Stone Bridge Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 5
Stone Bridge Wildlife Management Area is 201 acres of MassWildlife land in Phillipston and Templeton (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.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Stone Bridge 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)Army Corps of EngineersStone Bridge WMAZone lineHighway
| Size | 201 acres (MassWildlife), in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Phillipston and Templeton |
| County | Worcester |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 5 |
| MassWildlife district | Central District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | None mapped |
| Deer taken in Zone 5, 2025 | 917 (541 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Templeton (under a mile), Phillipston (2 mi) and Hubbardston (5 mi) |
What is Stone Bridge WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "This property consists of abandoned gravel banks, mixed hardwood ridges, and an extensive wetland with numerous beaver impoundments along Wine Brook as it flows through the WMA."
On its habitat work: "Water level management occurs at Wine Brook for habitat management for waterfowl and water birds as well as for warm water fishing resources and aquatic mammals."
On wildlife: "This WMA is a wood duck nest box study site and an American and least bittern breeding site. The extensive wetland complex provides abundant waterfowl and aquatic mammal viewing opportunities."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Stone Bridge WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Stone Bridge WMA?
"The extensive wetland complex provides good hunting opportunities for waterfowl. The hardwood ridges provide food and hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer and gray squirrel. Abandoned gravel banks offer good predator hunting opportunities. Wine Brook flowage offers pan fishing/warm water fishing opportunities. There is informal car top boat access at the dam located on Route 101."
How do you get into Stone Bridge WMA?
"Parking for this WMA is located off of Dudley Road (Route 101) and can accommodate 4 vehicles."
MassWildlife's parking layer shows no lot for Stone Bridge WMA.
Highways within five miles: MA 2, MA 68, MA 101, US 202 and MA 32. Distances to the nearest town centers: Templeton under a mile, Phillipston 2 miles, Hubbardston 5 miles and Gardner 6 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Popple Camp (3 miles), Phillipston (3 miles), Prince River (5 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Stone Bridge 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 | 554 | 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 Stone Bridge 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 Stone Bridge 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 Stone Bridge 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).
How do you get into Stone Bridge WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "Parking for this WMA is located off of Dudley Road (Route 101) and can accommodate 4 vehicles."
What can you hunt on Stone Bridge WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "The extensive wetland complex provides good hunting opportunities for waterfowl. The hardwood ridges provide food and hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer and gray squirrel. Abandoned gravel banks offer good predator hunting opportunities. Wine Brook flowage offers pan fishing/warm water fishing opportunities. There is informal car top boat access at the dam located on Route 101."
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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).