Healey / MA / Right to Bear...

I was not aware of that.

However....being an avid hunter in zones 9 and 10 I have no issue with the shotgun only rules on deer. I do not think it's a good idea to have a hunter with a 308 in small patches of huntable land packed with the orange army. Out in Western mass zones i think the state should lighten up and allow rifles.

Agreed. It’s easy enough to do. In Connecticut rifle hunting for deer is allowed on private parcels of 10 acres or more.

Oh, I agree. Think about it High Powered Rifle required for bear. I know, I know, statute does not allow slugs and buckshot except during the shotgun season on deer or on a recognized range.

Lots of options for bear depending on the season. No buckshot though for bear. There is always one or two that get pinched for it every year.

Rifle: .23 caliber or larger.

Handgun: .357 Magnum revolver with .357 Magnum cartridges only, or a revolver .40 caliber or larger.

Muzzleloader: .44 to .775 caliber, fired from the shoulder, using a single projectile.

Archery Equipment: Bows must have a draw weight of at least 40lbs at 28 inches or at peak draw. Arrows must have a well sharpened steel broadhead blade not less than 7/8 inches in width. Expanding broadheads are legal. Poisoned arrows, explosive tips and bows drawn by mechanical means are prohibited. Crossbows may be used by certain permanently disabled persons by permit only.

Shotgun: Allowed only during the shotgun season, shotgun not larger than 10 gauge, including shotguns with a rifled bore, slugs only.

Black bear hunting regulations


Bob
 
What's left of a squirrel hit with a 30-06? Pink mist?
 
Just knocked out a couple of nastygrams to my State Reps about the forced closings...

Feels like pissing in the wind...
 
What's left of a squirrel hit with a 30-06? Pink mist?

On one of his last hunts, my dad took two partridges with a .30-'06.

Both through the neck. Edible parts were fine.

I was not there, but did see the pix. Weird part was the birds were pretty much next to each other, and my dad saw the second one standing there, next to his now-headless buddy, after the first shot. Didn't fly off, just stood there, to complete his story! [rofl]
 
Black bear hunting regulations


Massachusetts residents:
  • Hunting or sporting license
  • Bear permit
Non-residents:
  • Big game license
  • Bear permit
Bag limit

1 bear per calendar year

Hunting zones

Statewide (Wildlife management zones 1-14)

Hunting implements

Hunting implementFirst seasonSecond seasonShotgun season
Rifle*XX
Handgun*X
Muzzleloader*XXX
ArcheryXXX
ShotgunX
 
Coyote hunting regulations

Rifles and handguns:
-Daytime hunting: During the period from ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset, there are no restrictions on size or caliber of rifles or handguns.
-Nighttime hunting: During the period from ½ hour after sunset to midnight rifles are restricted to those chambered not larger than .22 long rifle and handguns are restricted to those chambered not larger than .38 caliber.
-Prohibited on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail seasons.
-Prohibited during the shotgun deer season.
 
You’re missing my point. I’m saying the right to keep and bear arms has nothing to do with just being able to go to a private property range or to hunt.

The fact that you can’t hunt with rifles means that you can’t even carry them for that reason. My overarching point is that essentially there is no right to keep and bear arms when it comes to rifles in Massachusetts.

How is that constitutional?
You are essentially correct. Heller's ruling was limited to handguns. The Commonwealth has made its interpretation clear: the only thing that's protected is the right for someone to possess a handgun in their home. In other words, its a home-bound right. Also, that one only needs an FID to possess a handgun in the home. The Commonwealth has also grudgingly conceded that stun guns, etc. are included. But that's another conversation......
 
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