Taunton River Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 11

Taunton River Wildlife Management Area is 349 acres of MassWildlife land in Bridgewater, Halifax and Middleborough (Plymouth 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, and MassWildlife maps 1 parking area for the property with room for about 4 vehicles.

Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Taunton River WMA fact sheet. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).

What is Taunton River WMA like?

MassWildlife describes it: "Taunton River WMA consists of a collection of parcels along the Taunton River and a small parcel along the Nemasket River. This area contains a diverse collection of both upland and wetland habitats including mixed upland forest, open fields, and forested, floodplain wetlands. Vernal pools are common within the forested wetlands on the property, and there are several old oxbows and patches of emergent marsh within the area that provide unique wildlife viewing opportunities."

On wildlife: "This property was purchased with a primary goal of protecting important habitats along the Taunton River, which is designated as a wild and scenic river, as well as to provide access to the River and surrounding land for wildlife-dependent outdoor recreational opportunities. The diverse habitats on the WMA support a wide array of both common and rare wildlife species. Whether traversing the woods and wetlands by foot, or paddling the river in a canoe/kayak, this property provides exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities."

Quoted from MassWildlife's Taunton River WMA fact sheet.

What does MassWildlife say about hunting Taunton River WMA?

"This WMA provides good hunting opportunities for a variety of game species, especially white-tailed deer, wild turkey, eastern coyote, and waterfowl. Gray or red fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, and woodcock can also be found here."

On fishing: "Although there are almost 1.5 miles of riverfront in the Taunton River WMA, the steep clay banks along the Taunton River can make shoreline fishing difficult. The Taunton River and Nemasket River in these areas support a large variety of warmwater game fish including largemouth bass, chain pickerel, pumpkinseed, bluegill, black crappie, and brown bullhead. In recent years, both rivers have received some notoriety as locations to target bowfin."

How do you get into Taunton River WMA?

"This WMA has multiple access points. The parking area on Auburn Street in Bridgewater has space for six vehicles. Other parcels may be accessed by roadside parking on Cherry Street in Halifax and on both River Street and Plymouth Street in Middleborough. Many of the parcels can also be accessed via canoe or kayak from the Taunton or Nemasket Rivers."

From MassWildlife parking for recreation.

Highways within five miles: I-495, MA 28, MA 18, MA 105, MA 106 and MA 24. Distances to the nearest town centers: Bridgewater 2 miles, Halifax 3 miles, East Bridgewater 4 miles and Middleborough 5 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Purchade Brook (3 miles), Poor Meadow Brook (4 miles), Meetinghouse Swamp (4 miles).

When can you hunt deer on Taunton River 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.

Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.

What rules apply on Taunton 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 Taunton River 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 Taunton River 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).

Where do you park for Taunton River WMA?

MassWildlife maps 1 parking area: Taunton River WMA (about 4 cars, dirt). Its fact sheet adds: "This WMA has multiple access points. The parking area on Auburn Street in Bridgewater has space for six vehicles. Other parcels may be accessed by roadside parking on Cherry Street in Halifax and on both River Street and Plymouth Street in Middleborough."

What can you hunt on Taunton River WMA?

MassWildlife's fact sheet: "This WMA provides good hunting opportunities for a variety of game species, especially white-tailed deer, wild turkey, eastern coyote, and waterfowl. Gray or red fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, and woodcock can also be found here."

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).

Massachusetts hunting Zone 11