetts. The Quabbin Reservoir controlled deer hunt is the most notable example. In addition to the agency’s controlled deer hunts, DCR manages thousands of acres of forest and parkland across the state where licensed hunters are allowed to hunt during the regulated seasons. For more information on hunting in Massachusetts and safety tips for hunters and non-hunters, visit the MassWildlife website.  

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