Walnut Hill Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 2
Walnut Hill Wildlife Management Area is 989 acres of MassWildlife land in Becket and Middlefield (Hampshire and Hampden counties), in Wildlife Management Zone 2. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 617 deer in Zone 2 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 1 parking area for the property with room for about 3 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Walnut Hill 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 refugeWalnut Hill WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 989 acres (MassWildlife), in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Becket and Middlefield |
| County | Hampshire, Hampden, Berkshire |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 2 |
| MassWildlife district | Western District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 1 lot, about 3 spaces |
| Deer taken in Zone 2, 2025 | 617 (492 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Middlefield (3 mi), Becket (3 mi) and Chester (4 mi) |
What is Walnut Hill WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "The majority of the Walnut Hill WMA is forested with a northern hardwood mix at various stages of succession growth. Old growth eastern hemlock stands are scattered along the steep river valley and are surround by numerous small stands of maple, oak, birch, and ash. The property is named for Walnut Hill which rises to an elevation of 1,616 feet near the center of the property."
On wildlife: "The variety of habitat types allow for excellent viewing opportunities for many kinds of wildlife."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Walnut Hill WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Walnut Hill WMA?
"The different stages of forest growth provide excellent cover and food sources for many game species including white-tailed deer, black bear, eastern coyote, raccoon, and ruffed grouses."
On fishing: "Two trout stocked waters border the property: Factory Brook to the west and the West Branch of the Westfield River to the south. For more information about trout stocking, please visit mass.gov/trout."
How do you get into Walnut Hill WMA?
"A grass parking area for 3 vehicles is located at the end of Johnny Cake Hill Road in Middlefield. Additional limited roadside parking and access can be obtained along the side of Town Hill Road."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of Johnnycake Hill road | 3 | Grass | Fair | 42.32745 | -73.01131 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 8, US 20 and I-90. Distances to the nearest town centers: Middlefield 3 miles, Becket 3 miles, Chester 4 miles and Peru 5 miles. Other WMAs nearby: John J. Kelly (4 miles), Shaker Mill Brook (4 miles), Fox Den (5 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Walnut Hill WMA in 2026?
Deer seasons follow Zone 2: archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12, primitive firearms December 14 to 31. In 2025 the zone gave 244 deer to archers and 281 in shotgun season.
| Zone | WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Adult males, 2025 | Deer, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | 1,108 | 617 | 492 | 546 |
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Walnut Hill 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 Walnut Hill WMA?
Yes. MassWildlife says all WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping; deer seasons follow Zone 2, where the 2026 shotgun season runs November 30 to December 12 (MassWildlife WMA regulations).
What zone is Walnut Hill WMA in?
Zone 2, as MassWildlife's fact sheet gives it. Hunters took 617 deer in Zone 2 in 2025, 492 of them adult males, after 546 in 2024 (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary).
Where do you park for Walnut Hill WMA?
MassWildlife maps 1 parking area: End of Johnnycake Hill road (about 3 cars, grass). Its fact sheet adds: "A grass parking area for 3 vehicles is located at the end of Johnny Cake Hill Road in Middlefield. Additional limited roadside parking and access can be obtained along the side of Town Hill Road."
What can you hunt on Walnut Hill WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "The different stages of forest growth provide excellent cover and food sources for many game species including white-tailed deer, black bear, eastern coyote, raccoon, and ruffed grouses."
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).