Blue Hills Deer Hunt 2017 Dates

MILTON, MA – The Blue Hills Reservation deer hunt returns for its third year in November, with a broader scope than in years past. The hunt was first implemented by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Fish and Game in 2015 to control the deer population on the reservation. Hunting had previously been outlawed on the land.

According to Department of Conservation and Recreation statistics, 58 deer were killed during last year's four-day hunt, including 27 fawns. The DCR estimates that the hunt resulted in 98 fewer deer on the reservation this past spring, including the number of potential young that may have been added to the herd.

This year, the hunt will include 75 archery hunters on 790 acres of land and 133 shotgun hunters on 4,026 acres of land. According to the Boston Globe, this is the second year that archery hunters will be included in the hunt.

Last year, 15 archers were permitted to hunt on 226 acres of land, and 117 shotgun hunters were allotted 3,495 acres, the Globe reported.

Archery hunters will be allowed to hunt Mon.-Thurs. from Nov. 6-22. The shotgun hunt will take place on Nov. 28, Nov. 30, Dec. 5 and Dec. 7.

The DCR and the Department of Fish and Game will hold a public meeting about the deer population and the hunt on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Milton High School auditorium, 25 Gile Road.

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