Governor Healey Champions Easing Hunting Regulations

On Thursday, Gov. Maura Healey endorsed plans to modernize hunting laws across Massachusetts as part of an effort to better manage the deer herd.

Speaking to a crowd of hunters and wildlife officials in Falmouth, Governor Healey unveiled plans to lift the longstanding Sunday hunting ban, allow all licensed hunters to use crossbows, and reduce setbacks for archery. The plan is part of a larger effort to stop the spread of tick borne illnesses caused in part by the expanding deer population.

“We don’t want anyone telling us what we can do in our free time if we can help it,” Governor Healey said about lifting the Sunday hunting ban.

The announcement comes after a recommendation from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), which held several public listening sessions to gauge the public’s reaction to the three statutes.

It received over 11,000 comments — a majority in favor of increased hunting access, but did hear some pushback regarding lifting the Sunday hunting ban. Many hikers said they valued feeling safe to walk in the woods on Sundays.

During Thursday’s event, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health also announced it would begin monitoring cases of alpha-gal syndrome, a life-threatening disease spread by the lone star tick, by allowing healthcare providers and laboratories to report cases directly to the department. The measure is a data-driven approach to help officials gain a clearer understanding of where alpha-gal is prevalent and help clinicians make diagnoses.

“It will allow us to support clinicians in recognizing and diagnosing the condition,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein.

“It’s a really big deal,” agreed Virginia Barbatti, executive director of Tick Free MV.

Governor Healey said she will propose amending the three hunting statutes when filing her upcoming supplemental budget. It will still require legislative approval.

She called for the complete removal of the Sunday hunting ban, which has been in effect since the colonial era as a relic of the Blue Laws.

“We stopped burning women at the stake and we allowed people to drink alcohol, but we still have a Sunday ban on hunting,” Governor Healey said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Massachusetts currently requires hunters to have a medical waiver stating a permanent disability in order to operate a crossbow. Governor Healey called for the removal of the restriction, which would enable the universal use of crossbows for all licensed hunters.

Crossbows operate by pulling a hand-crank lever which requires less physical strength than a traditional compound bow.

“These are all safe and ethical hunting tools and they increase access to hunting for all people,” Governor Healey said.

Setback limits for bow hunting would be reduced from 500 feet of a dwelling to 250 feet. Governor Healey said it could open up thousands of acres of land to hunting across the state.

During the recent public comment period, nearly 100 Vineyarders weighed-in on the proposed changes. Some Island residents raised safety concerns about lifting the Sunday ban and easing setbacks, but most Vineyarders who participated were in favor of making hunting less restrictive.

Brian Athearn, founder of the Martha’s Vineyard hunt club, was in Falmouth on Thursday and told the Gazette he thinks the plans will help manage the Island’s overgrown deer herd.

“This is a massive, massive accomplishment,” Mr. Athearn said. “I’m very excited.”

The Island’s tick biologist Patrick Roden-Reynolds, who is a hunter and runs the Agricultural Society deer locker, was also in attendance. He said he feels like he’s been fighting for these changes for years. He said getting the deer numbers down will help efforts to reduce tick populations on the Island.

“If you remove a lot of the deer, which are overabundant, you remove the chance of ticks to be successful and reproduce,” he said.

Rep. Thomas Moakley said on Thursday tick borne illnesses have been a “silent menace” that Vineyarders know better than anyone. He said Governor Healey’s announcement was exciting because it demonstrated a commitment to help.

“This shows that Massachusetts’ top elected official is taking that seriously, which is a huge step forward,” Rep. Moakley said.

This article appears in March 20, 2026.