Noob needs advice on where to hunt...

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I'd like to bag a deer this year. I have my hunter safety cert from Maryland, and an LTC-A, so I figure I can buy a license in MA (if not, NH or ME)

What I don't know is where to go find a deer. The last few times I've been out in the field, I didn't see so much as a pigeon or chipmunk, much less a deer. Any suggestions?
 
Behind my house or across the street. Let me know if you want to go hunting this season. I'm in zone 7.

Also a noob.

But there's definetly deer where I am.
 
I'd like to bag a deer this year. I have my hunter safety cert from Maryland, and an LTC-A, so I figure I can buy a license in MA (if not, NH or ME)

What I don't know is where to go find a deer. The last few times I've been out in the field, I didn't see so much as a pigeon or chipmunk, much less a deer. Any suggestions?

What part of the state are you in V?
At least this way someone from near you can give you some ideas.
 
If you don't mind heading westward to zone 5, you are more then welcome to come up to my land or the surrounding area.
 
I'm just outside Boston, but will travel if necessary to anywhere in MA, most of NH, or southern ME.

hunter46spring, are there any specific rules regarding use of those two areas? I assume they're state lands.
 
I know of an area where you could hunt in Sudbury, it isn't a WMA, but I have hunted there for a number of years. PM me if you are interested. I go out there every weekend, and should be going out there is weekend.
 
There are specific rules regarding hunting WMA's that can be found in the Abstracts. No additional rules at Upton State Forest. I live spitting distance to both I can clue you in to a few spots or possibly go out with you if the schedule allows
 
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have you ever hunted before?

it really helps to know where they are moving, when, and how/when to go into the woods without waking up every animal in the forest.... also you want to preferrably find a place where you are less likely to have other hunters all over.

where are you located?
 
What I don't know is where to go find a deer. The last few times I've been out in the field, I didn't see so much as a pigeon or chipmunk, much less a deer. Any suggestions?


How fast were you moving? Did you see droppings, tracks or trails? Rubs or scrapes?
 
What I don't know is where to go find a deer. The last few times I've been out in the field, I didn't see so much as a pigeon or chipmunk, much less a deer. Any suggestions?


Walk, walk and walk more... We spent 3 hours walking 115 acres today on a mountain side. We found two decent spots at best and jumped 2 deer out of their beds. We did not see the deer mind you, we just heard them jump and run out of the thick stuff near us when we approached too close to them. It is a lot of work finding and narrowing down where the deer are using the woods the most. You need to find the trails, assess how much they are being used. Finding concentrations of droppings along well traveled trails is what you should be looking for. Set up near the most deer crap you can find along the trail that looks like it is used the most.

When looking for these trails keep moving pretty steadily untill you find something that really jumps out and grabs your attention. Then slow down and really cover the area to find out what is going on. Do not waste your time on faint trails. Find the ones that are hammered into the ground or places where several trails merge. Openings in stone walls that funnel the trails through have been good to me as have river and stream crossings. Anyplace the terrain dictates the deer must go through a certain area works to your advantage.
 
Thanks for all the offers. The state forest seems like a decent bet. Now I need to get off my arse and get the license.
 
I dont mean to hijack, but i'm also a noob in the hunting game (my first time hunting, though I've been researching for months...yea, i know...). Just picked up my MA Hunting license on Monday.

I'm planning on doing my first hunt during Shotgun season in LeominsterStateForrest, and again during Muzzleloader season. Has anyone hunted there? Know any good spots you'd want to share? Could one use a popup ground-blind? Anyone know if you need specific written permission to hunt in LSF? This being reulationachusetts i'd rather be overcautious my first time out.

Also, anyone know the proper(or simplest legal) way to "cripple" my Mossburg500's (12ga) tube magazine to reduce it from 7+1 to whatever the regulation is for shotgun season?
 
Also, anyone know the proper(or simplest legal) way to "cripple" my Mossburg500's (12ga) tube magazine to reduce it from 7+1 to whatever the regulation is for shotgun season?

You should be able to use a wooden dowl to plug it.
 
Also, anyone know the proper(or simplest legal) way to "cripple" my Mossburg500's (12ga) tube magazine to reduce it from 7+1 to whatever the regulation is for shotgun season?

Outside of hunting for migratory birds (3 max), I don't believe there is a regulation limiting you to a max number of bullats.
 
Outside of hunting for migratory birds (3 max), I don't believe there is a regulation limiting you to a max number of bullats.


5 slugs, 5 buckshot or 5 of a combo of both for hunting deer. No mre than 5 shells in the gun. That being said most 3" guns will hold 5 + 1 2 3/4" shells. Just something to be aware of.
 
You sure abiout that? I looked through the abstracts and didn't see anything....

Actually now I am not sure. I have been looking for the actual rules in the abstracts and in the Mass General Laws in order to post them and cannot find reference. [thinking]

I am sure it was the law. I am not sure if they have changed it. I will send out an email to MFW and see what they say.

That being said, no one needs more than 5 shots in their gun to hunt. I have seen way too many morons blast and pray at deer in my day with total disreguard to anything other than the fleeing deer. One responsible shot is all you should need and maybe one more follow up incase of a bad hit.
 
Actually now I am not sure. I have been looking for the actual rules in the abstracts and in the Mass General Laws in order to post them and cannot find reference. [thinking]

I am sure it was the law. I am not sure if they have changed it. I will send out an email to MFW and see what they say.

That being said, no one needs more than 5 shots in their gun to hunt. I have seen way too many morons blast and pray at deer in my day with total disreguard to anything other than the fleeing deer. One responsible shot is all you should need and maybe one more follow up incase of a bad hit.

I remember 5 shots as well, but also can't seem to find any law or reg reguarding this.
 
I dont mean to hijack, but i'm also a noob in the hunting game (my first time hunting, though I've been researching for months...yea, i know...). Just picked up my MA Hunting license on Monday.

I'm planning on doing my first hunt during Shotgun season in LeominsterStateForrest, and again during Muzzleloader season. Has anyone hunted there? Know any good spots you'd want to share? Could one use a popup ground-blind? Anyone know if you need specific written permission to hunt in LSF? This being reulationachusetts i'd rather be overcautious my first time out.

Also, anyone know the proper(or simplest legal) way to "cripple" my Mossburg500's (12ga) tube magazine to reduce it from 7+1 to whatever the regulation is for shotgun season?


I dont know the area so I cannot help you with spots there but I will say this. On public land I would not use a pop up blind during shotgun season without putting some orange that can be seen 360 degrees around on the outside so people know you are there. That being said the whole concept of using a popup looses its advantages unless you want to get out of the rain
 
1st, thanks for all the replies!
Outside of hunting for migratory birds (3 max), I don't believe there is a regulation limiting you to a max number of bullats.
5 slugs, 5 buckshot or 5 of a combo of both for hunting deer. No mre than 5 shells in the gun. That being said most 3" guns will hold 5 + 1 2 3/4" shells. Just something to be aware of.
I found the regs for Mass regarding Shotgun hunting (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/plain_language/hunting_shotguns.htm) and more for the hunting of deer (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/plain_language/hunting_deer.htm)

Looks like there's no specific restriction regarding the maximum capacity of a shotgun during the Massachusetts Shotgun Deer hunting season.
I'll have to take care though for if/when i decide to go hunting any waterfowl.
 
I dont know the area so I cannot help you with spots there but I will say this. On public land I would not use a pop up blind during shotgun season without putting some orange that can be seen 360 degrees around on the outside so people know you are there. That being said the whole concept of using a popup looses its advantages unless you want to get out of the rain
Do you know if the addition of "hunter orange" to the outside of the blind is required? (Yes, probably a good idea, but i'm looking not to have to buy an ADDITIONAL blind just for hunting in MA) or would it suffice to wear the required hunter orange when actually walking around outside the blind?
 
Now where have I heard THAT before ?????? [shocked]

Don't be an ass. Don't paraphrase my words. Taking quotes out of context like that is exactly how the liberal press operates. [angry]

If you hunt at all and have a shred of intellegence you know damn well there are plenty of yahoos that will empty their guns at moving animals without proper thought to what is behind the deer or to the ethics of efficiently harvesting the animal. You hear it all the time during shotgun season. In rapid succession, Pow, pow pow, pow, pow.... "Yup there is another spray and pray moron. Probably totally missed that deer or even worse wounded it"

I have personally witnessed this happen numerous times. Worst case was a buddy of mine and I were in two stands 80 yards apart. He had a deer 10 yards away from him as Two guys came walking down a cart path about 50 yards away completely oblivious of us or the deer. The deer stood there watching them and got ready to bolt. My buddy blasted it through the lungs at 10 yards. As you know deer many times run off a short distance, this one did. They saw it run and both emptied their guns at the deer and it fell over when it reached the cart path a ways down. Chunks of lungs were splattered on the tree behind where my buddy shot it and a clear blood trail to where it fell over. They ran up to it and tried to claim it. Only one hole in it though the chest and it was from neither of their guns. They did however hit plenty of trees.
 
Do you know if the addition of "hunter orange" to the outside of the blind is required? (Yes, probably a good idea, but i'm looking not to have to buy an ADDITIONAL blind just for hunting in MA) or would it suffice to wear the required hunter orange when actually walking around outside the blind?

How much is your life worth? [thinking]

Required, I do not know.

Would it suffice to where it outside the blind but not in? Legally I do not know. Is it intellegent to not be seen by other hunters on public land during shotgun season? Definitley not.

Why buy another blind? Buy a couple extra of the walmart 5 dollar orange vests and hang them over the top of the blind so people can see the orange from any direction they may approach.

Mass hunters are trained to look for orange in the background when shooting at game. If a deer gets between you and another hunter, when you are in a blind with no orange on the outside or it, he will not see you inside that blind unless you have taken other precautions. Someone could very easily fire in your direction not knowing you are there and a blind is not going to stop a slug.

If you dont care about risking your own life think about what someone else would have to go through if they happened to shoot you by accident because they could not see you were there because you were enclosed in a camoflaged blind.
 
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