Quail Hunting Season in Massachusetts: Dates, Limits, and Where to Hunt
October 21, 2026
Quail hunting season in Massachusetts is a stocked-bird game, not a wild-covey hunt. Bobwhites disappeared from the Bay State’s fields decades ago, so the birds you chase today are released by MassWildlife or by private preserves. That changes how you plan a trip, and it makes knowing the rules even more important.
This article walks you through the season dates, bag limits, permits, legal methods, shooting hours, and the places you can hunt. Official rules can change from year to year, so confirm anything time-sensitive with MassWildlife before you head out.
Important Note: Sources disagree on the 2026 quail zones and closing date. Third-party summaries list zones 1 through 14, while MassWildlife’s own 2025 page and the state regulation list zones 11 through 14. Check the current MassWildlife season summary before you pick a hunting spot.
Quail Hunting Season Dates in Massachusetts
The season is built around a simple formula. Under the state regulation, bobwhite quail may be hunted from the first Saturday after Columbus Day to December 31. For 2026, that Saturday is October 17.
One third-party tracker that read MassWildlife’s 2026 season summary reports a season of October 17, 2026 to December 31, 2026, closed during the shotgun deer season from November 30 to December 12, 2026. Treat those closure dates as something to verify, since the same site’s summary text also shows a different quail end date elsewhere on the page.
For reference, MassWildlife’s 2025 quail page listed zones 11 through 14, October 18 to December 31, 2025. The agency also notes that all dates are inclusive, hunting is prohibited on Sundays, and quail hunting is closed during the shotgun deer season.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opening day | First Saturday after Columbus Day (October 17 in 2026) |
| Closing day | December 31 |
| Pause in season | Shotgun deer season |
| Sunday hunting | Not allowed |
| Winter bonus season | January 1 to March 31 by free permit on select WMAs |
If you also hunt big game, plan around the deer calendar. Our Massachusetts deer hunting season guide shows when the shotgun window falls.
Quail Species You Can Hunt in Massachusetts
The only quail you can legally hunt here is the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). It is a small, round-bodied gamebird that holds tight for a pointing dog and flushes in a burst. The regulation refers specifically to bobwhite quail.
Wild bobwhites are gone from the state. The quail hunted in Massachusetts today are a mix of birds released for dog training and the roughly 4,000 birds MassWildlife stocks each year. One upland-hunting outlook rates the opportunity as fair and very localized, concentrated around the two stocking locations.
Pheasants share the same permit and season framework, so you will often see both species discussed together. If you want more upland variety, our Massachusetts dove hunting season article covers another bird option.
Quail Bag and Possession Limits in Massachusetts
Limits are generous compared with the small number of stocked birds. According to MassWildlife’s quail regulations page, the limit is 4 per day and 8 in possession, with no season limit.
That “no season limit” language is new. MassWildlife’s earlier regulation proposal called for creating the pheasant/quail permit and eliminating seasonal bag limits. Older web pages that mention a one-bird daily limit or a spring-long season are out of date and should be ignored.
| Limit Type | Quail |
|---|---|
| Daily bag | 4 |
| Possession | 8 |
| Season limit | None |
| Harvest reporting | Not required for pheasant; check the quail page for quail |
Pro Tip: Birds taken on a licensed commercial shooting preserve are handled differently under the permit rule, so keep your preserve receipts with your game in case a warden asks.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Quail in Massachusetts
You need two things for stocked quail: a base license and the pheasant/quail permit. The permit is required for all hunters aged 15 or older, including falconers, to hunt, take, or possess pheasants or bobwhite quail, except for birds from licensed commercial shooting preserves.
The base license depends on residency:
- Massachusetts residents: a hunting or sporting license plus the Pheasant/Quail Permit.
- Non-residents: a small game or big game license plus the Pheasant/Quail Permit.
- Hunting only on a licensed commercial shooting preserve: a resident or non-resident license, or a special 1-day preserve license.
As for cost, one 2026 summary lists the permit at $20 for residents and $30 for nonresidents, with a $5 Wildlands Conservation Stamp. Fees change, so confirm them at checkout through MassFishHunt. First-time hunters must also pass a hunter education course before getting a license.
Our Massachusetts hunting license requirements page breaks down license types in more detail. If you are comparing states, the New Hampshire deer season guide shows how a neighboring state structures its licensing.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Quail Hunting in Massachusetts
Your choices are straightforward. You may hunt bobwhite quail only with a bow and arrow or a shotgun or muzzleloading shotgun no larger than ten gauge. Rifles and handguns are not legal for quail.
The regulation also gives a shot-size cap for pheasant, which MassWildlife lists as no larger than #1 birdshot. Most quail hunters go far smaller anyway. One regional outfitter suggests #7.5 or #8 loads for quail and woodcock, which suits close flushes.
- Choose a 20- or 12-gauge shotgun with an open choke for close-flushing birds.
- Load small shot, such as #7.5 or #8, and stay well under the legal size cap.
- If you bowhunt, confirm your archery equipment meets state rules; crossbows need a permit.
- Wear blaze orange. A blaze orange cap is required by law on pheasant and quail stocked WMAs.
A trained dog makes the hunt. A pointer or flushing breed will find tight-holding birds that you would walk past.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Quail in Massachusetts
The clock is simple. Hunting hours begin at sunrise and end at sunset. There is no half-hour-before-sunrise window, so check a sunrise and sunset table before you leave the truck.
Sunday is off limits. MassWildlife states that hunting is prohibited on Sundays. That means a single-weekend trip really gives you only one legal day, which matters if you are driving in from another state.
The one exception is the winter program, and even it excludes the day of rest. The special winter gamebird season runs January 1 through March 31 annually, excluding Sundays.
Quail Hunting on Public Land and Hunting Preserves in Massachusetts
Public-land quail hunting comes down to two places. MassWildlife stocks bobwhite quail at Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth and Francis Crane WMA in Falmouth. Stocking runs from the Saturday after Columbus Day to the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Because stocking schedules shift, MassWildlife warns that equipment failure, personnel, weather, or high water can change the schedule. Call the district office or check the agency’s stocked-area page before you drive.
Winter Permit Hunts on Select WMAs
If you want to hunt after the regular season, there is a program for you. Licensed hunters may apply for a free 1-day permit to privately purchase, release, and hunt pheasants or bobwhite quail on select WMAs from January through March. Permits are first-come, first-served, with no stocking or bag limits.
Commercial Shooting Preserves
Licensed preserves are the other path. As noted above, you can hunt them with a base license or a 1-day preserve license, without the pheasant/quail permit. Preserves often run longer seasons and can guarantee birds, so they suit beginners and anyone training a young dog.
Key Insight: Plan around the stocking dates, not just the season dates. A WMA may be open but empty of quail if the truck has not made its delivery yet.
If you are building a Massachusetts hunting calendar, our guides to turkey hunting season and bear hunting season help you stack trips across the fall. For official dates and zone maps, always start with MassWildlife’s quail hunting regulations page.