Please help me find squirrel hunting locations around Boston Metro-West

[NavyRedneck]

I live in Hudson, MA. I have 4 children and they all want to go squirrel hunting. I spent Friday and Saturday at the spot where I went deer hunting last year and we only saw one squirrel each day (for about 5 hours of hunting each). I think the winds were too high but even when it died down it seemed that the squirrel population was pretty light.

I checked into many of the WMA's but most are stocking quail and pheasant which means I can't hunt them I think.

I prefer to use a 12 gauge so east of I-495 would be okay.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Lucas McCain]

You use a 12 gauge for squirrels? Is there anything left? Sorry I cant help you with a location.

 

[Palladin]

My yard.

.177 pellet, head shot

 

[DGV1860]

Find some local cornfields that have been cut. Get landowner permission (easier than you think) especially if you have kids with you and explain what you want to do. Hunt the edges early A.M. and later on in the day until dark. Hunt them just like you would hunt deer. I limit out alot doing this.

 

[Broc]

any wildlife management area out there should have plenty of squirrels. Why dont you use a pellet gun? cheaper to shoot, and one shot just kills them.

 

[boilermaker]

Navy, what makes you think you can't hunt squirrels on WMA during pheasant season? In looking at squirrel hunting hours it says the following:

HUNTING HOURS: Hunting hours for gray squirrel begin at ½ hour before sunrise and end at ½ hour after sunset, except on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail where the hunting hours are from sunrise to sunset.
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/plain_language/hunting_squirrels.htm

So I would say a WMA is definitely available during pheasant season, just sunrise to sunset.

Sorry I can't help on a location but hopefully there is a WMA in your area.

Also you may want to reconsider the 12ga as others have mentioned. A .410 or pellet gun sound like better choices to me.

 

[NavyRedneck]

Here's what I'm reading:
"Hunting hours for gray squirrel are from ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset except that no person shall hunt on Wildlife Management Areas where pheasant and quail are stocked during the open season on pheasant and quail (Oct. 16 – Nov. 27) except for the hunting of raccoons and opossums between 9pm and 3am."
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/hunt_fish_abstracts.pdf

Can anyone help me decipher the wording? Sounds pretty conflicting to me...

I don't have my .410 with me (with the MA gun laws I try to limit my guns to a few at a time). I'm using a 12 gauge but I either shoot them from 40-50 yards away or if they are close enough, I aim to one side or the other to get the shot spread to hit their head only. It works sometimes...

I'm not too serious of a squirrel hunter but like fishing, if my children are interested enough to want to go outdoors, I'll support!

Thanks for the responses.

 

[boilermaker]

I can certainly understand your confusion. I am pretty sure I have encountered people hunting squirrel during pheasant season and on WMA prop but that doesn't make it legal. You can always call the office, they have always been very helpful whenever I have called.

 

[KMM696]

They are conflicting, that summary in the squirrel section is more confusing than the WMA regs.

Try page 20, "Wildlife Management Area Regulations", specifically #s 9, 10 and 11 - they make more sense. You still might want to call F&W, though. If you'd like to read the actual regulations instead of the abstract, they can be found in 321 CMR 3:00

Wish I could help with a specific spot, but my only contact in your area is still in Iraq.

 

[NavyRedneck]

I called the W Boylston office. No squirrel hunting on WMA's stocked with quail and pheasant during the quail and pheasant season. The lady I spoke to did give me some spots to take my children to, though. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[DirkDiggler]

I live in Hudson, MA. I have 4 children and they all want to go squirrel hunting. I spent Friday and Saturday at the spot where I went deer hunting last year and we only saw one squirrel each day (for about 5 hours of hunting each). I think the winds were too high but even when it died down it seemed that the squirrel population was pretty light.

I checked into many of the WMA's but most are stocking quail and pheasant which means I can't hunt them I think.

I prefer to use a 12 gauge so east of I-495 would be okay.

Thanks for any help.

Take em pheasant hunting instead.

 

[richc]

Plenty of nuts at the State House... prime feeding grounds for political rodents...

 

[boilermaker]

I called the W Boylston office. No squirrel hunting on WMA's stocked with quail and pheasant during the quail and pheasant season. The lady I spoke to did give me some spots to take my children to, though. Thanks again for all the help.

+1 to you for going to the source. I hope you and the kids have a safe and happy time hunting. It is great that you are taking them out.

 

[bigjim]

I called the W Boylston office. No squirrel hunting on WMA's stocked with quail and pheasant during the quail and pheasant season. The lady I spoke to did give me some spots to take my children to, though. Thanks again for all the help.

thats good to know i allmost shot a squirrel that ran right infront of me but was a little to fast out a bolton a couple of weeks ago i thought it was legal to shoot them during the phesant season thank god i didint

 

[stixnstones]

I'd email Mass Wildlife for a clarification. It looks like they tried to cut & paste WMA #10 and botched it in the regulations.