Ashfield Hawley Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 2
Ashfield Hawley Wildlife Management Area is 284 acres of MassWildlife land in Ashfield and Hawley (Franklin County), in Wildlife Management Zone 2. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 617 deer in Zone 2 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 2 parking areas for the property with room for about 5 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Ashfield Hawley WMA fact sheet. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).
MassWildlife (Fish and Game) landState forest and park land (DCR)Ashfield Hawley WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 284 acres (MassWildlife) |
|---|---|
| Town | Ashfield and Hawley |
| County | Franklin |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 2 |
| MassWildlife district | Western District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 2 lots, about 5 spaces |
| Deer taken in Zone 2, 2025 | 617 (492 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Hawley (2 mi), Ashfield (3 mi) and Plainfield (3 mi) |
What is Ashfield Hawley WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "The Ashfield Hawley WMA contains a mix of Hemlock-Spruce-Fir wetlands and northern hardwood forests. In 2021, 78 acres of upland forest were harvested to create young forest habitat. The headwaters of the Swift River flow through the center of this WMA and there are a few small beaver impoundments along the river."
On wildlife: "Moose have been occasionally observed at this property."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Ashfield Hawley WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Ashfield Hawley WMA?
"The varied habitats on the WMA and its proximity to agricultural fields make it a excellent location for black bear and white-tailed deer hunting, The young forest and wetlands provide good habitat for ruffed grouse and American woodcock."
How do you get into Ashfield Hawley WMA?
"This WMA is located on the Ashfield-Hawley line between Plainfield Road and Old Stage Road. There are two small roadside parking areas one on the west side of Old Stage Road and the other on the east side of Plainfield Road ."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not plowed | 3 | Dirt | Fair | 42.55634 | -72.87684 |
| Not plowed | 2 | Dirt | Fair | 42.55184 | -72.85701 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 116, MA 112 and MA 2. Distances to the nearest town centers: Hawley 2 miles, Ashfield 3 miles, Plainfield 3 miles and Buckland 4 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Hog Mountain (3 miles), Swift River (5 miles), Meadow Brook (5 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Ashfield Hawley WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 2: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31. In 2025 the zone gave 244 deer to archers and 281 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | 284 | 617 | 492 | 546 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Ashfield Hawley WMA?
Under 321 CMR 3.01, camping, fires and target practice need the Director's written permission, vehicles stay on roads open to traffic, and dogs must be leashed unless hunting or training with a licensed hunter.
Source: MassWildlife WMA regulations.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Ashfield Hawley WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 2, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Ashfield Hawley WMA in?
Zone 2, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 617 deer in Zone 2 in 2025, 492 of them adult males, after 546 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
Where do you park for Ashfield Hawley WMA?
MassWildlife maps 2 parking areas: Not plowed (about 3 cars, dirt); Not plowed (about 2 cars, dirt). Its fact sheet adds: "This WMA is located on the Ashfield-Hawley line between Plainfield Road and Old Stage Road. There are two small roadside parking areas one on the west side of Old Stage Road and the other on the east side of Plainfield Road ."
What can you hunt on Ashfield Hawley WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "The varied habitats on the WMA and its proximity to agricultural fields make it a excellent location for black bear and white-tailed deer hunting, The young forest and wetlands provide good habitat for ruffed grouse and American woodcock."
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Sources: MassWildlife fact sheet; MassWildlife Lands (MassGIS); MassWildlife parking for recreation; MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates); MassWildlife WMA regulations; public land MassGIS Protected and Recreational OpenSpace for state and Army Corps land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land; towns U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, towns (county subdivisions). FilledTag is not part of Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife).