News  Antlerless Deer Permit Announcement

Antlerless Deer Permits (ADPs) are required to harvest antlerless deer (deer without antlers or antlers less than 3” long). You can only harvest antlerless deer in the zone specified on your ADP. Allocations are set by wildlife management zone to help meet deer management goals.

ADP award period underway

Hunters who applied for an Antlerless Deer Permit before the July 16 deadline can now return to MassFishHunt to see if they were awarded the permit and they may check their permit status any time between August 1 and December 31. The easiest way to check the award status and purchase an ADP is online through MassFishHunt. In-person sales are also available at select license vendor locations and MassWildlife offices.

Surplus Antlerless Deer Permits

***Zones 3, 7, 9 and 12 are SOLD OUT***

All hunters will have the opportunity to buy surplus permits in September for zones 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. MassWildlife makes surplus permits available for zones that have permits remaining after the Application/Award process. Surplus permits provide additional opportunity for hunters and minimize the number of permits that go unused. Anyone with a valid hunting or sporting license can buy a surplus ADP. You do not need to have applied for an ADP by the July 16 deadline to be eligible for surplus permits. The easiest way to buy a license or a surplus permit is online through MassFishHunt. In-person sales are also available at select license vendor locations and MassWildlife offices. 

Limited permits available for Zones 3, 7, 9, and 12
A limited number of Antlerless Deer Permits are available for zones 3, 9, and 12. Surplus ADPs for zones 3, 7, 9, and 12 will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 27. Limit 1 ADP per zone per day until they sell out.

TIPS: Limited surplus permits for Zones 3, 7, 9, and 12 will sell out very quickly. In some cases, they may sell out in less than 5 minutes. To improve your chances of getting a limited surplus permit in zones 3, 7, 9, or 12, prepare ahead of time. Make sure you have already purchased your hunting or sporting license beforehand. Purchasing online is your best chance for securing a limited surplus permit.

• Buying online: Make sure you know your email address and password to log in. Check to make sure your password isn’t expired in advance, as it will take time to reset your password if it is expired! Have a credit card ready. Log in by 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday, September 27; surplus permits will become available at 9 a.m. Do not log in on more than 1 internet browser or device. After you add a surplus ADP into your cart, it will be reserved for 10 minutes. If you do not complete the checkout process in 10 minutes, the permit will be removed from your cart and other customers will be able to claim it. Once all permits have been claimed, you won’t see these products available for purchase and you will not be able to add permits to your cart. There is a limit of 1 permit per transaction. This keeps the surplus process fair for all hunters.
• Buying at a MassWildlife office: Arrive on time, as sales will begin promptly at 9 a.m. Make sure you have purchased your hunting or sporting license beforehand. Come with your customer ID written or printed. Cash or check only (credit and debit cards are not accepted). You will only be able to buy one surplus permit at a time per person. If you are planning to buy for someone else, you will be asked to wait in line again to ensure the process is fair for everyone waiting in line. Find a MassWildlife office near you.

Unlimited permits available for Zones 10, 11, 13, and 14
There is no daily or season purchase limit set for Antlerless Deer Permits in zones 10, 11, 13, and 14. Surplus ADPs for zones 10, 11, 13, and 14 will go on sale starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 26 and will be available throughout the entire 2023 deer season.

Printing your permit
After purchasing a surplus ADP, you will receive an email with your permit attached so you can print it from the convenience of your home. You can also access your permit to reprint at any time by logging into your MassFishHunt account. To reprint:  

• Log into MassFishHunt 
• Once you’ve logged in, click on My Account  
• From the My Account menu, select Active Licenses, Permits & Privileges 
• Select Print Active Licenses (make sure pop-up blockers are turned off)