Zone 1, Massachusetts

Rugged Taconic and Berkshire mountain terrain with hardwood-dominated ridges (oak, beech, maple), mixed conifer pockets, and river valley bottoms draining to the Housatonic and Deerfield Rivers. Elevations range from roughly 600 ft in valley floors to over 3,000 ft on the Taconic crest. Thick second-growth cover with abundant mast production creates ideal deer and bear habitat. Heavy snowpack in winter concentrates deer in lower south-facing slopes and hemlock benches.

low-moderate

Antlered deer: statewide license includes 2 antlered deer tags. Antlerless deer require a zone-specific Antlerless Deer Permit (ADP), applied for annually by July 16 deadline via MassFishHunt portal; results available August 1. Zone 1 historically has moderate ADP availability reflecting managed herd goals in the mountainous western terrain; surplus ADPs go on sale in late September. All harvested deer must be reported within 48 hours; deer taken during the first shotgun week require physical check-station submission. No Sunday hunting.

DEER: Archery season Oct 5 - Nov 28 (2026); Shotgun season Nov 30 - Dec 12; Primitive firearms (muzzleloader) Dec 14 - 31. Archery equipment legal during all seasons. Shotguns no larger than 10 gauge; rifled barrel shotguns legal. Muzzleloaders .44-.775 cal, 18-inch minimum barrel, single projectile only. Antlerless deer defined as no antlers or both antlers under 3 inches. TURKEY: Spring season April 27 - May 23 (youth day April 25); shooting hours sunrise to noon. Fall season Oct 5 - Nov 28; shooting hours sunrise to sunset. Spring bag limit 2 bearded birds; fall bag limit 1 turkey either sex. Zone 1 falls within Zones 1-13 framework allowing shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, and archery. BEAR: Zone 1 is one of 8 western Massachusetts zones open to bear hunting. Season Sept 7 - Dec 12 (2026); no Sunday hunting. Bag limit 1 bear per calendar year. Bear permit required in addition to hunting license. No dogs, no baiting. Berkshire County is the top bear county in Massachusetts with a growing population. Methods: archery, muzzleloader, shotgun, and (during applicable segments) rifle/handgun per statewide framework.

Premier black bear hunting zone (one of only 8 zones open to bear); highest bear density in Massachusetts. Excellent wild turkey hunting in spring and fall with abundant hardwood forest habitat. Large tracts of contiguous public land allow genuine backcountry deer hunting with low pressure relative to eastern Massachusetts zones. Mast-driven deer and bear movements in October create excellent archery overlap opportunities. The Berkshire mountain terrain rewards mobile hunters who scout pre-season glassing from agricultural edges in valley floors.