rallip

I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to reply b/c I don't want the messages to stop coming in. But thanks for the info. gentlemen, now I'm starting to think late season bow hunts again. To this point I have not had my bow, or any hunting equipment with me, but am seriously thinking of heading to pa for a few days to pick it up. Would love to hear some more information if you have some. Also wouldn't mind seeing some pics! Thanks again guys!!!

bbahunter

MAJAY, gave you excellent advice!
I primarily hunt central mass. The hunting is good but, not as many deer as zones 10-11
or the islands.
There is more public land availible in this area, as is wildlife management areas.
In wma's, you need to make hunting pressure work in your favor, by knowing where other hunters are.
In bow season, the wma's don't have too much pressure, but gun season they do, and that is when you make the pressure work in your favor.
As PhilJ said, there are very good quality bucks, as i can attest to.
Good luck,Brian

Phil J.

Here's a couple photo's for you rallip, they are the two best bucks I've taken from SE Mass. in recent years, I'm pretty happy with them. Would like to take one like this every season but doesn't always happen, but I usually see or have a shot opportunity at least once every season at a buck with spread 14-18" and tines 6" or greater.

My best luck with getting permission to hunt private land is through someone I know, I have 2 great pieces of private properties that I hunt and both where through someone, the knocking on doors doesn't work worth a crap. But you might have to start out on public land before you find private, just try to get into the areas that other guys overlook or won't go, the nastier the better.

Phil J.

This photo is a buck I took this bow season, really happy with him. I had a bigger buck peg me in the tree right before drawing back a week before I took this one, there are good bucks out there, just locate the areas with good genetics and you'll be all set.

Flairball

I too live in Boston, so I understand your frustration. The advice MAJay sent you is right on the money. You don't have to go far from Boston to find nice deer, but you might have a hard time finding nice land owners.

I think you might try the area east of the Quabbin a nice area. Don't over look the WMAs for bow hunting opportunities, but be aware that some are stocked with birds.

If you don't mind driving a bit farther there is a lot of nice area in the foot hills of the Berkshire hill, and the Conn river valley.If you plan to head out that way I would say from Northampton just drive west on rt 9 and randomly drive some side roads looking for un-posted property.

Other options would be to hunt out of state. N.H. is less than an hour away, and has lots of space. I would recomend the southwest corner of the state, near Keane. Also, Ct. is a great deer hunting state. This is where I deer hunt. There is a lot of public land which is bow only, and there are a lot of deer. The only draw back to Ct is that you need written permission to hunt private land, and that isn't easy to get. Harder to get than in Mass. However, you just might find that as your dragging a deer to your car, or having a cup of coffee on your way home with the deer on the roof of your car that some local will start talking to you, and next thing you know, you have permission.

Anyway, good luck.