coyote hunting with ar15 in mass.

[electricguy]

i plan on going coyote hunting with my ar15 .223 in mass.
i have my LTC class A
do i have to use a 5 round mag for hunting?
or can i use a ten round mag. with only 5 rounds in it?
thanks for your thought's ,,

 

[RFWAVELENGTH]

i plan on going coyote hunting with my ar15 .223 in mass.
i have my LTC class A
do i have to use a 5 round mag for hunting?
or can i use a ten round mag. with only 5 rounds in it?
thanks for your thought's ,,

Check the abstracts of the fish & game laws from Mass Wildlife that should have been given to you when you purchased your hunting or sporting license in MA. Centerfire rifles .23 caliber or over, revolvers .357 Magnum or .40 caliber or over, and muzzleloaders .44 to .775 caliber are allowed for bear. Shotguns are allowed for deer and coyote. Rimfire rifles chambered for not larger than .22 Long Rifle rimfire and pistols/revolvers not larger than .38 caliber between the hours of sunrise and sunset. I do not believe that rifles and handguns are allowed in any areas other than the western part of the state. The vast majority of MA is muzzleloader, shotgun and archery only. I would not take a chance. Please contact the Environmental Police before you use that AR-15. It would be a shame to have an expensive rifle confiscated and to lose your LTC-A for a hunting violation arrest.

 

[electricguy]

8. HUNTING IMPLEMENTS: It is lawful to hunt fox, coyote, and bobcat with rifles, shotguns, handguns, or archery, provided that:

(a) on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail season, only shotguns and archery may be used;

(b) during the hours from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, handguns are restricted to those chambered not larger than .38 caliber, and rifles to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle;

(c) coyote may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than FF, provided that when coyote are hunted during the shotgun deer season, they may additionally be hunted with those shotgun cartridges that are lawful for the hunting of deer (i.e., including buckshot and slugs);

(d) fox and bobcat may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than #1 birdshot.


sounds like i can use an AR15 to me, to 30 minutes after sunset,
also as long its not a WMA stocked w/pheasant or quail,during those seasons,
i dont think its zone specific,

 

[pwatkins]

8. HUNTING IMPLEMENTS: It is lawful to hunt fox, coyote, and bobcat with rifles, shotguns, handguns, or archery, provided that:

(a) on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail season, only shotguns and archery may be used;

(b) during the hours from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, handguns are restricted to those chambered not larger than .38 caliber, and rifles to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle;

(c) coyote may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than FF, provided that when coyote are hunted during the shotgun deer season, they may additionally be hunted with those shotgun cartridges that are lawful for the hunting of deer (i.e., including buckshot and slugs);

(d) fox and bobcat may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than #1 birdshot.


sounds like i can use an AR15 to me, to 30 minutes after sunset,
also as long its not a WMA stocked w/pheasant or quail,during those seasons,
i dont think its zone specific,

You can not use a rifle larger than a .22 to hunt anything in Mass. If you should get caught by the Environmental Police the punishment is severe.

 

[lord1234]

You can not use a rifle larger than a .22 to hunt anything in Mass. If you should get caught by the Environmental Police the punishment is severe.

perhaps you should read your abstracts more carefully. You can hunt coyotes with larger calibers.

 

[KMM696]

You can not use a rifle larger than a .22 to hunt anything in Mass. If you should get caught by the Environmental Police the punishment is severe.

Yeah, I'm going to need a cite for that, too.

As a test case, where in the regs does it say I can't hunt red squirrel with a 50 BMG rifle?

You realize you're saying use a 22 for bears, right???

 

[Catoperat]

i plan on going coyote hunting with my ar15 .223 in mass.
i have my LTC class A
do i have to use a 5 round mag for hunting?
or can i use a ten round mag. with only 5 rounds in it?
thanks for your thought's ,,

.
sounds like i can use an AR15 to me, to 30 minutes after sunset,
also as long its not a WMA stocked w/pheasant or quail,during those seasons,
i dont think its zone specific,

You are correct. You CAN hunt with an AR-15 in .223 in MA for coyotes (provided it's not full auto). A ten round magazine fully loaded is fine. Any more than 10 and you get into the large capacity BS.

No rifles on quail / pheasant-stocked WMA's during the pheasant/quail season. Sunrise and set you have correct, 1/2 hour before to 1/2 hour after if you are rifle hunting.

I do not believe that there is still an "eastern rifle restriction" in place. If you plan on hunting East of 495 you may want to ask an EPO or MassWildlife office in the area of interest for confirmation.

Just remember you are hunting with an EBR...the sheeple may not take kindly to that

Disclaimer: I am not an enforcement officer or a lawyer

 

[RFWAVELENGTH]

Yeah, I'm going to need a cite for that, too.

As a test case, where in the regs does it say I can't hunt red squirrel with a 50 BMG rifle?

You realize you're saying use a 22 for bears, right???

For bear, the regs specify .23 caliber or larger, not .22, so perhaps the minimum that you could use would be 6mm/.243; marginal at best. Shotguns are specifically NOT allowed during bear season.

 

[KMM696]

For bear, the regs specify .23 caliber or larger, not .22, so perhaps the minimum that you could use would be 6mm/.243; marginal at best. Shotguns are specifically NOT allowed during bear season.

Yes, the 22 for bears thing was only in response to:

You can not use a rifle larger than a .22 to hunt anything in Mass.

I have a Savage 99 in 308 that's nice for bears.

 

[electricguy]

Changes in Hunting Methods:

The so-called "rifle ban" in the southeastern counties will no longer be issued. Hunters in those counties, as well as the rest of the state,will now be able to use rifles chambered equal to or larger than .22 caliber (including .17 caliber rifles), except as provided below:
a. During the period from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, (nighttime hours) rifles are restricted to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle.

b. Rifles of any kind may not be used on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail seasons.

There have also been changes in the allowable shot sizes. For the purpose of hunting coyotes, hunters may use shotgun cartridges with shot sizes up to and including FF (.230 inches diameter). However, shot sizes larger than #1 birdshot may not be used for hunting other game birds or mammals (including fox and bobcat), except for waterfowl as provided in the annual Migratory Game Bird Abstracts . Also, in accordance with state law, cartridges loaded with slugs, single balls and buckshot may be used for hunting deer or coyotes only during the shotgun deer season.

 

[pwatkins]

Changes in Hunting Methods:

The so-called "rifle ban" in the southeastern counties will no longer be issued. Hunters in those counties, as well as the rest of the state,will now be able to use rifles chambered equal to or larger than .22 caliber (including .17 caliber rifles), except as provided below:
a. During the period from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, (nighttime hours) rifles are restricted to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle.

b. Rifles of any kind may not be used on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail seasons.

There have also been changes in the allowable shot sizes. For the purpose of hunting coyotes, hunters may use shotgun cartridges with shot sizes up to and including FF (.230 inches diameter). However, shot sizes larger than #1 birdshot may not be used for hunting other game birds or mammals (including fox and bobcat), except for waterfowl as provided in the annual Migratory Game Bird Abstracts . Also, in accordance with state law, cartridges loaded with slugs, single balls and buckshot may be used for hunting deer or coyotes only during the shotgun deer season.

I stand corrected, good job fellas, Ive just seen so many people get jammed. Often times for not even committing a violation, just bad timing. Fill up the truck with coyotes.