Need Help: NES Mass bylaw hunting & shooting guide

[Ham Slam]

I am putting a mass hunting and shooting bylaw guide together and need help from NES community to get this done. In mass you can hunt any land that is not posted, however some towns have various bylaws regarding hunting and discharge of firearms. This prevents us from driving around and looking for places to hunt and also makes the whole process of finding places difficult and confusing. This list will make this easier. There will also be a link to a pdf that will have the actual wording of the bylaw.

The list will look like this (I would use the real ones I have already researched, but those are on my work computer)

Town	Hunting	Shooting
Buckville	non listed	non listed
Hogville	yes	yes

The pdf will have a link to the bylaw simulair to this (framingham bylaw)

Hogville Section 10. Hunting Bylaws

10.2 No person shall hunt within the limits of any highway, park or other property owned or controlled
by the Town of Framingham, except with the consent of the Board of Selectmen and any other
appropriate public authority; or on any private property, except with the written consent of the
owner or legal occupant thereof, which consent shall be dated not more than one year prior to the
act complained of.

10.3 No person shall fire or discharge any firearm or explosive of any kind within the limits of the
Town of Framingham, except on a range or in an area designated for such purpose and approved
by the Chief of police in writing, or with the written consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof, which written consent shall be dated not more than one year prior to the act complained of.

10.4 Nothing in this bylaw shall prohibit the protection of one's property or use of firearms by police or
other law enforcement officers.

If you can help with the list either by researching towns or by helping with interpretation certain finds then send me a PM. I have already made it to the C's and it not that hard, you just need to be able to work an excel spreadsheet and word file. I have a system for it so it goes quick. Lets see if we can get this together by the start of the hunting season.



Edit: I am just trying to learn a little formatting so this post is a formatted weird, but the real list will have a box around it.

 

[SAV]

A worthy endeavor. I'm swamped at work otherwise I'd try to help.

You can write to MassWildlife and receive a list of towns to hunt. I did this last year, and my self addressed envelope came back mangled in a plastic bag from the Post Office, so I can't swear to what it says.

Send a self addressed envelope and request for list to: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Rd, Westborough, MA 01581

Also this is helpful but difficult to get page through each:
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/bylaws.html

Good Luck!

 

[Coyote33]

Could this backfire? All the towns who don't have the bylaws see how many that do, and decide they want to follow the leaders.

Sometimes, these folks are not that creative, and follow the pack. If there is a law they are missing, they think it is themselves who are in the wrong, and try to correct that oversight.

 

[collie]

I have seen signs in the following 3 towns:

- Canton - No shooting in the town

- Norwood - No shooting or hunting in the town

- Sharon - No shooting in the town

There must be town by-laws associated with each. Best bet is the link that SAV posted to find the details.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

This is a little dated but might help:
http://macouncil.tripod.com/id28.htm

Bob

 

[Ham Slam]

This is helpful, but these one offs pm's are hard to manage. What I really need are people who can help me run through the list, which I have. I also have a system. So if you want to help send me a pm. I'll put you on the list.

 

[collie]

Canton - http://www.town.canton.ma.us/PDF_files/2010/General-bylaws.pdf

Section 13. Discharge of Firearms, Fireworks 14-13
No person shall, except in the performance of some duty required or justified by Law, or in abating a nuisance, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of any citizen, or at any military exercise, or upon written permission of the Board of Selectmen, discharge any air gun or gun, pistol or other firearm, in or upon any street or public place, or within 300 feet thereof, or in any building or within 300 feet of any building in the Town.
No person shall explode or cause to be exploded any squib, cracker serpent or other preparation which consist wholly or in part of gun powder or other explosive, upon any street or public place within the Town, except on such occasion and of such character and kind as the Chief of Police may, by public notice, permit.
Footnote: 14-13 As amended by article 48, ATM 1975, See section 42 of this article for another by-law of similar character.

Section 42. Discharge of Firearms 14-42
No person shall fire or discharge any gun, rifle, fowling piece, pistol, revolver, or other firearm within one thousand (1,000) feet of any street, public place, square, or golf course in the town, except with the permission of the Board of Selectmen, or in any private ground, except with the consent of the owner thereof; provided however, that this by-law shall not apply to the use of such weapons at any military exercise, or in the lawful defense of the person, family or property of a citizen.
Footnote: 14-42 Inserted under article 74, ATM 1971 (see also Article XIV, Section 13 of these By-Laws). Amended under article 25, motion 1 , ATM April 24, 2000, disallowed by Attorney General.

-----------------------

Norwood: http://www.norwoodma.gov/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=422&Itemid=451

Article XII, Section 8 - for some reason this PDF is not copyable or searchable. [Some really ancient rules in this town. ]


-------------------------

Sharon: http://www.townofsharon.net/Public_Documents/SharonMA_Bylaws/article10.htm

SECTION 28. Except as herein provided, no person shall fire or discharge any firearms, rifles or shotguns of any caliber or gauge anywhere within the limits of the town unless issued a permit to do so by the Chief of Police or his authorized designees, except when the person is discharging a firearm, rifle or shotgun on his own property. No permit shall be issued allowing the firing or discharging of a firearm, rifle or shotgun within the limits of any private property unless the applicant first obtains the written permission of the property owner or authorized designee.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law enforcement officer acting in the performance of his duty, nor the use of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in the lawful defense of life or property, or in any military exercise or at any established firing range of a fish and game or sportsmen's club.

 

[yanici]

I PM'd my town bylaw. No shootee air or powder guns. Doesn't say not arrows though and doesn't mention hunting. So, I guess bow hunting is good to go but that's all.

 

[reveille]

Id like to find out if worcester allows bow hunting. you know for ghetto deer. i see them all over worcester.

 

[Ham Slam]

Id like to find out if worcester allows bow hunting. you know for ghetto deer. i see them all over worcester.

We'll with Worchester starting with a W, and only two people working through the list it might be a while before you find out. We'll get to it though. You could search your town bylaws which is what we are doing.

 

[reveille]

I already looked, I came up with 0. I think its great what you are doing.

 

[CrackPot]

Harvard
39. FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Harvard 3-7-1970 by Art. 31; amended 3-29-1975 by Art. 24. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 39-1. Discharge prohibited; exceptions.
No person shall fire or discharge any firearms or explosives of any kind within the limits of any highway, park or other public property, or Bare Hill Pond, except with the permission of the Board of Selectmen; or on any private property, except with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof; provided, however, that this bylaw shall not apply to the lawful defense of life or property nor to any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his duties.
§ 39-2. Violations and penalties.
Violations of this bylaw shall be punishable by a fine of not to exceed $50 for each offense.


http://www.ecode360.com/13695269?highlight=firearms#13695269

 

[collie]

Driving thru Walpole the other day, I noticed a "No Shooting in Walpole" sign at their town line.