Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 8
Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area is 787 acres of MassWildlife land in Southbridge and Sturbridge (Worcester County), in Wildlife Management Zone 8. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 1,004 deer in Zone 8 in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Breakneck Brook WMA fact sheet. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).
MassWildlife (Fish and Game) landBreakneck Brook WMAZone lineHighway
| Size | 787 acres (MassWildlife), in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Southbridge and Sturbridge |
| County | Worcester |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 8 |
| MassWildlife district | Central District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | None mapped |
| Deer taken in Zone 8, 2025 | 1,004 (625 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Southbridge (3 mi), Holland (3 mi) and Sturbridge (4 mi) |
What is Breakneck Brook WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "Breakneck Brook WMA was named for Breakneck Brook which flows through the center of this property. The terrain here features rolling hills, open meadows, and steep ridges lining brook valley. The property is dominated by mature mixed hardwood and white pine forest. Users can find two small beaver enhanced impoundments near the western border."
On wildlife: "The steep slopes and brook valley provide abundant scenic views and wildlife viewing opportunities. Wetlands are home to beaver, river otter, and mink as well as wood duck. Pileated woodpeckers and other forest dwelling birds can be seen and heard along the hardwood ridges."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Breakneck Brook WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Breakneck Brook WMA?
"This property provides hunters with opportunities to pursue white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, American woodcock and many small game species. Waterfowl hunters will find opportunities near the beaver impoundments and meadows. Trappers may find this to be a good property to trap aquatic furbearers as well as raccoons. The small ponds on the western edge of the WMA provide fishing opportunities for native brook trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, and bullheads. The brook itself supports fisheries resources that change as beavers dams are built and abandoned over time."
How do you get into Breakneck Brook WMA?
"The parking area for this property is located on Breakneck Road near the northwest corner of the WMA. This small lot found between two houses is suitable for two or three vehicles."
MassWildlife's parking layer shows no lot for Breakneck Brook WMA.
Highways within five miles: I-84, US 20, MA 131, MA 169 and MA 198. Distances to the nearest town centers: Southbridge 3 miles, Holland 3 miles, Sturbridge 4 miles and Wales 6 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Leadmine (2 miles), McKinstry Brook (5 miles), Wales (7 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Breakneck Brook WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 8: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31. In 2025 the zone gave 429 deer to archers and 410 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 8 | 819 | 1,004 | 625 | 865 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Breakneck Brook 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 Breakneck Brook WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 8, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Breakneck Brook WMA in?
Zone 8, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 1,004 deer in Zone 8 in 2025, 625 of them adult males, after 865 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
How do you get into Breakneck Brook WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "The parking area for this property is located on Breakneck Road near the northwest corner of the WMA. This small lot found between two houses is suitable for two or three vehicles."
What can you hunt on Breakneck Brook WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "This property provides hunters with opportunities to pursue white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, American woodcock and many small game species. Waterfowl hunters will find opportunities near the beaver impoundments and meadows. Trappers may find this to be a good property to trap aquatic furbearers as well as raccoons."
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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).