Massachusetts spring turkey hunting season starts this month: Licenses, permits, safety tips

Yahoo

03-04-2025

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Days are getting longer and the grass is getting greener, which means it is almost time for spring turkey hunting season.
Spring turkey season begins every year on the last Monday of April and goes through the fourth Saturday, which means this year's season will end on May 24. Hunting is only allowed half an hour before sunrise through the end of noon in wildlife management zones 1-13.
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During the spring season, hunters can use shotguns, muzzleloaders, and archery equipment. Turkey hunting in Massachusetts requires residents to have a hunting license, turkey permit, and safety stickers for shotguns and muzzleloaders.
According to Mass.gov, most turkeys can be found in agricultural lands, in forests, but also in suburban and urban areas. The most productive places for turkeys are those with a mix of habitat types because they provide abundant food and cover throughout the year.
Mass.gov states when looking for a place to hunt, focus your attention on areas with a combination of forested and open habitats like:
agricultural fields of all sorts
powerlines
hayfields or meadows
forestry operations that create openings in the woods
When you find an area to hunt, make sure to:
Secure permission from the landowner for private property
Identify parking and access locations
Check local town bylaws relative to hunting on private or municipal property
To find turkeys much easier, it is recommended to look for different turkey signs, including scat, feathers, scratching in the leaf litter, dust bowls, or turkey tracks in the mud or sand.
A reminder that it is illegal to hunt using an electronic call, dogs, bait, live decoys and herding turkeys. It is also illegal to knowingly leave a wounded or dead turkey in the field without making a reasonable effort to retrieve it. However, this does not apply to animals that are unfit for consumption, such as disease, decay or rot.
The bag limit for the spring hunting season is two bearded birds. The game must be reported within 48 hours of harvesting. More rules regarding the turkey spring hunting season can be found on the Mass.gov website.
To minimize or eliminate risks of unintended injury, death, or damage caused by improper handling, storage, or possession of a firearm, Mass.gov recommends the following:
Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Keep the action open and unloaded. Keep the safety 'on' and your finger off the trigger.
Be sure the barrel of the firearm is clear of obstructions. Check the chamber and magazine every time you pick it up. Only carry and use ammunition appropriate for your firearm.
Never point a firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Agree to safe fields of fire for yourself and hunting companions and never swing beyond your area.
Positively identify your target and what lies beyond. Make sure there is an adequate backstop when hunting or target practicing
Unload your firearm when climbing a tree, crossing a fence, jumping a ditch, or traversing slippery or steep terrain. Never pull a firearm toward you by the muzzle.
Be aware of the potential for ricochet. Never shoot at a hard, flat surface or water.
Unload firearms when not in use, leaving the action open. Transport and carry firearms unloaded and cased when traveling to and from the field or target practice
Store firearms and ammunition separately in locked compartments and beyond the reach of children.
Never use alcohol or drugs that can impair your judgment before or while shooting.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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