Wendell Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and parking in Zone 5
Wendell Wildlife Management Area is 601 acres of MassWildlife land in Wendell (Franklin County), in Wildlife Management Zone 5 and 6. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting, fishing and trapping. Hunters took 917 deer in Zone 5 in 2025, and MassWildlife maps 2 parking areas for the property with room for about 5 vehicles.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MassWildlife's Wendell 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)Wendell WMAZone lineParkingHighway
| Size | 601 acres (MassWildlife), in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Town | Wendell |
| County | Franklin |
| Wildlife Management Zone | Zone 5, Zone 6 |
| MassWildlife district | Connecticut Valley District |
| Parking (MassWildlife) | 2 lots, about 5 spaces |
| Deer taken in Zone 5, 2025 | 917 (541 adult males) |
| Nearest town centers | Wendell (under a mile), Shutesbury (4 mi) and New Salem (5 mi) |
What is Wendell WMA like?
MassWildlife describes it: "This property consists of one large 588-acre property and three smaller parcels. The habitat types on this WMA consist of upland forest of transitional hardwoods (maple, oak, birch) mixed with white pine and hemlock. A few small beaver ponds can be found along the northern portion of this WMA."
On wildlife: "An old woods road bisects the property and provides opportunities for walking or cross-country skiing. Many stone walls and old cellar holes dot the WMA and provide a glimpse into its agrarian past."
Quoted from MassWildlife's Wendell WMA fact sheet.
What does MassWildlife say about hunting Wendell WMA?
"This WMA provides hunting opportunities for black bear, white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, and squirrel."
How do you get into Wendell WMA?
"The property can be accessed from Bullard Pasture Road, Locks Village Road, Cooleyville Road, and Jennison Road. A grass parking area that can accommodate three cars is located on Bullard Pasture Road and a dirt parking area for one car can be found on Locks Village Road. Parking areas are not maintained for winter use."
| Parking | Spaces | Surface | Condition | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not maintained in winter | 4 | Gravel | Fair | 42.53377 | -72.41787 |
| Not maintained in winter | 1 | Dirt | Fair | 42.52372 | -72.41570 |
From MassWildlife parking for recreation.
Highways within five miles: MA 2, US 202, MA 63 and MA 122. Distances to the nearest town centers: Wendell under a mile, Shutesbury 4 miles, New Salem 5 miles and Montague 5 miles. Other WMAs nearby: Montague (5 miles), Montague Plains (6 miles), Mt. Toby (8 miles).
When can you hunt deer on Wendell 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.
Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary.
What rules apply on Wendell 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 Wendell 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 Wendell WMA in?
Zone 5 (414 acres) and Zone 6 (181 acres), 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).
Where do you park for Wendell WMA?
MassWildlife maps 2 parking areas: Not maintained in winter (about 4 cars, gravel); Not maintained in winter (one car, dirt). Its fact sheet adds: "The property can be accessed from Bullard Pasture Road, Locks Village Road, Cooleyville Road, and Jennison Road. A grass parking area that can accommodate three cars is located on Bullard Pasture Road and a dirt parking area for one car can be found on Locks Village Road."
What can you hunt on Wendell WMA?
MassWildlife's fact sheet: "This WMA provides hunting opportunities for black bear, white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, and squirrel."
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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).