Will Sunday no longer be a peaceful day of rest for deer in the Bay State?

State wildlife officials are looking into expanding deer hunting opportunities, as they gather public input on Sunday hunting, crossbow hunting, and minimum setback distances for hunting.

Massachusetts is one of only two states with an outright ban on Sunday hunting. The Sunday hunting prohibition originated in the 19th century — over 200 years ago.

“Hunting has always been woven into Massachusetts’ history – supporting families, boosting local economies, and helping keep our deer populations healthy,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.

“Expanding opportunities for hunters will carry that tradition forward while protecting public health and ensuring we’re maintaining balance in our wildlife populations,” the governor added.

In addition to the Sunday hunting ban, crossbows are prohibited for hunting — except for hunters with a permanent disability.

Crossbows are generally more accessible than traditional and compound bows because they require less physical strength to use.

Modern archery equipment, including crossbows, have built-in safety features that boost reliability and safe use in the field, wildlife officials said. In recent years, several New England states have changed laws to allow crossbows for deer hunting.

When it comes to setback limits, Massachusetts rules ban hunting within 500 feet of a dwelling/building in use or within 150 feet of a road. Other states in the Northeast have less restrictive setbacks for archery hunting than the Bay State.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) will soon hold public listening sessions on these opportunities to expand hunting access.

“We encourage the public to take part in these upcoming listening sessions and share their perspectives about Sunday hunting, hunting with a crossbow, and opening additional areas,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea.

“By expanding access, we can ensure that people have more opportunities to participate in this tradition, connect with the outdoors and each other, and put food on the table,” O’Shea added.

Following the listening sessions, MassWildlife will evaluate public input and anticipated wildlife management impacts to inform its recommendations.

The upcoming listening sessions build on recent regulatory changes that expand deer hunting seasons on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket with a six-week primitive firearms and bowhunting season from Jan. 1 through Feb. 14. The Islands have the highest deer densities in Massachusetts, which can lead to the spread of tick-borne disease, increased deer/vehicle collisions, habitat damage, and coastal erosion.

“Massachusetts hunters play an important role in conservation, all while boosting food security in our communities,” said MassWildlife Acting Director Eve Schlüter.

“Through programs like Hunters Share the Harvest, which has donated more than 90,000 meals in recent years, we see the tangible benefits of regulated hunting as we explore ways to increase access,” the acting director added.

The upcoming listening sessions will be Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. at MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough); Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. at Berkshire Community College (Robert Boland Theatre, 1350 West Street, Pittsfield); and Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Admiral’s Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Bourne).

There will also be Zoom sessions on Jan. 27 at 6 p.m., and Feb. 3 at 1 p.m.

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The public can also provide feedback using an online form at www.mass.gov/forms/hunting-laws-public-feedback or by mail to Attn: Hunting Laws, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA, 01581 by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6.

To learn more, visit www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-fisheries-and-wildlife/news.