Updated September 15
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) announced that the antlerless deer permit award period is underway.
These permits are “required to harvest antlerless deer,” which are deer without antlers, or antlers less than three inches in length. According to Massachusetts deer hunting regulations, permit-holding hunters “may take as many antlerless deer” as they’d like. Hunters can only hunt antlerless deer in the wildlife management zone specified on the permit. Dukes County is designated as zone 13.
According to the announcement, hunters who applied for a permit before the July 16 deadline “can now return to MassFishHunt to see if they were awarded the $10 permit.” Permit statuses can be checked until Dec. 31, and “chances of being awarded a permit are the same regardless of when you check your permit status.”
MassWildlife communications coordinator Emily Stolarski said in an email the July 16 deadline existed because the division “allocates a certain number” of permits for each wildlife management zone “to meet deer management goals in different areas of the state.” However, Stolarski noted that the supply for antlerless deer permits on Martha’s Vineyard was “much higher than the demand,” so permits have been available to hunters who want one “throughout the season.”
“MV hunters should not be experiencing much of a difference this year,” Stolarski wrote.
When asked about the fee increase, Stolarski wrote that “for the first time since 1996, MassWildlife implemented a license and permit fee increase that took effect in 2022. This increase was preceded by a thorough review by MassWildlife staff and the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, and an extensive, 6-month public engagement effort that allowed the agency to gather feedback from hunters, anglers, and trappers. The increase is to sustain the Inland Fish and Game Fund for another decade, fund core operations, and maintain MassWildlife’s popular, high-quality programs and services.”
The “easiest way to check your award status and purchase” a permit is through MassFishHunt, which is the licensing system MassWildlife transitioned to in December 2021.
“MassWildlife is aware that some hunters who attempted to apply for antlerless deer permits before the July deadline this year did not successfully complete the submission process,” the announcement read. “After thoroughly investigating the issue, it was determined that some hunters selected a zone in the online system, but did not complete the checkout process required to fully submit their application. Therefore, these customers did not receive a receipt of a completed transaction, and were not entered for a permit.”
MassWildlife stated in its announcement that most “customers applied without issue,” and it will work to improve the antlerless deer permit process for next year.
Martha’s Vineyard hunters “with a valid hunting or sporting license” can also purchase “surplus permits” during September online at MassFishHunt, or from the town clerks of Chilmark and West Tisbury. Dukes County is a zone with “no cap” on surplus permits.
Updated with the corrected date on when surplus permits go on sale and additional information from MassWildlife.
