Quashnet River Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 12
Quashnet River Wildlife Management Area is 468 acres of MassWildlife land in Falmouth, in Wildlife Management Zone 12. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 381 deer in Zone 12 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 1 parking area for the property with room for about 6 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Quashnet River 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)National wildlife refugeQuashnet River WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 468 acres (MassWildlife), in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Falmouth |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 12 |
| MassWildlife district | Southeast District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 1 lot, about 6 spaces |
| Deer taken in Zone 12, 2025 | 381 (193 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Mashpee (2 mi), Falmouth (5 mi) and Sandwich (8 mi) |
What is Quashnet River WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "Much of Quashnet WMA is jointly owned by MassWildlife and the Department of Conservation & Recreation. The property consists of mixed upland forest and forested wetland along the riparian corridor of the Quashnet River, an important coldwater stream."
On its habitat work: "Over the years, habitat improvement work has been completed around the Quashnet River in cooperation with Trout Unlimited. Monitoring of the river is ongoing. In 2015, about 80 acres in the northwestern portion of the property were thinned to create regenerating forest habitat for New England cottontail and other wildlife species."
On wildlife: "The WMA provides access to a wide variety of habitats along the riparian corridor of the Quashnet River providing ample opportunity for wildlife viewing."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Quashnet River WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Quashnet River WMA?
"The habitat supports white-tailed deer, wild turkey, eastern coyote, upland game birds, and small game animals."
Its rules for the area: "The Quashnet, from the outlet of John’s Pond to the sign 0.1 mile below Route 28, is catch and release with artificial lures only."
On fishing: "The Quashnet River contains naturally reproducing trout populations. The Quashnet, from the outlet of John’s Pond to the sign 0.1 mile below Route 28, is catch and release with artificial lures only."
How do you get into Quashnet River WMA?
"A gravel parking area large enough for 6 vehicles is located on the north side of Martin Road in Falmouth, just west of the Quashnet River. Additional parking can be acquired via an informal gravel parking area at the north end of the WMA at the end of Turner Road (off Old Barnstable Road) where it crosses the powerlines."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quashnet River Access | 6 | Gravel | Good | 41.59224 | -70.50801 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 28, MA 151 and MA 130. Distances to the nearest town centers: Mashpee 2 miles, Falmouth 5 miles, Sandwich 8 miles and Barnstable 9 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Mashpee Pine Barrens (under a mile), Mashpee River (4 miles), Frances A. Crane (4 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Quashnet River WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 12: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31. In 2025 the zone gave 128 deer to archers and 191 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 12 | 31 | 381 | 193 | 382 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Quashnet River 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 Quashnet River WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 12, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Quashnet River WMA in?
Zone 12, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 381 deer in Zone 12 in 2025, 193 of them adult males, after 382 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
Where do you park for Quashnet River WMA?
MassWildlife maps 1 parking area: Quashnet River Access (about 6 cars, gravel). Its fact sheet adds: "A gravel parking area large enough for 6 vehicles is located on the north side of Martin Road in Falmouth, just west of the Quashnet River."
What can you hunt on Quashnet River WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "The habitat supports white-tailed deer, wild turkey, eastern coyote, upland game birds, and small game animals."
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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).