The 2013 Quabbin Deer hunt is underway as of this morning. Retiring in March 2013 as the Assistant Regional Director at Quabbin, this will be my first year since the inception of the hunt I will not be there to take photos of the successful hunters and be involved in the many aspects of the hunt's organization. The Quabbin and natural Resource Staff are will prepared to take the hunt into the future. Images of this years Hunt will be posted on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/QuabbinDeerHunter

This mornings look at the Quabbin Camera

For all those involved in the hunt Be Safe. It is extremely important for the health of the forest ecosystem that this hunt continues into the future to maintain the great recovery this forest has  seen in the last 20+ years of deer management.

2012 Hunt summary

The 2012 Quabbin Controlled Deer hunt has come to a close with 84 deer taken in the four days of hunting.

A special thanks to all the hunters, staff, volunteers, EPO's, and State Police who all together made this a safe and successful hunt. This hunt is offered to assist DCR in managing a healthy forest.


Major components of the deer population reduction program were to:
1.) Reduce population densities
2.)  Maintain those densities at a level that allows for the continued growth and
regeneration of forest tree species.

The forest is rebounding thanks to your help and the remaining deer appear to be in great physical shape.

Thanks also to everyone who reported Moose and were diligent in helping our Biologists track hunter movements (GPS) and plotting locations where deer were taken.

Feel free to send additional images of Deer, Moose , Bear, Scenery etc. which we can add as a blog addendum. Please send any corrections or omissions to me at Dave@dhsmall.net Feel free to share on facebook or other social media... Until next year... Dave Small

Prescott Hunt December 6 & 7 2012

Prescott's first day saw some handsome deer checked in, below is a sample:

 Thomas Whitman Feeding Hils 190 lb 11 points 

One of the last deer checked on Prescott a nice 12 point buck taken by Jon Montemagni

Collin Morley South Hadley 180 lb 8 points with Father and Grandfather

Nicholas Scyocurka Ludlow 146 lb 8 pointer

 Jason Dodge of Gardner 162 lb 8 point buck first buck ever

Adam Geoffery East Brookfield 105 lb 4 point

 Brian Blanxchette Three Rivers 129 lb Doe 

 James Haggerty East Hampton 111.5 pound Doe 

 Seth M Beal Easthampton 132 lb Doe - First deer ever

Wayne O'Brien Worcester Ma 109 lb Doe 

Chris Saucier from North Attleboro 109 lb yearling buck

New Salem Hunt December 6 & 7 2012

New Salem and Prescott were hunted On December 6th and 7th
Here are a few images of the 17 deer taken in New Salem.

William Moryl Ware Ma 198.5 lb 8 point buck

 Joseph Dewniak Chicopee Ma 190 lb 6 point

 Danielle Haas and Dad of Leominster Ma 101 lb doe

William Don Jr Westfield 127 lb female

Seann Nichols West Brookfield 120 lb 4 point

 Eric Fournier North Reading Ma 80 lb button buck First Deer Ever

 Bob Lanagan of New Salem and Craig Rice of Athol show off thier Does

Catching up on some additional photos from the first segment of the hunt. Here are some Pelham images including the 195 lb 8 pointer taken by Todd Giroud on Thursday who came back and bagged a Doe on Friday...

Todd Girouard of Fiskdale 195 lb 8 point

Gary Lederer, Paxton and Todd Girouard-Fiskdale

 Leroy Rose of Conway

Paul Gaj and friend from Orange

2012 Quabbin Controlled Deer Hunt off to a great start

David Kusierz of Belchertown

33 deer were taken on the opening day of the 2012 hunt at Quabbin. The Pelhan section only had 13 deer, but the quality of the animals were impressive. By 10:00 am deer were appearing at the check station highlighted by this beauty 188 pound 8 point buck brought down by David Kusierz of Belchertown.

Does were also being taken Mark Dusza, Michael Lecroix and Keith Rose all checked in nice does with Kieth's weighing in at 110 pounds

Of course the animal of the day was taken by Rob Roy a seasoned veteran of the Quabbin hunts and a long time Trooper at the Quabbin State Police Barracks (see box on right) a 211 pound 9 point buck that beat out the former record 206 pound buck taken several years ago by former DCR employee David Supczak.
Updated 2-day numbers:
Pelham =18, Hardwick = 23,  total = 41

Rob Roy with 211 pound 9 pointer

If your image does not appear on the site we either had a bad picture, missed it or had incomplete info. Or my colleagues have't sent me the picture yet... Feel free to send additional images of your hunt to Dave@dhsmall.net Moose Bear Bobcat or other images welcome. Corrections appreciated...

Gary Delisle of Ware Ma

Robert Brisebois of Granby Ma

Michael Lecroix of Belchertown 

Marc Dusza of Ludlow 

Keith Rose of Conway 110 pound Doe

Hardwick saw a few more deer taken than Pelham on opening day

Hardwick  Hunt 2012 Joe Musiak of Springfield 128 lb 7 pt

 Mark Poggi of West Springfield 162 pounds 9 point
the last deer checked in a the Hardwick Hunt

 Michael Barbiasz of Ware Ma 135 pound 8 point

We love to see young hunters get their first deer EVER at Quabbin.

We hope this is the first of many Joe will get at Quabbin over his lifetime.

A very nice 135 lb  Doe

Joseph Fillion Jr of New Durham NH 135 lb doe 1st deer ever

 Timothy Rogers of Hardwick 147 lb 6 points

Adam Kozlik of Ware doe

 Walter Stupak of Ludlow 108 lb Doe

 Michael Dusza of Ludlow

Preparations are nearing completion for Tomorrow's hunt in the Hardwick and Pelham sections of Quabbin. Light snow lingers in the hilly sections of both hunts we hope it will last overnight. Good luck to all and have a safe and effective hunt...

2011 Quabbin Hunt Begins

Quabbin Deer Hunt 2011

The Pelham and Prescott blocks were hunted in the first segment of the 2011 Quabbin Controlled Deer Hunt. Opening day of the hunt hunters brought 19 deer into the Pelham DCR Deer Check Station while at the Prescott Deer Check Station 15 deer were recorded before nightfall.
Over the next few days we will add examples of some of the deer taken in this years hunt. Plus additional photos of interest taken during the hunt period. Thanks to all Hunters, DCR staff and volunteers who work together to provide a safe and effective hunt.

The Pelham Hunt began 
21 Deer Taken in the 2-day Hunt

Marc Colcombe 198 lb 6 pointer

Frank Mancini of Webster with a 180 lb 6 pointer

Michael Graham and son of Ludlow

with a 171 lb 8 pointer

Christopher Pawlikowski with his 135 pound, 10 point buck

Leonard Ferst of Westfield Ma with a 112 lb  6 pointer

Rich Persson from Ludlow Ma with a 107 lb 6 pointer

The Prescott Hunt started slowly
19 deer taken in the 2-day hunt

Allen Donofrio of Chicopee with his 176 lb 8 pointer

DCR Wildlife Technician, Jillian Pereira, collects biological data from Allen Donofrio's nice buck

DCR staff with a special delivery from Thurston Brook

Thomas Clark of Ware with his 1.5 year old buck

Tyler Goodfield with his 3.5 year old, 127 pound doe

Paul Loranger from Grandby, Ma with his 1.5 year old 4 point buck

Kevin Benoit from Chicopee, Ma with 2.5 year old doe 132 lbs

Prescott Moose Survey Staff - L to R: Jim French, Billy Fregeau and Dave Wattles

DCR's Doug Stafford manning the Prescott Check Station

Week 2

Petersham started off well but ended with an unusually quiet second day

24 Deer Taken on day one but 0 on the second day

Robert McNeil and his 2.5 year old 139 pound 8 point buck

Sean Keenan with his 3.5 year old, 147 pound 9 point buck

L to R:  Randy Horne, Jason Lichtenberger and  Dana Cooley

Record numbers of deer were not taken at New Salem this year but a record number of moose 

sightings were collected! 

9 Deer Taken on the 2-day Hunt

Walter Sheridan too this 3.5 year old, 142 pound, 9 point buck

William Carroll with his 1.5 year old, 114 pound, 6 point buck

Robert Menko with his 110 pound doe