By Mike Roche

The shotgun deer hunting season in Massachusetts opens Monday. Last year, shotgun hunters during the two-week season took 5,823 deer. That compares to the archery total of 6,543 and the primitive arms total of 3,366. The bow season preceded shotgun season and primitive arms hunting begins the Monday after the close of shotgun season on Dec. 9. That will provide three weeks of hunting for those using muzzle-loading guns—both traditional black powder guns and modern inline rifles—through the end of December.

Hunters in both firearms seasons are required to wear 500 inches of hunter orange on their head, chest and back. Only bucks with at least one antler three inches in length or longer are legal game unless the hunter possesses a valid antlerless permit for the zone in which they are hunting. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset during this time of year, when the daylight hours are the shortest of the year with Dec. 21 being the shortest day each year.

Hunters need to work to keep the sport one of the safest activities as can be, which involves making sure of your target and being aware of your surroundings. As always, respect landowners and other users of open space, avoid litter and pick up any that you find. There are plenty of good, healthy deer in the woods and successful hunters can provide healthy venison for a lot of great meals.

Speaking of venison, MassWildlife’s Hunters Share the Harvest Program has proven to be an outlet for hunters to donate venison to Massachusetts families facing food insecurity. This new program has been a big success right from the start. With one month of deer season behind us, hunters have already donated hundreds of pounds of venison.

Since deer hunting season opened in early October, hunters across Massachusetts have already donated over 750 pounds of venison—equivalent to more than 3,000 meals—through Hunters Share the Harvest. With several weeks of deer hunting season remaining, this already impressive number will continue to grow. When MassWildlife launched the donation program as a pilot in 2022, hunters donated about 1,500 meals.

“The fact that we have already doubled the meals donated last year with two months of deer season remaining is incredible,” said MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa. “Hunters and the wildlife conservation community are making a big impact addressing food insecurity in Massachusetts.”

It is estimated that over 15% of Massachusetts households do not have access to sufficient food to meet their basic needs. So, donations of venison—an organic, lean source of protein—make a big difference. Donated meat from Hunters Share the Harvest is distributed through partnering food programs, including the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation’s Food4Vets.

“Fresh meat can be incredibly hard to source for our food pantry,” said Sarah Fecteau, chief financial officer for the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation. “The donated venison was very popular with our patrons last year. It means so much to our veterans and active-duty military families who can come and get fresh and healthy meat.”

Hunters Share the Harvest has expanded and now hunters can make donations at three approved processors. Hunters can donate a portion of their harvest or the entire deer. Those who donate their full deer pay no processing fee, and those who donate at least 15 pounds will receive a $50 discount on their processing fee.

“Hunters Share the Harvest is truly a win-win program,” said MassWildlife’s Deer Project Leader Martin Feehan. “Not only does it provide meals to those in need, but it is also helping our forests by reducing the impacts of overabundant deer and fostering growth of young tree saplings. Hunters play this important role of both conserving our forests and providing food to our communities.”

Even if you do not hunt, you can still help support the program with a monetary contribution, which covers processing and packaging costs. A $50 donation provides 75 servings of meat for families in need. Learn more about how you can help at https://tinyurl.com/4479xefd.

This hunter will not be donating, as any venison taken will first be used for traditional meat pies and then steaks and chops, plus burger for my famous venison beans and chili. The young buck harvested last year was a treat and hopefully this year yours truly can encounter a deer that meets my primary criteria. That would be a deer that is not too big and a short drag. My days of shooting a deer a mile from the road are over! As this writer has stated “Getting a limit of woodcock out of the wood is a lot easier than dragging a deer.”

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the MaharFish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, has been a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.