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Crow hunting regulations

Before you go hunting for crow, be sure you know the rules. This page contains regulations for hunting crows in Massachusetts.

2024 hunting season dates

Jan. 1 – April 10, 2024
July 1, 2024 – April 10, 2025

You may only hunt crows on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Crow hunting season may coincide with the Youth Deer Hunt, special restrictions apply. You cannot hunt crow during the 2-week shotgun deer season.

Table of Contents

Hunting hours

Hunting hours begin ½ hour before sunrise and end ½ hour after sunset. Click here for a sunrise/sunset table.

Required licenses and permits

To hunt crow in Massachusetts you must have the certain licenses and permits, which you can buy through MassFishHunt.

Massachusetts residents:

  • Hunting or sporting license

Non-residents:

  • Small game or big game license

If you hunt exclusively on a licensed commercial shooting preserve, you need either a resident or non-resident license, or a special 1-day license valid exclusively on commercial shooting preserves.

Bag limits

None

Hunting zones

All Wildlife Management Zones statewide.

Hunting implements

Rifles and handguns: All rifles and handguns are legal.

Shotguns (including smoothbore muzzleloaders): No larger than #1 birdshot.

Archery: All archery equipment is legal. Crossbows may be used only by hunters with a crossbow permit. Poisoned arrows, explosive tips, bows drawn by mechanical means, or any device that propels an arrow, dart, or bolt by gunpowder, compressed air, or by any other means except by the flexing and release of a bowstring are prohibited.

Hunting methods

Legal:

  • Bait
  • Electronic calls
  • Manual calls

Falconry

You can hunt crows using a falcon or other raptor during the open season if you have a hunting or sporting license and are a licensed falconer.

Blaze orange requirements

Hunters must wear a blaze orange cap when hunting for crow on WMAs where pheasant or quail are stocked during the pheasant or quail season.

Tagging, transporting, and reporting requirements

You do not have to report harvest for crow.

Hunting season framework

The crow season is open every Monday, Friday, and Saturday of each week from July 1 - April 10. You cannot hunt crow during the 2-week shotgun deer season.

Crow hunting regulations

This page is to be used as a reference, it is not the entire law and is subject to change. You can refer to the Crow Hunting regulations in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations, 321 CMR 3.02(8) and to several provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131. See also the Code of Federal Regulations, 50 CFR 20.133 for more information about crow hunting laws and regulations.

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