Hunting Hills Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 9
Hunting Hills Wildlife Management Area is 430 acres of MassWildlife land in Shirley and Townsend (Middlesex County), in Wildlife Management Zone 9. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 1,534 deer in Zone 9 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 5 parking areas for the property with room for about 10 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Hunting Hills WMA fact sheet. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).
MassWildlife (Fish and Game) landHunting Hills WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 430 acres (MassWildlife), in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Shirley and Townsend |
| County | Middlesex |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 9 |
| MassWildlife district | Northeast District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 5 lots, about 10 spaces |
| Deer taken in Zone 9, 2025 | 1,534 (742 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Shirley (2 mi), Lunenburg (3 mi) and Townsend (3 mi) |
What is Hunting Hills WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "Hunting Hills WMA is separated into two parcels, one in Townsend and one in Groton. The WMA abuts the Hunting Hills WCS along with parcels of conservation land owned by the Shirley and Lunenburg Conservation Commissions. This property features gently slopping woodlands and wooded swamp. Mixed hardwoods and softwoods, primarily white pine, oak, and maple, at various stages of maturity are spread throughout this property."
On wildlife: "Birdwatching, especially near the northern parcel where there is beaver activity, is especially plentiful at this property."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Hunting Hills WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Hunting Hills WMA?
"Native wildlife commonly found on this property include white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, woodcock, beaver, red and gray squirrels, raccoons, eastern coyote, fisher, and fox. Most of the water within the area is contained in swamp and marsh habitat, which serves as the headwaters for Trout Brook and Pumpkin Brook, both of which are trout stocked waters (although not within the WMA)."
How do you get into Hunting Hills WMA?
"Parking for 6 vehicles is available along Pierce Road in Townsend to access the northern parcel of this property. Additional parking for 4 vehicles is available on Hunting Hill Road in Groton. Access to both parcels can be gained by parking at Hunting Hills WCE and traveling by foot."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parking | 3 | Gravel | Good | 42.62368 | -71.67839 |
| Hunting hills pull off, Townsend Rd | 3 | Dirt/Grass | Poor | 42.61361 | -71.65489 |
| Roadside Parking | 2 | Dirt/Grass | Fair | 42.62425 | -71.68260 |
| Roadside Parking | 1 | Dirt/Grass | Fair | 42.62115 | -71.66938 |
| Roadside Parking | 1 | Dirt | Fair | 42.62247 | -71.67329 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 119, MA 13, MA 111, MA 225 and MA 113. Distances to the nearest town centers: Shirley 2 miles, Lunenburg 3 miles, Townsend 3 miles and Groton 5 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Mulpus Brook (3 miles), Townsend Hill (5 miles), Squannacook River (7 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Hunting Hills WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 9: 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 660 deer to archers and 557 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 9 | 426 | 1,534 | 742 | 1,374 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Hunting Hills 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 Hunting Hills WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 9, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Hunting Hills WMA in?
Zone 9, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 1,534 deer in Zone 9 in 2025, 742 of them adult males, after 1,374 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
Where do you park for Hunting Hills WMA?
MassWildlife maps 5 parking areas: a lot (about 3 cars, gravel); Hunting hills pull off, Townsend Rd (about 3 cars, dirt/grass); Roadside Parking (about 2 cars, dirt/grass); Roadside Parking (one car, dirt/grass). Its fact sheet adds: "Parking for 6 vehicles is available along Pierce Road in Townsend to access the northern parcel of this property. Additional parking for 4 vehicles is available on Hunting Hill Road in Groton. Access to both parcels can be gained by parking at Hunting Hills WCE and traveling by foot."
What can you hunt on Hunting Hills WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "Native wildlife commonly found on this property include white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, woodcock, beaver, red and gray squirrels, raccoons, eastern coyote, fisher, and fox. Most of the water within the area is contained in swamp and marsh habitat, which serves as the headwaters for Trout Brook and Pumpkin Brook, both of which are trout stocked waters (although not within the WMA)."
Get a Massachusetts hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Massachusetts are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Massachusetts included.
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).