For the pheasant seeker, this tract of land has several large open grass fields and brushy fields. Hunters will also find numerous patches of the invasive autumn olive, multiflora rose and staghorn sumac. These plants are considered to be ecological trespassers, but they do provide cover for stocked pheasants. Hunters without dogs should concentrate on the autumn olive and rose stands.

The access point is off Route 9, about halfway between Belchertown to the west and Ware to the east. Like most WMAs in Massachusetts, Herman Covey is clearly marked with signs.

Crane Pond WMA
This area is divided into five parts totaling 2,123 acres. Parking is scattered around each parcel and is well marked. Much of the land is farmland that was abandoned decades ago. The smaller hillocks have now become overgrown with trees. Land managers have cleared small open patches throughout the WMA to provide habitat for pheasants and other wildlife. Hunters will also find a high-tension powerline running through the property, making for easy access.

The Parker River, a stocked trout water, flows through the southern portion of the area. Two small ponds that attract pheasants are also near the river. Access is via Exit 56 off I-95 in Byfield. From the exit, travel west toward Byfield and then turn south on Main Street. Turn right onto Forest Street, which leads into the heart of Crane Pond WMA.

Myles Standish WMA
Pheasants, of course, were not in Massachusetts back when the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, which lies a mere five miles away from this prime hunting area. But quail were here, and both quail and pheasants can be found in good numbers today.

The stocked area contains about 1,870 acres, which are divided into a 1,150-acre "Pheasant Area" and a 720-acre "Quail Area." The pheasant area features a mixture of oak, pitch pine and scrub oak woodlands, interspersed with many small fields. The quail area holds seven fields, each about half a mile long. Hunters will find 22 ponds in the pheasant area and three ponds in the quail area.

MassWildlife has secured numerous parking areas, providing access into the forest. To get started, take Exit 3 off Route 3 south of Plymouth. Turn left to Long Pond Road. Follow Long Pond Road for about two miles to Alden Road. Turn left. After about three miles, Alden Road leads directly into the pheasant stocking area. (To access the quail area, turn off Alden Road onto Cobbs Lane.)

License fees for Massachusetts residents are $27.50 for the season. Non-resident license fees are $65.50. The pheasant season opens Oct. 14 and runs through Nov. 25. The daily limit is two birds, with a season limit of six. Sunday hunting is prohibited in Massachusetts.

For more hunting and licensing information, contact the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife at (508) 792-7270, or visit www.masswildlife.org. For tourism information, contact the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism at 1-800-227-MASS.

CONNECTICUT
A few years ago, the Department of Environmental Protection revised its stocking program to better distribute birds for hunters. As a result, hunters will see about 22,000 pheasants this fall. About half of them will go into state forests and wildlife management areas. The remaining birds will be released into special permit-required areas. In total, nearly 50 hunting areas will be stocked between mid-October and Thanksgiving.