State wildlife officials consider expanding hunting access

Massachusetts is one of only two states in the country to still bar hunting on Sunday, a law implemented in the 19th century to ensure that Sunday was recognized as a day of rest.

That soon may change under regulations being considered by the state Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, which is in the middle of gathering resident feedback on a series of proposals designed to expand hunting opportunities statewide. In addition to hunting on Sundays, wildlife officials propose allowing hunting with crossbows, and reducing setback distances for hunting. 

Whether to change the law drew a spirited response during the first listening session last Tuesday night, a three-hour virtual meeting that drew dozens of people, including many from western Massachusetts, advocating for and against Sunday hunting.

“I think it’s long overdue,” said Dennis Rochon, a hunter from South Hadley. “I hunt public property along with hikers every day and there’s never an issue. We coexist.”

However, dozens of others vehemently opposed changing the 200-year-old law, including Edward Olmstead of Florence.

“This is a complex issue, but I have one, just one thing, that I’m requesting is that at least one day a week be kept so that one can go into the woods without hunting being an issue to be concerned about,” Olmstead said.

Changes under consideration

Tuesday’s session began with a presentation by Eve Schlüter, deputy director of MassWildlife, explaining the three potential changes being considered to expand hunting opportunities.

While MassWildlife has made smaller regulatory changes in recent years, such as extending hunting seasons for deer and wild turkeys, the current proposals — allowing Sunday hunting, use of crossbows and adjusting setback limits — will require legislation to change.

Under current rules, hunters are prohibited from using crossbows, except for those with a permanent disability. The change would allow all hunters to use crossbows. Schlüter provided a brief video showing the difference between a crossbow and compound bows, which are already allowed.

The conventional compound bow requires the hunter to pull the arrow all the way back before firing. A crossbow, however, can be loaded in multiple different ways and does not require the same physical strength as a compound bow. In recent years, several states in New England have changed laws to allow crossbows for deer hunting.

Other New England states have also made setback limits more lenient. Currently, Massachusetts statutes prohibit hunting within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling or building, or within 150 feet of a road. State Rep. David Vieira, R-Falmouth, has already filed legislation looking to cut the setback requirement for dwellings in half, down to a 250 feet.

Schlüter also explained the importance of hunting, and why wildlife officials believe the state needs to expand accessibility for the practice.

“Hunting is an important conservation tool that helps to manage wildlife populations such as the white-tailed deer, wild turkey and black bear,” said Schlüter. “It also provides food for families across Massachusetts, and licenses provide critical funding for the conservation of all wildlife species and their habitats. Finally, hunting brings communities together and connects people with nature.”

Without population management, there can be negative consequences, including the degradation of forests and the loss of native biodiversity. Overabundance of wildlife also increases the risk of diseases, including tick-borne illnesses, Schlüter said.

“Common wildlife like deer, bear, geese and wild turkeys can cause substantial agricultural damage, leading to lost crops and livestock, reducing yield and increasing expenses for farmers. Additionally, there are more vehicle collisions, especially in areas where hunting is limited, such as in eastern Massachusetts,” said Schlüter.

A 50-50 issue

Speakers at Tuesday’s session were evenly divided for and against the measures.

Among the crowd opposed to the potential changes was Phil Schwartz of Gloucester, who leads hikes on Cape Ann in northeastern Massachusetts.

“I would be very much opposed to removing the restriction on Sunday,” he said. “One concern I have about crossbows is that they are relatively silent compared to firearms — you hear that there’s a hunter there. Crossbows make much less noise, and crossbows that can take down a deer could cause serious injury or death [to a human].”

With a degree in fishery and wildlife from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s in marine affairs from the University of Rhode Island, Eric Hutchins has no problem with hunting. But he would not be in favor of hunting on Sundays, he said.

“I have absolutely no objection to hunting in Massachusetts whatsoever, but I do believe strongly in making sure there’s an equitable distribution of public resources,” he said. “And I have literally led hundreds of public walks, and in addition, thousands of private ones, and I can tell you without a doubt … hunting is always a concern when you bring new people into open space”

He said Sundays provide a “safety zone,” especially for people who ride horses or walk their dogs in the woods.

“I know that gun safety issues in Massachusetts are relatively low, but the impact on people exists just the same,” Hutchins said. “The benefits of those public resources is greatly diminished when they take a walk down a trail and find a guy with a gun in his hand. I’m not against people hunting, but the rest of the public needs some time where they don’t have that feeling.”

Sheryl Becker has a problem with changing the setback statutes and argued that one more day of hunting won’t impact mitigating wildlife overpopulation.

“Massachusetts is the third most densely populated state, and hunting continues to expand into suburban areas,” said Becker. “Proponents of lifting this ban would falsely argue that it would help manage the population. The consensus among experts is that about 40% of female deer need to be harvested multiple years in a row in order to reduce deer numbers.”

Jennifer Jackman, a Lynn-based Salem State University professor, said hunters are a minority and should not inconvenience the rest of the community who want to take walks or enjoy nature.

“The 1% can hunt for six days a week,” she said. “Why does 99% of the population who do not hunt not merit one [day] to be able to enjoy the woods free from guns and other weapons?”

But many hunters, like John Hay of Princeton, made the case that Sunday is often the only day of the week that some hunters can get out into the woods due to work schedules.

“I know that it was very difficult raising my kids to be part of the hunting heritage here in Massachusetts, because I worked many, many hours a day, six days a week, just to provide for my family,” said Hay. “Sometimes the only day I had off for the whole week was Sunday, so there was no hunting in the household.”

Hay also disagreed with people who claimed that one day of hunting won’t make a difference in managing wildlife populations.

“It does, because the more time you have to hunt, the more hunters that you can get into the field, and the more game that can be taken,” he said.

From personal experience in other states, Hay added that hunting on Sundays does not disrupt local communities.

“I hunt, not just in Massachusetts, but in other states, and hunting on Sunday has never been an issue. It’s actually quite a positive experience, because not only does it spread hunters and non-hunters intermingling in the woods, but it also dissipates some of the pressure on the game that you’re hunting,” he said.

Tony Vinciguerra also works all week, and said that the Sunday restriction slashes 50% of his available time to hunt.

“Like many people, my work and family responsibilities mean that weekends are the primary time that I can hunt with friends and family,” he said. “When Sundays are off limits, I effectively lose 50% of my available days to hunt.”

Vinciguerra also supports setback changes and legalizing the use of crossbows. In Massachusetts there has never been a documented case of archery equipment injuring a nonhunter, he said, adding that he does not expect injuries or fatalities if crossbows were introduced.

“These changes maintain current safety standards, respect the concerns of nonhunters and better reflect how hunting is responsibly practiced today,” he said.

Retired Amherst firefighter Michael Zlogar said that most likely the busiest hunting Sundays would be during shotgun season, which only lasts two weeks after Thanksgiving.

“So I think it’s minimal impacts,” he said, adding that everyone in Massachusetts would also benefit from more hunting license revenue. Residents 15 or older are required to buy a license to hunt.

MassWildlife held a total of five listening sessions. The public may also provide feedback using online form or by mail to Attn: Hunting Laws, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA, 01581 by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6.

Following the listening sessions, MassWildlife will evaluate public input and anticipated wildlife management impacts to inform its recommendations.