HomeMy Public PortalAboutHunting RegulationsHunting Regulations for the Town of Brewster
Introduction:
In response to a call for promoting hunting practices and reducing conflict-of-use issues, the Brewster
Sportsmen Committee was formed in the autumn of 2008 to help evaluate and update the Town of Brewster’s
hunting policies. This evaluation process took into account many factors such as parcel size, location, other uses
occurring on said parcels and their relationship and proximity to private property and housing. The committee’s
recommendations observed not only state mandatory setbacks but added extra precautions (such as no hunting
within 150 feet of marked walking or hiking trails, primitive arms hunting from tree stand only) in certain areas to
enhance public safety and comfort.
The members of this committee included hunters and non-hunters, representatives of the Town of Brewster
Police Department, and Natural Resources Department, and a state-certified hunter safety instructor along with life-
long residents of Brewster.
Regulations:
A. Hunting is prohibited on all town properties except as hereafter described.
B. Hunting on private property requires written permission of the owner or legal occupant.
C. Any hunting within the town requires a written permit (A.14, ATM 5/10/1976), which may be obtained at the
Town Clerk’s Office. The permit may be revoked at any time for any infraction of regulations.
D. The holder of a town hunting permit is responsible for knowing and following all state and town regulations and
for knowing and honoring the boundaries of the areas shown on the attached map.
E. Hunting is permitted on town-owned lands only as described below and on the attached maps:
1. General hunting is allowed in the Freeman’s Way Watershed, excluding a 300-foot radius around
wellsites and buildings in accordance with the Hunting Policy on Lands in the control of Brewster Water
Commissioners dated October 21, 2014 and the 2014-2015 Hunting on lands under the control of the
Brewster Conservation Commission Policy.
2. Hunting for deer and wild turkey with primitive arms (as defined by the Massachusetts Division of
Fisheries and Wildlife) and by archery is permitted in the Mother’s Bog tract of land west of Slough Road
and Glenwood Road, south of Pine View Drive and east of the Brewster-Dennis Town Line, identified on
Brewster Assessors’ Map 9, Parcels 14, 15, 16; and Map 10, Parcels 23, 24, 25, 26, 37 (formerly Map 38,
Parcels 59, 61, 93, 122, 123, 124; and Map 51, Parcels 1 & 2). See map for details.
a. In the areas designated for hunting with primitive arms and archery, such hunting shall be from
temporary tree stand only. Stands and steps shall not be fastened to the tree; ladder stands, strap-on
stands and climbing sticks are to be used. They may be in place not more than 20 days before and
20 days after the season.
b. In the areas designated for hunting with primitive arms and by archery, hunters must remain at
least 150 feet from a marked walking trail or any named road, and discharge of a modern shotgun
or rifle is prohibited.
F. Hunting for waterfowl on Town owned land is permitted as follows:
1. In and within 5 feet of the mean high water mark on Cape Cod Bay and in and within 5 feet of the mean
high water mark of coastal marshes on Cape Cod Bay.
2. In and within 5 feet of the mean high water mark on all great ponds (Blueberry, Canoe, Cobbs, Elbow,
Freemans, Grassy, Greenland, Griffith’s, Long, Lower Mill, Mud, Myricks, Pine, Rafe, Schoolhouse,
Seymour, Sheep, Slough, Small’s, Smith, Sol’s, Upper Mill, Walker). Not all these ponds have public
access points.
G. No rifles or handguns chambered larger than .22 Caliber rimfire may be used on town land. (This does not
apply to primitive arms.)