First of Two Saturdays for Shotgun Deer Hunting This Weekend

This weekend is the first of two Saturdays of the shotgun deer hunting season this year in Massachusetts.

It is the second of three deer hunting seasons this fall - and the most popular. Hunting is allowed from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays.

The archery deer hunting season ended Nov. 29 and shotgun season began Monday, Dec. 1. It runs until Saturday, Dec. 13. The “primitive firearms” season runs from Dec. 15 through Dec. 31.

The coyote season is also open and runs until March 7.

The cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hair and gray squirrel season are all also open. The squirrel season runs until Jan. 2, the hair season until Feb. 5 and the rabbit season until Feb. 28. Those seasons are all closed during the shotgun deer season.

Essex County Trail Association has issued a reminder to its members in the more rural portions of Essex County to remember to wear blaze orange while out in the woods since hunting is allowed on many of the private and public properties in the county. Additionally, ECTA reminds people headed into the woods to “be sure that your pet is also well marked, especially if you are in an off-leash area.”

Anyone with questions about whether a specific property is open to hunting should check with the property owner or email ECTA.

The Massachusetts Environmental Police enforce hunting laws and can be reached at 1-800-632-8075.