By Mike Roche

As more details of the new Massachusetts gun law come to light, the opposition to this action passed by the legislature and governor grows.

It is a long and complicated law and the Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) has already mounted several challenges, and a move to place a referendum item on the 2026 ballot is underway.

Meanwhile, no one – including local law enforcement and the Massachusetts State Police – claim to understand all the implications of the law. One thing is clear, as written and passed into law, this act will create difficulties for legal gun owners, both Massachusetts residents and non-residents, who want to continue to participate in legal hunting and target shooting activities that they have safely enjoyed for decades.

Most onerous are the prohibition of the purchase of popular auto-loading sporting firearms and possession by legally licensed non-resident sportsmen and women, required training that does not exist (there are already layers of training to prepare those wishing to apply for a firearms permit that includes the Massachusetts Hunter Education Program and NRA-certified classes) and mandatory registration of all firearms that law enforcement officials state there is no practical way to implement at his time.

It is a very long and complicated law and challenges that will inevitably end up in court will have to be broken down as each problematic portion is identified.

As promised, this writer has been in contact with sources to get accurate information to pass on to readers and, to be honest, every person contacted has apologized for not knowing much about what enforcement of the new law will entail. This week there is a planned meeting with local police and the results of that will be made available as soon as possible. Newspaper reports appear to be more like press releases from the administration and in my opinion, they far overstate the level of support from police officials across the state. Stay tuned!

These cool mornings have been great, with lower humidity and moderate temperatures. Fall-like weather is a favorite of many, and you can count me among them. My weekly dog training sessions at Hedgerow have encountered heavy dew as we try to bring Tessie closer to retrieving perfection.

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“Retrieving to hand” is that final product, with the dog waiting patiently for a command to drop the bird. Most of my bird dogs have retrieved back to me, often dropped the bird at my feet, and went back to hunting to find the next bird – and that has been fine.

On Sunday there was a drive to Deerfield to shoot skeet at the Franklin County League grounds and both skeet fields were busy. A fellow shooter turned out to be a breeder/trainer of German shorthaired pointers and we were soon talking bird dogs and the pros and cons of “stanch” pointing dogs. His finished dogs will not release from a point until a touch from the handler. There are circumstances where much of my upland hunting takes place where that is not advantageous. The very thick covers create situations where even walking into a solid point does not guarantee a shot, as the bird is only visible a short time after clearing the understory before it disappears into the foliage in the early season. Last hunting season, Tessie retrieved two woodcock that had been “missed” as you lose sight of the bird and do not see the effect of your shot. This training is indeed a work in progress and Tessie will be fine once the real hunting starts. Laney, meanwhile, is in top form and only needs a little conditioning work.

The skeet shooting itself was great for this amateur. Shooting the Franchi Veloce 20-gauge over/under, the targets were breaking better than ever and shooting with a squad of veteran skeet shooters, it felt pretty good. No need to book a session at the Orvis Wing Shooting School, although it was very enjoyable when Bruce Bennet and I participated a few years ago. Maybe some targets thrown from the Champion Wheelybird thrower or a round of sporting clays at the Petersham Gun Club will finish my preparation.

Also, time to set up the Silverado for hunting season with the dog boxes and associated bird hunting gear such as dog bowls, water, ammo and other necessities. The Decked drawer system does a great job of storing stuff and in theory, eliminating clutter in the back seat of the truck.

Sister Patricia had been planning her trip from Kansas to Massachusetts this week to attend the 50th Mahar Regional Reunion. She, her husband Jim Wolf and their special dog Willow were going to leave Tuesday and make the drive. It was my turn to provide lavish accommodations, as she puts me up every April during turkey season.

Unfortunately, she was thrown from her horse while riding last week and did a job on the shoulder she had already undergone replacement surgery on from a previous throw. This time, she broke the bone both above and below the artificial shoulder, (ouch!) and will not be able to travel for a while. We are all bummed, but confident that she will be able to make a full recovery by turkey season. Seriously, she is the most resilient person I know and is not letting this get her down. Heal fast, sister!

Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.