Why It Matters: As the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has covered on many occasions, Massachusetts and Maine remain the only two states in the country with an outright ban on Sunday hunting. On March 19, 2026, Governor Maura Healey, flanked by agency brass and even renowned conservationist Jeff Corwin of The Corwin Experience and Animal Planet fame, announced that her administration seeks to repeal the long-standing prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Bay State. This would, in effect, double the number of huntable days for Massachusetts’s resident hunters and hard-working families that are limited to weekends to go afield.
Highlights:
- In a public address held at the Francis A. Crane Wildlife Area, Governor Maura Healey announced her plans to introduce legislation to remove the current ban on Sunday hunting in Massachusetts.
- That same announcement included expressed support for full crossbow inclusion and adjusting hunting discharge setbacks to roughly half of their current distances, which would represent a significant expansion of hunting access throughout the state.
- The move comes as White-tailed deer population numbers remain extremely high and well out of managers’ goals. Currently, there are over 100 deer per square mile in some areas of the state according to MassWildlife’s recent estimates.
In a welcomed and somewhat unexpected turn of events, Massachusetts is now in the closest position to a full repeal of their Sunday hunting ban than ever before in the state’s history. After months of public hearings and over 11,000 comments submitted, with the majority of them in support of the repeal, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced their intention to introduce legislation to repeal the long-standing and antiquated prohibition, dating back to Massachusetts’s blue laws and one of the last remaining laws associated with the outdated standard in the nation.
As Governor Healey presented her plans at a “star-studded” presser, she cited multiple reasons motivating her administration to bring about these important updates to wildlife management in the Bay State. From the obvious need to rescind Sunday hunting prohibitions to become current with most of the country and certainly neighboring states, to public health concerns surrounding tick born illness such as Lyme Disease spread to humans via the deer tick and carried by whitetail deer and the white footed mouse, and most recently, the alarming rise in the cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome, an allergy to meat essentially (though individual cases vary), brought about by the Lone Star tick, carried by whitetail deer. Governor Healey, citing the public health threat, recognizes hunters’ role in wildlife management and seeks to maximize their presence throughout the state.
Governor Healey’s first acknowledgement was to the sportsmen and women and how the sporting-conservation community benefits the state. “Hunting is a longstanding tradition that supports local economies, helps manage wildlife populations, and puts food on the table for families. It’s time we update our laws to reflect today’s needs,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We know many Massachusetts residents travel to other states on Sundays to hunt, and we want them to be able to gather with friends and family here. By modernizing these rules, we can give wildlife experts better tools to manage our ecosystems and public health while expanding opportunities for people across Massachusetts to go outside and take part in this time-honored tradition.”
Massachusetts Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair, Sen. Peter Durant, had this to say about the proposals: “I am pleased to see that new hunting regulations are being brought to the forefront and that some of these proposals mimic bills I have filed in support of sportsmen and women in Central and Western Mass. Outside of Route 128, and more so in my district, hunting is a way of life for many. It is a tradition that helps to feed families and control animal populations. This reduces deforestation, lessens wildlife over-population, and starvation and decreases negative human-wildlife interactions.”
Sasha Dyer, Fisheries and Wildlife Board Member said this in relation to the process that got leadership to their current position and how these changes will affect her personally: “As a busy mother who spent years juggling my children’s sporting schedules, while fighting the strong desire to be in the woods, this is a giant step in the right direction for the hunting community in Massachusetts.” Dyer continued: “A tremendous amount of work went into gathering public input, and the staff at MassWildlife did an outstanding job evaluating over 11,000 comments. The feedback from conservationists across the state was articulate and clear that hunting opportunities should be expanded. I look forward to working with the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the legislature to see that these recommendations become law. If this moves forward, busy working families across the state will finally have much-needed time to share their outdoor passions and traditions with their children.”
CSF looks forward to supporting and working alongside the Governor and her staff, the Massachusetts Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, and our in-state and national partners to shepherd in these long-overdue changes to wildlife management and hunter access in the Bay State. Should these updates become law, Maine, known for its vast wild spaces, incredible outdoor recreation, amazing wildlife, and world-class sporting opportunities, would be the last “NO Sunday Hunting State” left standing.