MA Fish & Wildlife Tells Hunters No Refunds Because there are other Options!?

Since the enactment of Chapter 135 hunters, especially non-resident hunters, have been bombarding the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife(MassWildlife) with demands of refunding their license fees. This is because Chapter 135 greatly restricted the people and methods for hunting.

According to MassWildlife’s web page, a non-resident (age 15 and over) Hunting, Big Game license is $105. This is not only a big investment, but also dangerously misleading. Under the new laws, law enforcement is being directed that any non-resident under 18 is banned from hunting in the Commonwealth.

MassWildlife has posted the following notice on their website in response to the refund demands. It is an incredibly disturbing response:

Is MassWildlife issuing refunds for 2024 hunting licenses, permits, or stamps?

• No, MassWildlife is not issuing refunds as a result of the new firearms laws. Hunting laws have not been changed, and options still exist for both residents and non-residents to hunt with firearms and archery equipment in Massachusetts. Please review the information on this page to understand changes to firearms laws and what type of firearms license, if any, is required for the hunting implement you plan to use. 

“Can anyone imagine the Commonwealth telling any other community in the state: ‘Ya we know we made your normal activities illegal, but you still have options’, said Jim Wallace Executive Director of Gun Owners’ Action League. “The other disturbing piece is when they state that the hunting laws themselves haven’t changed. What is that supposed to mean? Maybe the hunting laws themselves have not been changed, but the gun laws have drastically changed things for the hunting community. At every turn, the administration consistently tries to cover up, or ignore, the devastating effects of Chapter 135.”

GOAL is consulting attorneys on this, and an endless list of other civil rights atrocities caused by the supporters of these new laws.

Look under FAQs: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/hunting-with-a-firearm-in-massachusetts