Massachusetts

[janz]

Bird hunting is OK here in the Western end of the state, pretty much the Conn Valley area along the Ct River. Yes it is a put and take 6 week season with no hunting on Sunday (old time blue laws). But not only does the state stock many areas but the sportsmans clubs raise birds and stock public areas. We do still have a few native birds but since they allowed shooting and taking of hens there are very few.
Opening day is usually a zoo no matter where you go so we chose a very large area with great cover to run 3 GSP's. In spite of the crowd we still managed a nice hunt and went 3 for 4 with 2 decent roosters (not like last year when the birds were so young they weren't even colored up yet). So just wondering if any one else is monitoring this thread.
Tomorrow will be a small local area at first light thats been good for us for years.

 

[1pheas4]

When I was just on the Cape, we saw signs that said people were hunting pheasants in and around the Cape Cod National Seashore? Is there really a huntable population of pheasant on Cape Cod?

I guess the ticks there are out of control.

I saw folks pheasant hunting just outside of Boston about 45min. to an hour. This was a release/put and take program.

The east cost is impressive isn't it? Despite being difficult leaving the Midwest for awhile (when I lived there), Mass. left a lasting impression on me. There isn't a day that goes by I don't think back on those fall colors out there. Beautiful.

 

[janz]

The Cape has a big WMA (wildlife management Area) named Crane, its located closer to the cape cod canal but on the cape side of the canal. They stock this area 3 times a week and the cape being in Barnstable county they don't allow the shooting of hens so they do have a limited native population out there. Not to mention the place you probably saw was another WMA that they stock but when I hunted out there it was just to thick to properly hunt with a dog. Then closer to the middle of the cape is another WMA that is specifically groomed for quail, It's the only place in Mass you can hunt quail in public land, and yes they stock it twice a week. I am fortunate to be in western Mass along the CT river as there is still lots of farms, conservation areas, WMA's and flood plain thats open to public hunting. We see lots of CT cars up here because of our stocking program.