Phillipston Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 5
Phillipston Wildlife Management Area is 3,388 acres of MassWildlife land in Barre, Hubbardston, Petersham and Phillipston (Worcester County), in Wildlife Management Zone 5. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 917 deer in Zone 5 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 3 parking areas for the property with room for about 15 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Phillipston 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)DCR watershed land (Quabbin, Wachusett, Ware River)Phillipston WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 3,388 acres (MassWildlife), in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Barre, Hubbardston, Petersham and Phillipston |
| County | Worcester |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 5 |
| MassWildlife district | Central District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 3 lots, about 15 spaces |
| Pheasant | Stocked; blaze orange hat required in pheasant season |
| Deer taken in Zone 5, 2025 | 917 (541 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Phillipston (2 mi), Templeton (3 mi) and Barre (4 mi) |
What is Phillipston WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "This property consists of hardwood ridges, hemlock stands, mountain laurel stands, wooded swamps, blueberry swamps, abandoned apple orchards, and a phone line right of way passing through the property."
On its habitat work: "There have been recent forestry practices on the north end of the property and active agriculture on open field portions. The district has been releasing apple trees on a semi-annual basis in the old orchards."
On wildlife: "Moose may be seen in the recently cut forested areas of the WMA as new growth provides for an excellent food source and also the wetland areas located within the WMA. There are three large red spruce swamps on this WMA. Red spruce swamps are a Priority Natural Community."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Phillipston WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Phillipston WMA?
"Hardwood ridges and apple orchards are attractive for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and gray squirrel providing hunting opportunities for these species. The open fields and apple orchards provide for predator hunting and upland game hunting opportunities. The fields are also stocked with ring-necked pheasants during the open pheasant season."
Its rules for the area: "During the pheasant season, a “hunter orange” hat is required for all hunters except while night-hunting raccoons or opossums or while hunting waterfowl from within a blind or boat."
How do you get into Phillipston WMA?
"Parking for this area is located at several different locations; East Street for 3 vehicles, Glasheen Road for 1 vehicle, Queen Lake Road (Route 101) for 8 vehicles, Williamsville Road for 2 vehicles, and Narrow Lane with a seasonal access depending on road conditions for 5 vehicles."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unmaintained | 5 | Dirt | Good | 42.52637 | -72.11833 |
| Unmaintained | 5 | Dirt | Fair | 42.48688 | -72.13583 |
| Maintained | 5 | Paved | Good | 42.51016 | -72.11423 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 2, MA 32, MA 122, MA 101, US 202 and MA 68. Distances to the nearest town centers: Phillipston 2 miles, Templeton 3 miles, Barre 4 miles and Hubbardston 4 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Prince River (2 miles), Popple Camp (3 miles), Stone Bridge (3 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Phillipston WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 5: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31. In 2025 the zone gave 337 deer to archers and 411 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 5 | 3,354 | 917 | 541 | 798 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Phillipston 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 Phillipston WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 5, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Phillipston WMA in?
Zone 5, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 917 deer in Zone 5 in 2025, 541 of them adult males, after 798 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
Where do you park for Phillipston WMA?
MassWildlife maps 3 parking areas: Unmaintained (about 5 cars, dirt); Unmaintained (about 5 cars, dirt); Maintained (about 5 cars, paved). Its fact sheet adds: "Parking for this area is located at several different locations; East Street for 3 vehicles, Glasheen Road for 1 vehicle, Queen Lake Road (Route 101) for 8 vehicles, Williamsville Road for 2 vehicles, and Narrow Lane with a seasonal access depending on road conditions for 5 vehicles."
What can you hunt on Phillipston WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "Hardwood ridges and apple orchards are attractive for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and gray squirrel providing hunting opportunities for these species. The open fields and apple orchards provide for predator hunting and upland game hunting opportunities. The fields are also stocked with ring-necked pheasants during the open pheasant season."
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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).