Massachusetts: Support Sunday Hunting, Archery Access & Crossbow Modernization in the Supplemental Budget

For generations, Massachusetts hunters have called for modern, science-based wildlife management that expands opportunity and upholds our outdoor traditions. That long-awaited moment is here.
 
Governor Maura Healey has filed a supplemental budget that includes three landmark provisions for the hunting community:
 
  1. Eliminating the Ban on Sunday Hunting
  2. Reducing Archery Setback Distances from 500 feet to 250 feet from occupied dwellings
  3. Expanding Access to Crossbows by removing the medical exemption requirement
 
This is a significant step forward--one that honors decades of advocacy. We are grateful to Governor Healey and her administration for recognizing that these antiquated statutes have been obstacles. They limited opportunities for resident hunters to be in the field, to connect with nature, to obtain food for the table, and to share outdoor traditions with friends and family. Just as importantly, the administration recognized these laws as obstacles to the Commonwealth's own conservation objectives. All too often, we see laws that take management control away from the experts we entrust to steward our natural resources. Returning proven conservation tools to their toolbox--by adding a weekend day, opening tens of thousands of new acres to archery, and expanding crossbow use--is how we support sound, science-based management that benefits wildlife and people.

This isn't just policy; it's about real opportunity. For the hunter living in the city, an extra weekend day means flexibility against traffic, logistics, and fading daylight. For families, it means a chance to pass on tradition on a day when schedules often align. For our wildlife managers, it means more effective tools to steward healthy game populations and habitats.

But now, the final step depends on us. These provisions must pass through the Massachusetts State House, and our legislators need to hear directly from the hunters and anglers they represent.