South Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 11
South Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Area is 22 acres of MassWildlife land in Fairhaven (Bristol County), in Wildlife Management Zone 11. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 4,153 deer in Zone 11 in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's South Shore Marshes 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)South Shore Marshes WMAZone lineHighway
| Size | 22 acres (MassWildlife), in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Fairhaven |
| County | Bristol |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 11 |
| MassWildlife district | Southeast District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | None mapped |
| Deer taken in Zone 11, 2025 | 4,153 (2,120 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Fairhaven (under a mile), Mattapoisett (3 mi) and New Bedford (4 mi) |
What is South Shore Marshes WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "South Shore Marshes is a 22-acre, small island property of coastal saltmarsh and sand dune habitat. The property was acquired by MassWildlife in 1970."
On wildlife: "Wildlife viewing opportunities for coastal shorebirds, such as oystercatchers, piping plovers and terns are available on this property."
Quoted from MassWildlife's South Shore Marshes WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting South Shore Marshes WMA?
"Coastal waterfowl hunting opportunities are plentiful. Fishing for saltwater species such as striper and bluefish are also available."
How do you get into South Shore Marshes WMA?
"This WMA can be accessed by boat (kayak, canoe, or motorboat) through Nasketucket Bay."
MassWildlife's parking layer shows no lot for South Shore Marshes WMA.
Highways within five miles: I-195, US 6, MA 18, MA 240 and MA 140. Distances to the nearest town centers: Fairhaven under a mile, Mattapoisett 3 miles, New Bedford 4 miles and Acushnet 6 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Mattapoisett River (5 miles), Haskell Swamp (5 miles), Hartley Reservoir (8 miles).
When can you hunt deer on South Shore Marshes WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 11: 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 2,139 deer to archers and 1,358 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 11 | 15 | 4,153 | 2,120 | 3,830 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on South Shore Marshes 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 South Shore Marshes WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 11, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is South Shore Marshes WMA in?
Zone 11, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 4,153 deer in Zone 11 in 2025, 2,120 of them adult males, after 3,830 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
How do you get into South Shore Marshes WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "This WMA can be accessed by boat (kayak, canoe, or motorboat) through Nasketucket Bay."
What can you hunt on South Shore Marshes WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "Coastal waterfowl hunting opportunities are plentiful. Fishing for saltwater species such as striper and bluefish are also available."
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).