Franklin County hunters traversed snowy conditions on the first day of the 2019 Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season on Monday.
Many area towns saw upward of a foot of snow just in time for Day 1 festivities.
The numbers were down significantly from last year's opening-day take of 91 deer. In total, there were 32 deer reported from the five Franklin County check stations.
That total does not include check-in information from Gould's Sugarhouse in Shelburne, which was not available as of press time.
There were no 200-pounders checked on the first day, but some hunters came close.
Bitzer Hatchery in Montague had a 179-pound, 11-point check-in from Jonathan Labelle of Erving.
Sunderland Hatchery reported a 175-pound, 6-point buck hunted by Zachary Vollinger of Hatfield.
Topping the list at Flagg's Fly and Tackle in Orange was Earl Cody Jr. of Barre, who checked in with a 172-pound, 6-pointer buck.
The largest deer bagged on Day 1 came from Overwatch Outpost in Charlemont, where Heath’s Danny Brooks put down a 150-pound, 8-point buck.
Other check-ins at Bitzer included Matthew Powers of Bernardston reporting a 123-pound, 6-point buck, and Matthew Edwards of Wendell checking in with a 142-pounder (6 points).
Charles Fisher (Northfield, 99-pounds, 2 points) and Bryce Molnar (Erving, 108-pounds, 5 points) both checked in with bucks.
At Flagg's Fly and Tackle in Orange, local hunters reported 20 deer on Monday.
Paul Freire of Bellingham bagged a 140-pound, 7-pointer while Travis Brailey of Athol reported a 132-pound, 10-pointer.
David McCassie of Northfield (105 pounds) and Darren Bouchard (106 pounds) of Orange both nabbed does during the morning hunt.
The Orange location reported 15 deer in the afternoon after a slow start to the day in the morning.
Sunderland Hatchery had two more check-ins, with Donald Wakuluk of Shutesbury nabbing a 127-pound doe and James Crowley of South Deerfield bringing in a 125-pound, 8-pointer.
Here’s the full list of local checking stations from Monday’s Day 1 (any results from Gould’s will be added to the list on Wednesday):
Flagg's Fly and Tackle (20)
Joseph Goody, Orange, 123 pounds, 7 points; Joshua Chase, Wendell, 104, 1; Michael Roche, Orange 104, doe; Howard Hurtle Sr., Orange 163, 8; Curtis Raymond, Winchendon, 63, doe; Gabriel Murphy, Athol, 135, 8; Randy Stoddard, Athol, 99, 2; Jordan Fournier, Athol, 107, doe; Tyler Benjamin, Athol 103, doe; Riley O'Brooks, Petersham, 120, 6; Carson O'Brooks, Petersham, 126, 4; Earl Cody Jr., Barre 172, 6; Ronald Cormier, Orange, 136, 6; Hans Harris, Petersham, 155, 6; Daniel Gullage, Orange, 64 doe.
Overwatch Outpost (4)
Michael Brothers, Rowe, 100, 1; Danny Brooks, Heath, 150, 4; Joshua Black, Hawley, 99, 6; Kevin Clark, Hawley, (bear), 125.
Bitzer Hatchery (5)
Martin Powers, Bernardston, 123, 6; Matt Edwards, Wendell, 142, 6; Charles Fisher, Northfield, 99, 2; Bryce Molnar, Erving 108, 5; Jonathan Labelle, Erving, 179, 11.
Sunderland Hatchery (3)
Donald Wakuluk, Shutesbury, 127, doe; James Crowley, South Deerfield, 125, 8; Zachary Vollinger, Hatfield, 175, 6.