Bear season in Massachusetts runs from September 7 through December 12, 2026, divided into three segments with different legal weapons in each.1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations All 14 wildlife management zones are open, and Sunday hunting is prohibited statewide for the entire season.
2026 Season Dates and Legal Weapons
The three segments and what you can carry in each:1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations
- September 7 – October 3: archery, rifles .23 caliber or larger, and muzzleloaders.
- October 5 – November 28: archery, rifles .23 caliber or larger, and muzzleloaders.
- November 30 – December 12: shotguns no larger than 10 gauge firing slugs only (buckshot is prohibited), plus muzzleloaders. This segment overlaps with shotgun deer season.
Dates are inclusive, but Sunday hunting is illegal in Massachusetts, which effectively removes several days from each segment. Legal hunting hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations
Where You Can Hunt
Every one of the state’s 14 wildlife management zones is open for bear hunting.1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations That said, the population of roughly 4,500 bears is concentrated in the western and central parts of the state, living and breeding from the Berkshires east through Worcester County and into northern Middlesex County.2Mass.gov. Learn About Black Bears Zones 1 through 4 in the Berkshires and the Connecticut River Valley hold the highest densities. Bears have been expanding eastward, which is why MassWildlife keeps the whole state open rather than restricting the hunt to western zones.
License and Permit You Need
Two things are required: a valid Massachusetts hunting license and a separate bear permit. Both are sold through the MassFishHunt online system.3Mass.gov. Hunting Licenses, Permits, and Stamps Anyone 15 or older needs a license, and first-time buyers age 18 or older must complete a Basic Hunter Education course before they can purchase one. Hunters who held a license in any state before January 1, 2007 are exempt, and out-of-state hunter education certificates are accepted.4Mass.gov. Who Needs Basic Hunter Education
2026 fees:5Mass.gov. License Types and Fees
- Resident hunting license: $40
- Non-resident big game hunting license: $112
- Resident bear permit: $10
- Non-resident bear permit: $30
- Wildlands Conservation Stamp: $5 (added to the first resident license of the year and to all non-resident licenses)
A resident’s full bear-hunting package comes to about $55.6Mass.gov. MassWildlife Fee Schedule 2022-2026 No one under age 12 may hunt in Massachusetts, and additional rules govern hunters ages 12 through 17.7Mass.gov. Hunting Information for Minors
Core Rules in the Field
One bear per calendar year, statewide.8Legal Information Institute. Massachusetts Code 321 CMR 3.02(1) – Hunting of Bear Baiting is illegal, and Massachusetts interprets bait broadly to include lures, scents, and cover scents. Hunting bears with dogs is also prohibited.1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations
During the third segment, which overlaps with shotgun deer season, you must wear at least 500 square inches of blaze orange on your chest, back, and head. The same rule applies if you hunt bear on Youth Deer Hunt Day or during the paraplegic deer hunt.1Mass.gov. Black Bear Hunting Regulations A blaze orange hat is also required on any wildlife management area stocked with pheasant or quail during those bird seasons.9Mass.gov. Wear Blaze Orange During Hunting Season
State law also forbids leaving a wounded or dead bear in the field without a reasonable retrieval effort, and the animal must stay in someone’s possession until processed for food, taxidermy, or pelt use.10Legal Information Institute. Massachusetts Code 321 CMR 2.17 – Prohibition on the Waste of Certain Game
Reporting Your Harvest
Fill out the harvest tag from your bear permit immediately after the kill and attach it to the carcass. The bear must remain intact apart from field dressing, with the tag attached, until you report it and have it processed.11Mass.gov. Report Your Black Bear Harvest
You have 48 hours to report. Online reporting through MassFishHunt is the fastest route; an official check station also works.11Mass.gov. Report Your Black Bear Harvest
Penalties for Violations
For each bear unlawfully killed or possessed, fines run from $1,000 to $5,000, with up to six months in jail, or both.12General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 131 Section 90 The court also orders $500 in restitution per bear to the Commonwealth, or $1,000 per bear if the animal meets trophy standards under a professional scoring organization. A conviction can cost you your hunting license. Lesser violations of hunting regulations carry fines of $200 to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.