Massachusets Bylaw Guide to Hunting and Shooting

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Here is a bylaw guide to Hunting and shooting. It was put together by me and another member here (Mike_S), and without his help this would not have been possible.

Disclaimer:This is a rough guide and not a legal reference. Some towns that are listed as not having located a bylaw may in fact actually have one. Some towns change there laws and don’t update the bylaws provided on there website. I am not a lawyer and neither was the other member who put this together. This is meant to give you a starting point. You should always check and verify your local laws before discharging a firearm or before heading out on a hunt. This guide is not associated with Northeastshooters.com. This is a simple tool for you to get an idea of where to start your hunt.

This rough guide and may or may not be updated.

Things to consider: If it states that there was one located then you should check the pdf, which derek posted below, to see what the actual bylaw is. In some cases it may prohibit the discharge of a gun, but may allow for a bow. In other cases it might just be some weird law like no shooting in grave yards. Be smart.

Yes= Town has bylaw, see pdf
non located= We did not locate a bylaw when we searched this town.

The link to the bylaw pdf third post down.

A-M
City or TownHuntingShooting
Abingtonnon locatednon located
ActonYes- see post 6Yes- see post 6
Adamsnon locatednon located
Agawamnon locatedyes
Amesburyyesyes
Amhurstyesyes
Andoveryesyes
Arlingtonyesyes
Ashburnhamyesyes
Ashbynon locatednon located
Ashlandnon locatednon located
Atholnon locatedyes
Attleboronon locatednon located
Ayernon locatednon located
Barnstableyesyes
Barrenon locatednon located
Becket
Bedfordyesyes
Belchertownnon locatednon located
Bellinghamyesyes
Belmontyes firearmyes
Billericayes firearmyes
Boltonyesyes
Bostonnon locatedyes
Bourne
Boxboroughyesyes
Boxfordyesyes
Boylstonnon locatednon located
Braintreeyesyes
Brewsternon locatednon located
Brockton
Brooklineyesyes
Burlingtonnon locatednon located
Cambridgeyesyes
Cantonnon locatedyes
Carlisle:yesyes
Carvernon locatednon located
Charlemont
Charltonnon locatednon located
Chathamnon locatednon located
Chelmsfordyesyes
Chelseayesyes
Chester
Chesterfield
Chicopeenon locatednon located
Chilmarkyesyes
Clintonyesyes
Cohassetvaugeyes
Concordyesnon located
Conwaynon locatednon located
Cummintonnon locatednon located
Daltonyesyes
Danversyesyes
Dartmouth
Dedham
Deerfieldnon locatednon located
Dennisyesyes
Dightonnon locatednon located
Douglasnon locatednon located
Doveryesyes
Dracutyesyes
Dudley
Dunstable
Duxburynon locatednon located
East Bridgewaternon locatednon located
East Longmeadowyesyes
Easthamnon locatednon located
East Hamptonyesyes
Easton
Egremontnon locatednon located
Essexyesyes
Everettyesyes
Fairhaven
Fall Riveryesyes
Falmouthnon locatednon located
Foxbourgh
Framinghamyesyes
Franklinyesyes
Freetownnon locatednon located
Gardnernon locatednon located
Georgetownyesyes
Gillnon locatednon located
Graftonnon locatednon located
Granbynon locatednon located
Great Barringtonnon locatednon located
Grotonnon locatednon located
Hadleynon locatednon located
Halifax
Hamiltonyesyes
Hampdenyesyes
Hanovernon locatednon located
Hansonyesyes
Harvardyesyes
Harwichnon locatednon located
Hatfieldnon locatednon located
Haverhillyesyes
Hinghamyesyes
Holdennon locatednon located
Hollandnon locatednon located
Hollistonyesyes
Holyokeyesyes
Hopedalenon locatednon located
Hopkintonnon locatedyes full auto
Hudsonnon locatedyes
Huntingtonnon locatednon located
Ipswichyesyes
Kingstonyesyes
Lakevillenon locatednon located
Lawrenceyesyes
Lenoxnon locatednon located
Leominsternon locatednon located
Lexingtonyesyes
Lynnfieldnon locatednon located
Lincolnyesyes
Littletonyesyes
Lowellyesyes
Ludlowyesyes
Maldenyesyes
Manchester-by-the-Seayesnon located
Mansfieldnon locatednon located
Marbleheadyesyes
Marlboroughnoyes
Marshfieldyesno
Mashpeenon locatednon located
Mattapoisettnon locatednon located
Maynardyesyes
Medfieldyesyes
Medfordyesyes
Medwaynon locatednon located
Melrosenon locatedyes
Mendonnon locatednon located
Middletonyesyes
Milfordyesyes
Millburynon locatednon located
Millvillenon locatednon located
Miltonyesyes
Monsonnon locatednon located
Montaquenon locatednon located
 
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Nahant
yes
yes
Natucket
yes
no
Natick
yes
yes
Needham
yes
yes
New Bedford
yes
yes
Newburyport
non located
non located
Newton
yes
yes
Norfolk
non located
non located
North Andover
yes
yes
North Attleborough
non located
non located
North Reading
yes
yes
Northampton
non located
non located
Northbourough
yes
yes
Northbridge
non located
non located
Northfield
non located
non located
Norton
non located
non located
Norwell
non located
non located
Norwood
yes
yes
Oak Bluffs
non located
non located
Orange
non located
non located
Orleans
yes
yes
Otis
non located
non located
Paxton
non located
non located
Peabody
yes
yes
Pelham
non located
non located
Pepperell
non located
non located
Petersham
yes
yes
Pittsfield
non located
non located
Plymouth
yes
non located
Plympton
non located
non located
Provincetown
non located
non located
Quincy
yes
yes
Randolph
yes
yes
Raynham
non located
non located
Reading
yes
yes
Rehoboth
non located
non located
Revere
yes
yes
Rochester
non located
non located
Rockland
yes
yes
Rockport
non located
non located
Rowley
yes
yes
Royalston
yes
yes
Salem
yes
yes
Salisbury
non located
yes
Sandwich
non located
non located
Saugus
yes
yes
Scituate
yes
yes
Seekonk
non located
non located
Sharon
yes
yes
Sheffield
yes
non located
Shelburne
non located
non located
Sherborn
non located
non located
Shirley
non located
non located
Shewsbury
non located
non located
Somerville
yes
yes
South Hadley
yes
yes
Southampton
non located
non located
Southborough
yes
non located
Southbridge
no
non located
Southwick
yes
yes
Spencer
non located
non located
Springfield
non located
non located
Sterling
non located
non located
Stoneham
yes
yes
Stow
yes
yes
Sturbridge
non located
non located
Sudbury
yes
yes
Sunderland
non located
non located
Sutton
non located
non located
Taunton
non located
non located
Templeton
non located
non located
Tewksbury
non located
non located
Tolland
non located
non located
Topsfield
yes
yes
Townsend
non located
non located
Tyringham
non located
non located
Upton
non located
non located
Uxbridge
non located
non located
Waltham
yes
yes
Walpole
yes
yes
Ware
non located
non located
Wareham
yes
yes
Wayland
yes
yes
Wellesley
yes
yes
Wellfleet
yes
yes
Wendell
non located
non located
West Boylston
non located
non located
West Springfield
yes
yes
West Tisbury
yes
yes
Westborough
non located
non located
Westfield
yes
yes
Westford
yes
yes
Westminster
yes
yes
Weston
yes
yes
Westport
yes
non located
Westwood
yes
yes
Weymouth
yes
yes
Wilbraham
yes
yes
Williamsburg
non located
non located
Williamstown
yes
yes
Wilmington
yes
yes
Winchendon
non located
non located
Winthrop
yes
yes
Woburn
yes
yes
Worchester
non located
non located
Worthington
non located
non located
Wrentham
non located
non located
Yarmouth
yes
yes
 
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Updates:
Acton
E2. through E3. Discharge of FirearmsE2. No person shall fire or discharge any firearm within the limits of any park, playground or other public property except with the consent of the Board of Selectmen, nor discharge any firearm on any private property except with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof.E3. This Bylaw shall not apply to lawful defense of life or property, nor to any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his duties. Enforcing person - regular police officer - Fine $25.00.

Walpole
13 Selectmen, by public notice, permit, provided; however, this section shall not apply to any person abating a nuisance or in the exercise of duty required by law.
A. No person shall, except with the written consent of the landowner or his authorized agent and where not otherwise prohibited by law, fire or discharge any firearm of any caliber or gauge, or a CO2 or an air rifle, or paintball gun, or release an arrow from a bow on any private property or hunt or trap in the Town; provided, however, that the provisions of this By-law shall not apply to Police Officers in the performance of their duties, nor to the use of such weapons at any military exercise or at an established shooting range, or sportsmen’s club, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of any citizen, or except as otherwise authorized or required by law.
B. No person while hunting or trapping on private property in the Town shall release an arrow from a bow within 150 feet of any road or within 500 feet of any dwelling in use, nor violate any other applicable state hunting or trapping law. No person shall hunt or trap on private property except when in possession of the carrying for inspection all licenses, permits, and stamps required for hunting or trapping under state law as well as written permission from the landowner or his authorized agent to hunt or trap on the property in question.
 
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Ham Slam,

How do you reconcile your list for the towns noted in the following posts?

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...elp-NES-Mass-bylaw-hunting-amp-shooting-guide - posts # 4, 7 & 13

I am 99.9999% certain that the towns I mentioned with signage/bylaws that prohibit shooting in the town "mean it" and will not approve someone hunting in their towns.

Your list is 99% "OK" to hunt in every town and that makes me very suspicious. If a town doesn't allow shooting in the town, I doubt that they feel a need to also have a specific bylaw that says "no hunting" too.
 
Ham Slam,

How do you reconcile your list for the towns noted in the following posts?

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...elp-NES-Mass-bylaw-hunting-amp-shooting-guide - posts # 4, 7 & 13

I am 99.9999% certain that the towns I mentioned with signage/bylaws that prohibit shooting in the town "mean it" and will not approve someone hunting in their towns.

Your list is 99% "OK" to hunt in every town and that makes me very suspicious. If a town doesn't allow shooting in the town, I doubt that they feel a need to also have a specific bylaw that says "no hunting" too.

Your link mentions four towns Canton, Norwood and Sharon, and Walpole. I have each of these towns listed as having a bylaw so I'm not sure what your point is. My list is not 99% anything, its pretty much split down the middle. If you have an actual correction PM it to me.

"Very Suspicious", give me a break. I have been a member here since 2005. 80% of my posts are in the hunting forum.
 
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Your link mentions three towns Canton, Norwood and Sharon, and Walpole. I have each of these towns listed as having a bylaw so I'm not sure what your point is. My list is not 99% anything, its pretty much split down the middle. If you have an actual correction PM it to me.

Perhaps I misinterpreted the chart??

Where I saw "yes" I thought that you meant that nothing prohibited shooting or hunting there.

If I was wrong, maybe an "answer key" explaining what the yes means (yes=bylaw exists effecting right to do this) might be helpful to all?
 
Wakefield is missing but there is not discharge of firearms in the town

This information is helpful, but please send me a PM with the actual bylaw so I can record it here. I'm not sure what you are saying "not discharge" I take as meaning "no discharge". Many towns have a no discharge, but that law will read "No discharge within 150 from road and 300 feet from dwelling" or something similar. In this case state law supersedes and we did not indicate the town as having a discharge law. I'm not saying that this is the case with Wakefield, but having the actual law send to me will allow me to see that.
 
Funny story. A friend and I were shooting .22's at a sand pit in Yarmouth last weekend when suddenly from behind us we hear:

"Yarmouth Police!! Hold your fire!!"

We cleared the guns and yelled back: "OK we're clear!"

Out of the woods walk 2 Yarmouth officers (one slinging an M4) and 1 Natural Resources officer. They tell us we can't shoot there.

I asked when the Yarmouth bylaw had changed because I'd been shooting here for over a decade and had never been bothered. The guy with the AR said it's been that way for longer than that. I recited the whole 500' from a dwelling and 150' from a road thing and they were still persistent that we couldn't shoot there. I wasn't about to continue arguing with them so we packed up and left. They were actually fairly professional about the incident. The following day I looked up the town bylaws, and I could find only the part about Bass River.

Not that I want to piss off the officers in that town but I think I may go back there sometime to shoot again and just bring a print-out of that bylaw with me. I mean, WTF?! If it's legal to be shooting there and I'm being safe about it (which I always am of course) why the hell should I be forced to comply with a law that doesn't even exist. The officers stated the people who live close to those pits had called in the complaint. When I was talking with the officers I told them the main reason I come to this pit sometimes is when the Barnstable range is full of unsafe idiots and I don't feel like being swept 17 times while being on the pistol line. One of them agreed with me that some of the people that go there need a bit more safety training.

I dunno. What would you do? Stay away as to not cause trouble, or say F*ck those neighbors! There's no law against me shooting here!!
 
They got you on noise violation, not shooting.


IIRC there was a law passed awhile back that grandfathered gun clubs from noise complaints. I doubt your sand pit has been grandfathered.
 
I can tell you I have been kicked out of places due to "noise" when using starter pistols and whistles when training dogs.

Also been kicked out of places for "noise" when riding dirtbikes.
 
Since the only guns I ever shoot at this pit are .22's, couldn't I just say: "Here's my hunting permit. Red Squirrel among other species are in season year-round, and a .22 rifle is legal to hunt them with. Have a nice day." ???
 
Yeah sounds like I'm just itching to bring unwanted attention to myself doesn't it? [sad2]

It just sucks. I've been going there for years and suddenly because of some new home owners well over 500' away from where I'm shooting, I cannot go there anymore even though there is no bylaw against it?

Hey maybe I can file Hunter Harassment charges against them! [laugh]

Not.
 
Same thing happens we hunt Nantucket for deer. We are in a WMA away from the houses and roads, but if a neighbor calls in a complaint the police appreciate it if we just leave. Happened last year, we left before they came.
 
Yeah sounds like I'm just itching to bring unwanted attention to myself doesn't it? [sad2]

It just sucks. I've been going there for years and suddenly because of some new home owners well over 500' away from where I'm shooting, I cannot go there anymore even though there is no bylaw against it?

Hey maybe I can file Hunter Harassment charges against them! [laugh]

Not.


Do you happen to know who complained? In the case of me getting thrown out for dog training, it turned out that a retired state cop had moved in down the street and evidently had some influence with the local constabulary. Enough so that I lost a great training area that I had been using for years.
 
OK...I have no dog in the fight....I'm from nowhere around there, but if you're within the laws, and you value the area as a trainng ground, I'd not back down.

As for the sandpit.....if there's no law agianst it (observing setbacks) and there is no daytime noise ordinance.....I'd go back.

I'm all for good realtions, but as they say, "what you tolerate, you validate."
 
OK...I have no dog in the fight....I'm from nowhere around there, but if you're within the laws, and you value the area as a trainng ground, I'd not back down.

As for the sandpit.....if there's no law agianst it (observing setbacks) and there is no daytime noise ordinance.....I'd go back.

I'm all for good realtions, but as they say, "what you tolerate, you validate."


They always fall back on "disturbing the peace". I have followed up on this and it turns out the retired state cop knew exactly what angle to take to make it stick.
 
Same thing happens we hunt Nantucket for deer. We are in a WMA away from the houses and roads, but if a neighbor calls in a complaint the police appreciate it if we just leave. Happened last year, we left before they came.

Now that would piss me off way more than my situation with the sand pits. If anyone walks up to me while I'm hunting an area that's perfectly legal to hunt and tells me I need to leave, I'd show them my hunting license, and the following MGL card I keep with my license, and politely tell them to go F themselves...

MGL chapter 131-Interference with hunting, fishing or trapping prohibited.
Penalty:
Section 5C: "No person shall obstruct, interfere with or otherwise prevent the lawful taking of fish or wildlife by another at the locale where such activity is taking place."
Section 90: "A person who violates the provisions of section five C shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than fourteen days, or both."

If I'm hunting it means I'm looking to put a little food on my plate and therefore cutting down my grocery expenses. I'm sure you know how much meat you can harvest from even a young 150lb deer. I could always go find another place to shoot my .22 rifle besides an established shooting range but why should I have to if I'm breaking no laws?

Do you happen to know who complained?

No I just know they live close to those pits. I don't really care who it is; I'm not going to try to intimidate them or anything like that. I'd just like to find out for sure if there is or isn't a bylaw that says I can't shoot there.

As for the sandpit.....if there's no law agianst it (observing setbacks) and there is no daytime noise ordinance.....I'd go back.

I'm all for good relations, but as they say, "what you tolerate, you validate."

Well as I stated, I don't really want to piss off the local authorities and make a bad name for myself. I don't live in Yarmouth but I've got a lot of friends in that town and spend a fair amount of time there. If it turns out there really is no bylaw against it and I can get that in writing (hey wait, how would you actually get a non-existing law in writing? LOL) I would like to continue to shoot .22 rifles there on occasion without being harassed. However, I can guess where this would go and I imagine I'd eventually get taken in for disturbing the peace or some bullshit charge. Gawdammit. Maybe it just isn't worth risking it and I should comply like a little bitch.
 
No I just know they live close to those pits. I don't really care who it is; I'm not going to try to intimidate them or anything like that. I'd just like to find out for sure if there is or isn't a bylaw that says I can't shoot there.

Just found this in their bylaws:
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Yarmouth 4-7-1981 by Art. 16. Editor's Note: This chapter was derived from Section 6.53 of the Town of Yarmouth Bylaws and was originally adopted 6-5-1978 by Art. 43. Amendments noted where applicable.]



[h=4] § 84-1. Restricted area. [/h] It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge firearms on Bass River or along its shores for a distance 300 feet back from the river, in an area extending from the mouth of Bass River to its northernmost shores, including the waters and shores of Follins Pond, Kelly's Pond, Kelley's Bay and Dinah's Pond.


[h=4] § 84-2. Penalty. [/h] [Amended 4-20-1982 by Art. 27, approved 8-10-1982]
Any violation of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than $300 for each offense.

I'm not sure if the sand pit is within the range listed but if not it didn't have any other restrictions that I could find.
 
I noticed Tewksbury was blank...Hunting i couldn't find any bylaws...just don't shoot anything thought...
Chapter 9.16
WEAPONS
Sections:
9.16.010 Discharge of firearms prohibited Exemptions.
9.16.020 Permit issuance.
9.16.030 Violation Penalty.
9.16.010 Discharge of firearms prohibited Exemptions.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Discharge of Firearms: Within the Town limits of Tewksbury, Massachusetts no person or persons shall discharge any firearm, air or gas operated gun of any kind.
Except under the following conditions:
1) All law enforcement officers, whether federal, state or municipal in the lawful performance of their duties.
2) The discharge of firearms using blank ammunition in fulfilling but not limited to the needs of historical, ceremonial, competitive and sporting activities.
3) Contractors using powder-fired charge tools at a construction site.
4) Person or persons at an authorized target range.
5) Citizens in the lawful defense of themselves or others. (Art. 4 (part), STM 1988: ByLaws Art. IX § 14 (part))
[/FONT]
[/FONT]9.16.020 Permit issuance.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Board of Selectmen with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer of this Town and the Police Chief, may issue permits or licenses to maintain or operate rifle, pistol and revolver ranges which permits or licenses may, at any time, be revoked by the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Selectmen with just cause. (Art. 4 (part), STM 1988: ByLaws Art. IX § 14 (part))
[/FONT]
[/FONT]9.16.030 Violation Penalty.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]A violation of this law shall result in the following:
First Offense: A warning
Second or Subsequent Offense: A $50.00 fine. (Art. 4 (part), STM 1988: ByLaws Art. IX § 14 (part))

http://www.tewksbury.net/Pages/TewksburyMA_WebDocs/TownGeneralByLaw.pdf
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
 
Here are the Dunstable bylaws - Hunting is Okay, firearms with written landowner permission.

DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS(HISTORY: Adopted April 13, 1981 ATM Article 18; Approved by Attorney General July20, 1981)​
No person shall fire or discharge any firearms or explosives of any kind within the limits of anyhighway, part, or other public property except with the written permission of the Board ofSelectmen; or any other private property of another, except with the written consent of theowner or legal occupant thereof; provided, however, that this Bylaw shall not apply to the lawfuldefense of life or property nor to any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of hisduties. Any person violating this bylaw shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100.00.This bylaw may be enforced under the non-criminal disposition provision of Massachusetts​
General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 21D.

http://www.dunstable-ma.gov/Pages/DunstableMA_Clerk/bylaws/General%20Bylaws.pdf
 
The plymouth bylaws I feel are strangely written. Anyone every contacted the town or had any issues there? I just moved into town and want to be in compliance.


Update: called clerks, they forward me to parks, they forward me to marine affairs and get voicemailed. Woof.
 
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