# Shotgun Deer Season - 11/29



## OldCop (Nov 12, 2007)

Just a "heads up" - shotgun season for deer starts this coming Monday, 11/29 at O'dark-thirty. So when "911" starts lighting up with "Man with a gun" and "Shots-fired" calls, don't let the adrenaline peak too soon. This season ends on Saturday, 12/11 - there is no hunting on Sundays

Some of the following may be useful if there are hunters in your area or you must respond to a complaint:

1. Environmental Police CommCenter phone number is 1 (800) 632-8075 - if in doubt, call and ask.

2. Hunting laws are found under MGLC 131. Regulations are under 321 CMR 3:00 Both can be found on the Mass.gov website.

3. Legal shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset.

4. Misc. regulations are as follows:
500 square inches (vest and hat) of hunter orange are mandatory
shotguns and muzzle loaders ONLY - no other firearms. 
NO HANDGUNS - even if you're a cop, covered by LEOSA, or have an LTC (This is statute)
All deer MUST be tagged at the time of killing.
Transporting an untagged deer is a criminal offense with significant penalties and potential loss of vehicle, firearm, and jail time.
Any deer taken unlawfully (posted property, outside legal hours, etc)
is the "fruit of the poisonous tree" and all applicable penalties kick
in.
ANTLERLESS DEER PERMITS can only be used in the designated zone.
Zones can be found on the MassWIldlife web site, in the "Abstracts", 
or ask your local EPO. 
Generally though, the zone numbers run from west to east, so if you're in Lee and some nimrod coming out of the woods has a doe with a "Zone 9" tag on it, you just balanced the budget for your department for the next 3 months!

DISTANCES: 
500 ft hunting or discharge from residence, occupied or not, or ANY building in use (Unless on own property)
150 ft. from any state or hard-surfaced road (This means the right of way
limits, NOT the edge of the pavement)
150 ft. from any state-owned bike path
MEDIAN STRIPS are not huntable if they are within the defined bounds of
the roadway, regardless of distance from the pavement (I-84 Sturbridge, 190 in Fitchburg, etc. for those who work there)

FIREARMS PERMITS: 
FID is minimum needed for shotgun, LTC covers it too
If the number (of the permit) is on the hunting license, they do not need
to show the permit.
MUZZLE LOADERS DO NOT NEED AN FID CARD OR LTC nor is there a safe-storage requirement (trigger lock, locked case) requirement.

Out of state residents MUST have a non-resident hunting license and a permit for the shotgun (if their state issues one) otherwise they are in violation of the Mass Gun Laws, as well as statutes regarding "false application for a license", uttering, perjury, etc.

HARASSMENT of hunters is a criminal offense and is arrestable (C131 S 5C) so when the lady that walks her dog every morning wants to interfere, or the local crank keeps calling you on 911 demanding you "do something" be wary of your actions and skeptical of theirs. BTW, the "dog issue" is covered by C131 S 70 -no dogs in the woods during shotgun season!

INTERESTING READING: Under Chapter 131 of the Mass General Laws
Section 90 Penalties
Section 89 Search and seizure, forfeitures
Section 88 Display upon demand (refusing is a criminal offense!)
Section 87 Arrest without warrant
Section 72 Tagging of deer (untagged prima facie unlawfully taken/poss.)
Section 70 Dogs, rifles, firearms, etc -prohibition during shotgun season
Section 36 Hunting on Posted Property (includes requirements for posting)
Section 35 Failure to carry/display huntinc license
Section 5 C -Interfering with hunting, fishing, trapping

Lot of info in the above. Hope this helps some of you who are fielding or responding to calls in the next 2 weeks. Be safe!


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

I LOVE the fact I live in New Hampshire  
....no hunting on Sundays, no handguns...WTF???????


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## Big.G (Nov 28, 2006)

That's why I love hunting in NY... That and the gun season starts sooner (last weekend).


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

You can still carry a handgun, correct? As long as youre hunting w/ the longarm, I'd want to carry the hand gun as those coyotes can be vicious.


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

I'll bet you a round of drinks youre not allowed to Obie


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## Tuna (Jun 1, 2006)

AH yes, drunks with guns and no brains


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## TopCop24 (Jul 11, 2005)

Since when did 190 run through Fitchburg?


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## Tuna (Jun 1, 2006)

TopCop24 said:


> Since when did 190 run through Fitchburg?


I bet he ment Leominster. Just a thought.


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## OldCop (Nov 12, 2007)

Yes, I meant Leominster...............

No Officer Obie - no handguns while hunting deer


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

OldCop said:


> No Officer Obie - no handguns while hunting deer


So what's the difference from when your carrying concealed about town and when you're hunting? Curious as to what the legal standard is..."Anyone engaged in the act of hunting deer..." ?

I dunno, seems dumb to me. If I'm carrying concealed and I have a deer permit, all I have to do is throw on some hunter orange and now I'm breaking the law...


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Silly Obie, this is Massachusetts. Handguns = *EVIL*, remember?:devil:


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## niteowl1970 (Jul 7, 2009)

Tuna said:


> AH yes, drunks with guns and no brains


You guys be safe out there.


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## fra444 (Nov 23, 2008)

I agree with Obie. Seems insane!!


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## OldCop (Nov 12, 2007)

Here's what the "Good Book" says: (C 131 S 70) I don't know what the rationale was at the time it was enacted, which was probably back in the 1920's. I'm pretty sure that hoplophobia (the irrational fear of firearms) probably wasn't as prevalent then as it is now. It is also incorporated into the regulations under 321 CMR 3.02(m)

"Section 70. A person shall not, during the open season when deer may be hunted lawfully with a shotgun, hunt a bird or mammal with a rifle, revolver or pistol or by the aid of a dog, or have in his possession or under his control in any wood or field, a rifle, revolver or pistol, or a dog. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit the use of dogs to hunt waterfowl in coastal waters and salt marshes during the open season on migratory waterfowl. "
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the director may authorize the use of primitive firearms or shotguns with a rifled bore for hunting during any period when deer may be hunted by means of a firearm under rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with section five.


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## jedediah1 (Jun 18, 2009)

i'll keep shooting paper at the range thank you very much


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

Just dont shoot it with a handgun Jediaha


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## Piper (Nov 19, 2004)

As someone who never hunted before becoming an EPO, this time of year was very enlightening....


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## topcop14 (Jul 13, 2004)

Not to get in a pissing match over this but the feds have ruled that LEOSA trumped a state law that said that you could not carry a handgun into a bar, so why would it not apply here?


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