Outside the big metros, Dukes leads Massachusetts's Buck Index at 79. Inside the Boston metro, Norfolk leads at 81. Middlesex is third at 78, and Bristol and Hampshire share a displayed score of 74. Suffolk is Not rated in this snapshot because it is mostly inside city limits. The county order compares documented big-buck history per estimated bow-huntable acre on a national scale. That gives hunters a specific county comparison, while leaving permits and the actual property to be checked separately.
KEY FINDINGS
- Outside the big metros, Dukes leads at 79. Inside the Boston metro, Norfolk leads at 81. FDR names the leaders on each side of the line, and a big metro means a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
- Norfolk, Dukes and Middlesex hold the top three. Norfolk is first at 81, Dukes second at 79 and Middlesex third at 78.
- Bristol and Hampshire share a displayed score of 74. Plymouth and Hampden share a displayed score of 73 in seventh and eighth place, and their underlying order is retained.
- All 13 rated counties are included, and Suffolk is Not rated. Suffolk is Not rated because it is mostly inside city limits. The score is a relative Buck Index, not an official county harvest rate.
Massachusetts county finder
Where does your county rank?
Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
10 of 14 entries shown
| State rank | County | Buck Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norfolk Boston metro | 81 |
| 2 | Dukes | 79 |
| 3 | Middlesex Boston metro | 78 |
| 4 | Essex Boston metro | 75 |
| 5 | Bristol Providence metro | 74 |
| 6 | Hampshire | 74 |
| 7 | Plymouth Boston metro | 73 |
| 8 | Hampden | 73 |
| 9 | Berkshire | 70 |
| 10 | Worcester | 62 |
01County comparison
Dukes leads outside the big metros, Norfolk inside
Dukes holds the top spot outside the big metros at 79, and Norfolk leads the state at 81 inside the Boston metro. Middlesex follows at 78 in third place. The national scoring frame matters: Norfolk's 81 sits on a 0 to 100 scale built for the whole country, so the score reads against that wider comparison.
The denominator is estimated bow-huntable acreage. A county with less qualifying acreage can rank high when its documented big-buck history is concentrated relative to that acreage. The score does not identify which parcel produced that history or whether a hunter can gain access to it.
02County comparison
Places two through nine share a narrow band
Dukes, Middlesex, Essex, Bristol, Hampshire, Plymouth, Hampden and Berkshire fill the second through ninth places, from 79 down to 70. Bristol and Hampshire share a displayed score of 74 in fifth and sixth place, and Plymouth and Hampden share a displayed score of 73 in seventh and eighth place.
Worcester is tenth at 62, below that band.
03County comparison
Franklin, Barnstable and Nantucket sit at the bottom of the rated list
Barnstable and Nantucket share a displayed score of 49 in twelfth and thirteenth place. Franklin's 56 in eleventh place sits just above both.
Dukes's 79 outside the big metros and Norfolk's 81 inside the Boston metro sit close together on a 0 to 100 scale. Explaining either county's position would require evidence beyond the score. A broad regional impression is too coarse for the county question.
04County comparison
Keep the county, the rules and the property together
The state wildlife agency's deer hunting regulations page is the reference for the rules that govern a hunt. This report does not allocate harvest totals to counties. Before a county becomes a trip, check the rules for the exact ground being considered.
The state's where-to-hunt information is the next step for finding ground. Start with a county you can actually hunt, then compare substitutes that fit the same trip. A move from Dukes to Essex changes the rank from second to fourth, and access may matter more than the index.
05Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR derived this October 17, 2026 snapshot from the 2011 through 2025 history window, estimated bow-huntable acreage and national scaling. The scores run from 0 to 100 and are not harvest odds, population density or guaranteed access. They are sensitive to reporting and modeled-area choices.
Compare the other states in the FDR county report series.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR county scores and interpretations are independent analysis. A county ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
Keep reading
FDR Scout puts county harvest history like this on the map of the ground you hunt. Open Scout →