Massachusetts where is public land near Worcester?

[Tedd]

Are there any decent chunks of public land near Worcester for bow hunting? (assuming private would be too involved to get access)
My daughter will be going to college at Holy Cross. Maybe I'll be able to sneak a hunt in during visits?
I'm from Pennsylvania and have no familiarity with Massachusetts hunting.
TD

[lbshooter]

There is a fairly large track of public land that I haven't hunted but see deer on the road frequenly.  It is the Douglas State Forest.  From Worcester take 395 South, to the Webster,  Rt 16 exit. Go east heading for the town of Douglas about 5 miles or so and there is parking access right off the road.  It's less than  a half an hour away from Worcester. Archery season runs from mid October to Thanksgiving weekend.

[Tedd]

Thank you. Is the deer hunting in Mass good overall?
Tedd

[JMSmithy]

Hey Tedd

Congrats!  HC class of '89 here!

Yes there are a few places. I belonged to a private club my last two years out in Leominster but I don't remember the name. They did offer 7 day "memberships" at the time.  There is, or at least was, a fair amount of public land around Quabbin Reservoir as well..    And a lot of land hour or so west towards the Berkshires.  Good luck!  

Last season on way to Maine my son and I stopped and got great pic of him in front of HC main gate on College Street.  Good luck to your daughter.  She'll love it.  Feel free to zap me if she (or Mom/Dad) have any questions.

[Tedd]

Thank you IBshooter. It's maybe a little optimistic that I get a chance to hunt it. But then again, every once in a while things work out. I have had some crazy luck first time in public land in the past.

[Tedd]

JM thank you! Berkshires,sounds like I need to take a drive there. Did you ever get to hunt while going to school? Probably too busy? I'm guessing hunting isn't a common hobby at HC? BTW...Everyone who was at HC or knew someone who went there keeps saying what you said. "She will love it"!
Maybe if I stretch it, you could say there is a small correlation between my archery hunting/shooting and my daughter attending Holy Cross. Just maybe she picked up on practice ethic, no short cuts, fundamental way of doing things. She was lucky to be recruited and will be playing basketball on a full scholarship. When she was young I would relate and compare instinctive shooting a bow with shooting a basketball as well as pride in hunting the right way. (I never played so I there wasn't much else I could help with). Her strengths while being recruited where always fundamentals and character. We still practice at the same times. I'm shooting my bow, she shoots the ball. We compare misses and frustrations and concentration as well as the good shots.
Tedd

[Tajue17]

wow not only do we share the same name but we may be hunting close to one another...  

but yeah theres some areas out there, if she's bow hunting I'd recommend more towards the coast and south shore I hunt Zone 11 and usually get 2 or 3 each season..  Plus I hunt nearby RI too we have some decent bow spots down there..  but if anyone is gun hunting its tough because by the time that season opens the deer out there are all tucked in close behind the houses and you will really need to put in some scouting time to find that bedding area.  

the gunners here push the woods hard too!  I don't even bother hunting during shotgun I head out of state to Bow only areas..

Pm me and we can stay in touch and I can help out with where she wants to hunt, theres a few other folks from Mass here too that may chime in.

anyway Mass is small if you visit I say head south to Z11 during bow, meet up with me and see what happens.

[Tedd]

17 My daughter doesn't hunt. Not yet anyhow. I'm going to check out these places.
Thanks,

[fisherick]

You might want to check out Leominster state forest and Barre Falls WMA, two good areas which is not far from Worcester. Big areas with lots of room to roam.

[lbshooter]

Originally posted by Tedd:
Thank you. Is the deer hunting in Mass good overall?
Tedd

As is typical of most NE states the whitetail, turkey , and coyote populations have grown radically in the 30 years I have lived here.  While the bulk of the bucks shot are 1.5-2 year olds, there are some very good sized bucks taken each year. Saw a 16pt nontypical at the local check station that scored over 200, and weighed 210 dressed,  on public land by my daughters house three years ago.  My buddy shot 2 140+ class whitetails over the past couple of years on private property, and I had a similar sized buck my wife and I watched in my small field this past fall.....on a Sunday morning of course. I live about 30 minutes from Worcester. bow hunting pressure is fortunately light here in Mass.  Forget shotgun season on public land if you value your skin.

[tippit]

I hunt private land in Concord & Carlisle.  Both towns have a fair amount of conservation land as I back up to a thousand arcres...my deer sanctuary.  Sudbury does offer bow hunting draws on their conservation land.