Crow & Squirrel Hunting

wdcollard

wdcollard

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I was hoping to take my son with me to hunt some crows and squirrels next weekend. Am I allowed to just take my .22 into the Leominster State Forrest or WMAs and hunt these little critters? Am trying to get more involed with hunting and would like to take my son. Any advise would be helpful.
 
Squirrels most likely, not sure if you can use a .22 on crows i always use a shotgun. You can only hunt crows on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

I would take a look at the abstracts before heading out.
 
My next question would be, can I even take my 10yo out with me even though he is not hunting? I did see that you can only hunt crows on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Just want to try to get more active with hunting so I figure this is a good start with crow, squirrel, and coyote.
 
Nothing says he can't go out with you. We took a friend's son deer hunting when he was 8 just to get him in the woods. He loved it.
 
Read the Hunting abstracts!

http://www.eregulations.com/massachusetts/huntingandfishing/



What you can use for Squirrel is Zone dependant - READ the abstracts. The WMAs have different rules than other places.

As to age:

Minors between 12 and 14 inclusive may hunt when accompanied by a duly licensed adult, provided that a single bag limit shall be observed and only one firearm/bow is possessed by the two. Only one minor per adult is permitted. No Firearms Identification (FID) card is needed by the minor.

The way I interpret that, the 10 year old could be present, but not holding the gun. I'm not an EPO, and IANAL, either.

Again, read the abstracts....interweb opinions are not an acceptable defense when John Law is asking what you're doing out in the woods.
 
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You can certainly eat crow but I don't advise it. Tried it once and it was enough. Skin and meat is very dark, almost black and the taste and texture is exactly like shoe leather.

Make sure to cook thoroughly as crows are scavengers. Can have parasites.
 
Yes you can hunt with your son! He can't hold the gun yet but he can come with you! If they didn't allow that I would defintly be on the steps of the capital! However I myself am a you kill it you eat it guy... So unless you have very strong reasons why crows shouldn't live...I would avoid crows and eat the squirrels... But that is me either way introducing young people to hunting is very important! Kids who hunt and fish are far less likely to become hoodlums as they become teens plenty of studys prove it! My own included I was way to busy chasing game and fish as a kid to get involved introuble!
 
MisterHappy said:
As to age:

Minors between 12 and 14 inclusive may hunt when accompanied by a duly licensed adult, provided that a single bag limit shall be observed and only one firearm/bow is possessed by the two. Only one minor per adult is permitted. No Firearms Identification (FID) card is needed by the minor.

The way I interpret that, the 10 year old could be present, but not holding the gun. I'm not an EPO, and IANAL, either.

Again, read the abstracts....interweb opinions are not an acceptable defense when John Law is asking what you're doing out in the woods.
Click to expand...

The minor can hold/carry/shoot the firearms used. For example, you can go hunting with your 8 or 10 y/o and they can carry their .410 or .22. You just can't have your 12ga also, for back up. You also must abide by the single bag limit. Bring him/her and have fun.
 
Biggy said:
The minor can hold/carry/shoot the firearms used. For example, you can go hunting with your 8 or 10 y/o and they can carry their .410 or .22. You just can't have your 12ga also, for back up. You also must abide by the single bag limit. Bring him/her and have fun.
Click to expand...

I want to agree with you, but if your assertion is in fact, correct, why would there be langiage starting at 12?
At 15, they have to have their own license, and FID (if applicalble).

If there were no [potential[ restriction, then it would read, "Minors under 15......" not "12 to 14".

I'd just hate for the OP to get jammed up over a subtlety like this.
 
MisterHappy said:
I want to agree with you, but if your assertion is in fact, correct, why would there be langiage starting at 12?
At 15, they have to have their own license, and FID (if applicalble).

If there were no [potential[ restriction, then it would read, "Minors under 15......" not "12 to 14".

I'd just hate for the OP to get jammed up over a subtlety like this.
Click to expand...

He is correct, at the age 15 they have there own licenses and gun. Any age under they would shoot under his license with one firearm
 
Stix - thanks for the link

The problem that I see is that due to the exceptionally broad definition of "hunting" in Mass law, just walking with a hunter, not even holding a gun, can be consiidered "hunting".


Not trying to keep kids out of the woods, just troubles.
 
What also sucks is that a youth < 12 can't even call on the duck call or use a turkey call as that would be hunting. When I was about 8yo I had a duck and Goose call around my neck while hunting, I don't know that my kid will be so lucky.
 
stixnstones said:
The minimum age for hunting in MA is 12. See http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/licensing/licensing_home.htm.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected. Sorry for the misinformation. I wonder how long this has been the case? I remember walking the pheasant fields and small game hunting as a kid with my family. I can't remember this being an issue before. I know back in the early 90's my uncle had his kids in the stands with him bowhunting and they were much younger than 12. This state never ceases to amaze me.

[banghead]
 
MisterHappy said:
The problem that I see is that due to the exceptionally broad definition of "hunting" in Mass law, just walking with a hunter, not even holding a gun, can be consiidered "hunting".
Not trying to keep kids out of the woods, just troubles.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Is tagging along 'hunting?' Who knows in MA. I'm not an EOP or lawyer either.

It may not be a bad idea to email MassWildlife and ask the if it's OK to take someone with you provided they don't handle any guns. They may say it's OK under some instances.
 
If the EPO thinks it is, then it is.

I asked an EPO if, when I had gone along as a beater on a falconry hunt ("Take the ski pole. Hit the brush. If a bunny runs out, yell, 'Ho ho ho!' "), I had been hunting without a license.

The answer: Yes, but we generally leave falconry people alone, they're all crazy.
 
I bet the HM2 is a good round for crow. More accurate at a longer range than a .22, and less expensive than the .17HMR.

Blackbirds_in_pie.png
 
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The epos in my area have defintly not had a problem with a ten year old tagging along pheasent hunting... They have def made a few visits to the local wma when there were young kids out for the hunt... No guns just to tag along... The epos genrally just ask if anyone is out there before sunrise make sure we all have orange caps on... They genrally don't even check licenses

Last thanks giving I recall the epo actually saying something about hoping his dad gets a bird for his dinner and he hoped there were plenty of birds for everyone.... Maybe we just have a couple of decent epos in my area? I will be extremely upset if I cannot take my son at 8 or ten years old to tag along on a deer hunt... I wouldent do pheasents where I hunt them it is like ww3 and also wouldent drive deer but 2 man stand or sitting down wating for a deer.... He will be along..

But really I have had nothing but pleasent experiences with the epos in my area. Maybe it is the way I approach them... Call me a suck up brown noser or whatever you like but the two times I have seen a epo while hunting I have imnedatly stopped. Both time shot gun was on my shoulder with sling on..I open my hands and said would you like me. to empty my firearm and open the chamber... Once the fella said wouldent be nessary and walked on buy and said good luck. Second time he asked if the safty was on I said yes he then asked if I had my license. I said yes Its in my right back pocket i can reach and get it for you. He said wont be nessacery. Also said good luck and have a safe hunt.. Maybe I am just lucky or polite? Both times were on a weekday pheasent hunting a wma Same one, may have been the same epo not sure.

Have seen them many times before the hunt when we are wating at the gate for sunrise this is when they check for orange caps and sometimes licenses
 
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