State: MA

Why It Matters: On February 3rd, Massachusetts will conclude a listening tour that consisted of three in-person and two virtual meetings to discuss eliminating the ban on Sunday hunting, allowing all hunters to use crossbows during archery seasons, and reducing archery hunting discharge distances to align more with neighboring states. These three provisions would have an immense impact on both hunting access and opportunities and will help with the state’s recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts.  Highlights:  Maine and Massachusetts…

Why It Matters: On November 13, 2025, Massachusetts’ Office of Public Safety and Security (OPSS) released their fourth guidance letter to help citizens navigate the complexities and confusion of last year’s omnibus gun law, Chapter 135. In just over a year’s time, OPSS has published 39 points in an attempt to clarify and explain the…

Why It Matters: On October 21, 2025, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hearing featuring 55 bills, many of which would have a substantial impact on sportsmen and women’s access and opportunities, both in potentially good and bad ways. At least six bills addressed opening Sunday Hunting, multiple bills want…

Why It Matters: On September 29th, 2025,  H 3082– an act establishing an excise tax on guns and ammunition was heard by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue. This proposed law would add a 4.75% excise tax on firearms and ammunition to explicitly fund “community-based public health interventions and research to prevent gun violence; and…

Why it Matters: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides important hunting and fishing opportunities across the country. Despite the importance that FWS lands, particularly through the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) and the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS), play for sportsmen and women, there are often inconsistencies between state and federal regulations, as…

Why It Matters: On Tuesday, July 22nd, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held a hearing on nearly 40 bills, two of which are designed to provide free hunting and fishing licenses to 100% disabled veterans at “free or no cost” (House Bill 3819 and House Bill 3858). Although intended to provide…

Why It Matters: Massachusetts House Bill 903, was introduced into the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources this past month. This legislation would authorize the establishment of old growth forest reserves on state-owned lands – which include “old growth forests” plus vaguely defined “buffer areas” where sustainable forestry and wildlife habitat improvement practices would be…

Why It Matters: On February 10th, the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife (Mass Wildlife) concluded a public comment period to help manage black bear populations in the commonwealth. Agency staff presented a detailed map and timeline of black bear population growth which has grown from isolated areas in the northwest of the Commonwealth and…

Why It Matters: In July of 2024, Massachusetts passed a new omnibus gun law which consisted of 116-pages of confusing regulations on firearm ownership and possession in the Commonwealth. In response, citizen groups attempted to bring the new law to the 2026 general ballot with a petition process. However, on October 2nd, the Governor signed…

Why It Matters: Each year, legislators look at ways to recognize and thank certain qualified individuals/groups by providing free and/or discounted licenses for hunting, fishing, and trapping. While this is well-intended, such legislation has the potential to reap deteriorative effects on the fish and wildlife agencies’ budgets. To prevent the loss of sportsmen-generate dollars for…

Why It Matters: On July 25, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed into law an omnibus firearms package. This bill was ultimately passed by the House and Senate as House Bill (HB 4885) – An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws. Behind closed doors, HB 4885 was whittled down to 116 pages which significantly impact Massachusetts firearm…