Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Shales Brook WMA

Tyringham Road, Becket, MA

Shales Brook Wildlife Management Area, located on Tyringham Road in Becket, is owned and managed by MassWildlife to protect and conserve biodiversity. Intentionally unmaintained, Shales Brook and other Wildlife Management Areas provide natural landscapes often ideal for wildlife viewing, hunting, and fishing, though do not include hiking or walking paths. At Shales Brook, visitors can explore the 161-acre WMA via bushwhacking and expect to find a 19-acre pond south of Tyringham Road. The pond attracts migrant waterfowl and fur-bearing aquatic animals while also providing a water source for land animals, commonly including white-tailed deer and black bears. Additionally, this pond can be used for shoreline fishing. With abundant wildlife and natural spaces, Shales Brook WMA provides numerous options for those desiring a primitive outdoor experience in the Berkshires.  

Although accessing the pond requires a challenging, bushwhack-intensive hike, ambitious visitors can also utilize the pond in the Shales Brook Wildlife Management Area for canoeing, kayaking, and ice fishing during winter. For specific and up-to-date hunting or land use regulations at Shales Brook, users can access the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife link attached below and can navigate the provided webpage for additional information regarding Massachusetts Wildlife Management Areas more generally. Also noteworthy is the limited parking, which is only available along Tyringham Road.