Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 10

Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area is 2,680 acres of MassWildlife land in Georgetown, Groveland, Newbury and West Newbury (Essex County), in Wildlife Management Zone 10. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 2,515 deer in Zone 10 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 11 parking areas for the property with room for about 39 vehicles.

Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Crane Pond WMA fact sheet. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).

What is Crane Pond WMA like?

MassWildlife describes it: "The Crane Pond WMA contains over 2,500 acres of low, rolling forests and marshlands spread across four towns. The extensive aquatic habitats, including Crane Pond, Little Crane Pond, Parker River, and over 50 vernal pools, contribute to the biological diversity of this area. Crane and Little Crane ponds are surrounded by thickets of buttonbush, alder, and leatherleaf, which provide great cover for wildlife. The Parker River headwaters cut a sinuous four-mile route through the WMA. Beaver dams extend the floodplain wetlands in some locations, providing excellent habitat for aquatic animals. The WMA also contains a large, intact forest that can be explored using several unmarked trails. MassWildlife maintains small shrubland areas that provide open habitat for wildlife. Wood duck nest boxes are maintained in several wetland areas."

On wildlife: "The WMA provides excellent bird watching, wildlife viewing, and nature study opportunities. Carry in a nature journal to record your findings, sketch a flower, or write a nature-inspired poem. Settle on a rock by the river or near a vernal pool or beaver pond and watch for large snapping turtles, great blue herons, and a variety of frogs and salamanders. Beavers can be seen in action off Forest Street and Crane Neck Road. The habitat created by beavers supports dragonflies, damselflies, and many other native species. Look and listen for secretive marsh birds in the wet areas around Crane Pond"

Quoted from MassWildlife's Crane Pond WMA fact sheet.

What does MassWildlife say about hunting Crane Pond WMA?

"White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, American woodcocks, ruffed grouse, snowshoe hares, and eastern cottontail rabbits can be found here. Waterfowl hunters commonly pursue wood ducks and mallards. Ring-necked pheasants are stocked three times per week and before holidays during the fall season. The Parker River is stocked with trout in several locations within the WMA. Crane Pond and Little Crane Pond support warm water species including chain pickerel, largemouth bass, and sunfish. Anglers can fish from shore; strong paddlers can canoe or kayak to access the ponds."

Its rules for the area: "During pheasant season, a blaze orange hat must be worn by all hunters except while night hunting raccoons or opossums or while hunting waterfowl from within a blind or boat."

How do you get into Crane Pond WMA?

"This WMA is divided into five sections. Parking is available at gated locations on JB Little Road, Seven Star Blvd, Thurlow Street, Bear Hill Road, Ash Street, Crane Neck Street, and Byfield Road. The Thurlow Street access is a rough dirt access that also provides access to the Parker River for kayaks and canoes."

From MassWildlife parking for recreation.

Highways within five miles: I-95, I-495, MA 113, MA 97, MA 133 and MA 110. Distances to the nearest town centers: Groveland under a mile, Georgetown under a mile, West Newbury under a mile and Newbury 4 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Upper Parker River (3 miles), Martin H. Burns (3 miles), William Forward (5 miles).

When can you hunt deer on Crane Pond WMA in 2026?

Deer seasons follow Zone 10: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31 and a winter season January 1 to 30, 2027. In 2025 the zone gave 1,435 deer to archers and 645 in shotgun season.

Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.

What rules apply on Crane Pond WMA?

It is stocked with pheasant, so every hunter must wear a blaze orange hat during pheasant season, except raccoon and opossum hunters at night and waterfowl hunters in a blind or boat. 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 Crane Pond WMA?

Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 10, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).

What zone is Crane Pond WMA in?

Zone 10, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 2,515 deer in Zone 10 in 2025, 1,320 of them adult males, after 2,423 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).

Where do you park for Crane Pond WMA?

MassWildlife maps 11 parking areas: Ash Street parking (one car, dirt); River Access (about 3 cars, dirt); Gate 1 (Open pheansnt season; roadside parking all other times, 1-2 vehicles) (about 4 cars, dirt); Gate 2 (Open pheansnt season; roadside parking all other times, 1-2 vehicles) (about 4 cars, dirt). Its fact sheet adds: "This WMA is divided into five sections. Parking is available at gated locations on JB Little Road, Seven Star Blvd, Thurlow Street, Bear Hill Road, Ash Street, Crane Neck Street, and Byfield Road."

What can you hunt on Crane Pond WMA?

MassWildlife's fact sheet: "White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, American woodcocks, ruffed grouse, snowshoe hares, and eastern cottontail rabbits can be found here. Waterfowl hunters commonly pursue wood ducks and mallards. Ring-necked pheasants are stocked three times per week and before holidays during the fall season. The Parker River is stocked with trout in several locations within the WMA."

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).

Massachusetts hunting Zone 10