Nuisance Hunting in MA

[Delkancott]

Hello all,

I am a farm owner in MA and am curious if anyone here experience with nuisance hunting/degradation permits. I have spoken to MA Wildlife and understand the deer are not to be harvested, but was curious if any hunting rules applied to nuisance hunting. I know season does not, but can rifles be used instead of shotgun/bow/black powder?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Drix]

Better question for the hunting, trapping, and fishing sub forum I think.

 

[evalance]

Hello all,

I am a farm owner in MA and am curious if anyone here experience with nuisance hunting/degradation permits. I have spoken to MA Wildlife and understand the deer are not to be harvested, but was curious if any hunting rules applied to nuisance hunting. I know season does not, but can rifles be used instead of shotgun/bow/black powder?

Thanks in advance.

let me know if u have any issue with yotes, got 2 sets of nods and we met 1-2 years ago ^

In regards to MA wildlife, i think you're better off calling a EPO for ? about rifles especially since it wont be considered hunting

I am a pac agent and you get a lot of conflicting information from different employees

 

[Asaltweapon]

My neighbor has a farm. Deer are a no no out of season. Wild life killing live stock is a no no. They keep asking me to kill the dogs but only an owner or employee can do it.

 

[Delkancott]

My neighbor has a farm. Deer are a no no out of season. Wild life killing live stock is a no no. They keep asking me to kill the dogs but only an owner or employee can do it.

Can you elaborate on deer out of season are no no? From what I understand anything that is degrading your crops/livelihood is fair game.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Can you elaborate on deer out of season are no no? From what I understand anything that is degrading your crops/livelihood is fair game.

Not as I recall. I could very well be mis-remembering. I know the state was out when they first started and that was the end of it.
We are buried in deer here and the farm welcomes hunters in the season but it's an odd layout for setbacks from houses.

 

[reefdonkey]

Best use of "fair game" I've seen in a while.

 

[DJBrad]

Can you elaborate on deer out of season are no no? From what I understand anything that is degrading your crops/livelihood is fair game.

All your questions answered right here:

General Law - Part I, Title XIX, Chapter 131, Section 37

malegislature.gov

As long as it is you, your immediate family, or some employee you can kill or attempt to kill any nuisance animal (bird or mammal) as long as it is not against any local or federal laws. If you kill a nuisance deer you have to give it up to the game warden. It has to be damaging food crops, animals, etc., or other revenue producing things. Not grass.

 

[enbloc]

@FisherTech will know this answer stone cold. Great guy and Environmental resource; does not begin to scratch the surface...

 

[mac1911]

Not sure if this law is still standing?
MGL 131 section 37
i think the details are in the reporting of the dispatching of the game animal that was destroying your crops.
I know years ago my dad his buddies would go to a local field and take out some deer on farm.
The owner would go with them and have the deers tagged. Then off to the butcher. That was 25 plus years ago.

 

[DJBrad]

Not sure if this law is still standing?
MGL 131 section 37
i think the details are in the reporting of the dispatching of the game animal that was destroying your crops.
I know years ago my dad his buddies would go to a local field and take out some deer on farm.
The owner would go with them and have the deers tagged. Then off to the butcher. That was 25 plus years ago.

Still live. Posted right above.

 

[DJBrad]

Also section 37 does not limit any other section of Ch.131.

 

[FisherTech]

Not sure if this law is still standing?
MGL 131 section 37
i think the details are in the reporting of the dispatching of the game animal that was destroying your crops.
I know years ago my dad his buddies would go to a local field and take out some deer on farm.
The owner would go with them and have the deers tagged. Then off to the butcher. That was 25 plus years ago.

You are correct! The folks at the Div. of Fakers and Wankers need to read their own laws. I suggest that you get that Chapter and Section, and read it.

 

[MudMuppet]

Call the EPOs, they usually ask if you have let people hunt it in season and if the number of deer has decreased since doing so, if you say you have had hunters and deer numbers haven’t changed they usually issue the depredation permit. Years ago it was trickier they made people use deer fences before issuing and make people prove loss of crops/landscaping

 

[DJBrad]

You are correct! The folks at the Div. of Fakers and Wankers need to read their own laws. I suggest that you get that Chapter and Section, and read it.

Can’t keep the deer anymore. Gotta give it up.

 

[FisherTech]

Okay, Then leave the deer where it lies and tell The Fakers and Wankers where it is. It will quickly spoil and those idiots won't be able to eat it themselves.
Another thing you can do is jam a knife in the paunch and that destroys the meat.

I will had been off the job 11 years come this January, I had no use for those a**holes then and have no use for them now.

 

[DJBrad]

Okay, Then leave the deer where it lies and tell The Fakers and Wankers where it is. It will quickly spoil and those idiots won't be able to eat it themselves.

Concealed is concealed, right? Same principle really.

 

[Delkancott]

Also section 37 does not limit any other section of Ch.131.

Not sure I follow this

Call the EPOs, they usually ask if you have let people hunt it in season and if the number of deer has decreased since doing so, if you say you have had hunters and deer numbers haven’t changed they usually issue the depredation permit. Years ago it was trickier they made people use deer fences before issuing and make people prove loss of crops/landscaping

Reading theMGL posted above it seems like a degradation permit is only needed for trapping. Unless I’m misreading it.
@FisherTech am I limited to calibers or traditional hunting seasons? I read it as not being so but am clearly unsure.

 

[DJBrad]

Not sure I follow this



Reading theMGL posted above it seems like a degradation permit is only needed for trapping. Unless I’m misreading it.
@FisherTech am I limited to calibers or traditional hunting seasons? I read it as not being so but am clearly unsure.

Meaning the other sections of Chapter 131 are still in force. No rifles on deer. You would be limited to shotgun slugs or sabots from a rifled shotgun barrel, archery, or smoke pole. Best option is to ask the epo’s.

 

[FisherTech]

Can’t keep the deer anymore. Gotta give it up.

Not sure I follow this



Reading theMGL posted above it seems like a degradation permit is only needed for trapping. Unless I’m misreading it.
@FisherTech am I limited to calibers or traditional hunting seasons? I read it as not being so but am clearly unsure.

You are not hunting!! So the hunting regs. do not apply.

 

[DJBrad]

You are not hunting!! So the hunting regs. do not apply.

Hmm, then maybe any other method other than poisoning or trapping would be good then? A cudgel or club?

 

[tuna]

I used to do wildlife depredation for Barnes Airport in Westfield.
The permit was issued by USDA. The airport manager did the paperwork and payment, I just hunted when I was supposed to be working.
I was allowed to kill anything that was a safety of flight risk; coyote, deer, geese, turkey - not to mention small birds. I was NOT allowed to take the kill. The permit said the animal had to be buried, burned, or donated to a science institution. (BBQ does not count as burned. Guys in the unit were mad that I didn’t butcher the deer I shot, but I’m not risking my guns and fishing license on a deer.)
I could use any firearm I wanted, but had to use steel shot on migratory waterfowl. Even non migratory Canada geese.
Stupid rules, but what do you expect between the military, FAA and USDA.

 

[AHM]

I could use any firearm I wanted, but had to use steel shot on migratory waterfowl. Even non migratory Canada geese.
Stupid rules, but what do you expect between the military, FAA and USDA.

That was so the wounded ones showed up on radar.

 

[whacko]

Hello all,

I am a farm owner in MA and am curious if anyone here experience with nuisance hunting/degradation permits. I have spoken to MA Wildlife and understand the deer are not to be harvested, but was curious if any hunting rules applied to nuisance hunting. I know season does not, but can rifles be used instead of shotgun/bow/black powder?

Thanks in advance.

The deer won't be a no no the Monday after Thanksgiving! You should let some people hunt your property.

 

[Mesatchornug]

The deer won't be a no no the Monday after Thanksgiving! You should let some people hunt your property.

I was going to say, archery starts Monday right? Probably could get some folks in there to help pretty quickly with a little notice.

 

[whacko]

I was going to say, archery starts Monday right? Probably could get some folks in there to help pretty quickly with a little notice.

I was gonna try to save the offer for the shotgun guys but oh well.

 

[Mesatchornug]

I was gonna try to save the offer for the shotgun guys but oh well.

As a newb and a shotgun guy (at least until I'm more comfortable) I thank you. But if he's dealing with nuisance animals and his livelihood, it seemed like a faster answer would be better

 

[whacko]

As a newb and a shotgun guy (at least until I'm more comfortable) I thank you. But if he's dealing with nuisance animals and his livelihood, it seemed like a faster answer would be better

I was just joking.

 

[Mesatchornug]

I was just joking.

I was pretty sure

Serious question...would that count as baiting?

 

[whacko]

I was pretty sure

Serious question...would that count as baiting?

O na farm? Not if the crops are on the ground from the planting etc.......I know guys that hunt apple orchards during bow season and it's not considered baiting.