Massachusetts Zone 13: deer harvest, antlerless permits, 2026 seasons and public land
Massachusetts's Wildlife Management Zone 13 covers 109 square miles of Dukes County. Hunters took 935 deer there in 2025, up from 798 in 2024, against a ten-year average of 863; 346 were adult males. Zone 13 is one of two zones with an early deer season in September and a winter season into February. 8.9% of the zone is public land, the largest share state forest and park land (DCR) (5,337 acres).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary. Seasons: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates). Land: MassGIS and PAD-US.
MassWildlife (Fish and Game) landState forest and park land (DCR)National wildlife refugeZone 13Highway
| Size | 109 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 8.9% (6,187 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 935 (346 adult males, 464 females, 125 male fawns) |
| Deer taken, 2024 | 798 |
| Average, 2016 to 2025 | 863 a year |
| Deer taken per square mile, 2025 | 8.58 (deer taken divided by the zone's area) |
| Antlerless permits, 2023 | No cap |
| MassWildlife's direction for the herd | Reduce |
| Extra seasons, 2026 | Early season September 21 to October 1; winter season January 1 to February 13, 2027 |
| Wildlife management areas | Wasque Point, Katama Plains |
How many deer are taken in Zone 13 each year?
935 in 2025, 137 more than in 2024. Over the ten seasons below the zone peaked at 1,119 in 2019 and was lowest at 667 in 2021. Adult males made up 37% of the 2025 harvest, against 53.7% statewide.
| Year | Adult males | Females | Male fawns | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 346 | 464 | 125 | 935 |
| 2024 | 332 | 377 | 89 | 798 |
| 2023 | 357 | 384 | 105 | 846 |
| 2022 | 309 | 393 | 127 | 829 |
| 2021 | 275 | 301 | 91 | 667 |
| 2020 | 342 | 440 | 140 | 922 |
| 2019 | 344 | 629 | 146 | 1,119 |
| 2018 | 355 | 426 | 119 | 900 |
| 2017 | 341 | 387 | 116 | 844 |
| 2016 | 271 | 396 | 100 | 767 |
Sources: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2024 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2023 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2022 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2021 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2020 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2019 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2018 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2017 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2016 Deer Harvest Summary. Each year's zone rows add up to the summary's statewide row (the 2024 summary prints 8,081 adult males statewide; its zone rows add to 8,091).
Which seasons gave Zone 13's 2025 deer?
| Season | Deer, 2025 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Youth and paraplegic | 0 | 0% |
| Archery | 273 | 29.2% |
| Shotgun | 391 | 41.8% |
| Primitive firearms | 98 | 10.5% |
| Winter (January to February 2026) | 172 | 18.4% |
| Deer damage permits | 1 | 0.1% |
Source: MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary, harvest by season and zone. The winter season of January and February 2026 is counted with the 2025 season.
How many antlerless permits does Zone 13 get?
MassWildlife has lifted the cap on antlerless deer permits in Zone 13, so hunters can buy them as surplus permits through the season. Its management direction for the zone's deer is "Reduce". Hunters apply by July 16 and may take one antlerless deer per permit, in the permit's zone only.
| Year | Antlerless permits allocated |
|---|---|
| 2023 | No cap |
| 2022 | No cap |
| 2021 | 2,700 |
| 2020 | 2,700 |
| 2019 | 2,700 |
| 2018 | 2,700 |
| 2017 | 2,700 |
| 2016 | 2,700 |
Sources: MassWildlife 2016 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2017 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2018 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2019 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2020 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2021 Deer Harvest Summary; MassWildlife 2022 Deer Harvest Summary, antlerless deer permit allocation tables. Later summaries no longer print the table.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in Zone 13?
| Season | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early deer season | September 21 to October 1 | Zones 13 and 14 only |
| Youth deer hunt | October 2 and 3 | Youth deer hunt permit, ages 12 to 17 |
| Archery | October 5 to November 28 | Archery stamp |
| Paraplegic hunt | October 29 to 31 | By permit |
| Shotgun | November 30 to December 12 | No stamp needed |
| Primitive firearms | December 14 to 31 | Primitive firearms stamp |
| Winter deer season | January 1 to February 13, 2027 | Zones 13 and 14 |
An antlered deer has at least one antler 3 inches long; licensed hunters may take two a year statewide. Shotguns no larger than 10 gauge are allowed only in shotgun season, muzzleloaders of .44 to .775 caliber in primitive season, and rifles and handguns may not be used on deer. A free winter deer permit allows one more deer of either sex in zones 13 and 14 during the winter season.
Source: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).
How much public land is in Zone 13?
8.9% of Zone 13 is public land: 6,187 of its 69,851 acres. The largest share is state forest and park land (DCR), 5,337 acres. MassWildlife says all of its WMAs are open to hunting; DCR forests and watershed lands have their own rules.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and park land (DCR) | 5,337 | 7.6% |
| National wildlife refuge | 616 | 0.9% |
| MassWildlife (Fish and Game) land | 234 | 0.3% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the zone line from 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.
Wildlife management areas in Zone 13
| WMA | Acres in Zone 13 | Town |
|---|---|---|
| Wasque Point | 111 | Edgartown |
| Katama Plains | 24 | Edgartown |
Highways crossing Zone 13: none numbered. Towns inside: Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Gosnold.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were taken in Massachusetts Zone 13 in 2025?
935: 346 adult males, 464 females and 125 male fawns (MassWildlife 2025 Deer Harvest Summary). By season: 273 archery, 391 shotgun, 98 primitive firearms and 0 youth and paraplegic, plus 172 in the winter season. In 2024 the zone gave 798.
When is deer season in Zone 13 in 2026?
Archery October 5 to November 28, shotgun November 30 to December 12 and primitive firearms December 14 to 31; the youth hunt is October 2 and 3. Zone 13 also opens early, September 21 to October 1, and has a winter season January 1 to February 13, 2027. (MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates))
Can you get an antlerless deer permit for Zone 13?
Yes. MassWildlife removed the cap on antlerless permits in Zone 13; surplus permits go on sale at the end of September (MassWildlife 2022 Deer Harvest Summary). Its direction for the zone's herd is "Reduce".
What counts as an antlered deer in Massachusetts?
A deer with at least one antler 3 inches or longer. Licensed hunters may take two antlered deer a year in any zone; any deer without antlers or with antlers under 3 inches needs an antlerless permit for the zone (MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates)).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest: MassWildlife deer harvest data; MassWildlife Deer Harvest Summaries, 2016 to 2025.
- Seasons and rules: MassWildlife deer hunting regulations (2026 dates).
- Zone boundary: MassWildlife Wildlife Management Zones (MassGIS). 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.
- Highways and 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). Numbers are copied from MassWildlife, MassGIS and federal sources or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.