Laws Relating to Discharge of a Firearm

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 58: A person shall not discharge any firearm or release any arrow upon or across any state or hard surfaced highway, or within one hundred and fifty feet, of any such highway, or possess a loaded firearm or hunt by any means on the land of another within five hundred feet of any dwelling in use, except as authorized by the owner or occupant thereof.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 90: Whoever violates any provision of section five, ten, eleven, thirty, thirty-two, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-eight, forty-seven, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one, fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty-two, sixty-nine, seventy-one, seventy-two, eighty, eighty-two, eighty-three, eighty-four, or eighty-five, or any rule or regulation made under authority thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment . . . 

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 65A: (a) For the purposes of this section, ''online shooting or spearing'' means the use of a computer or any other device, equipment, software or technology, to remotely control the aiming and discharge of any weapon including, but not limited to, any firearm, bow and arrow, spear, slingshot, harpoon or any other projectile device or any other weapon capable of killing or capable of inflicting injury capable of killing any bird, mammal, reptile or fish. 

(b) Whoever: (1) engages in online shooting or spearing of any bird, mammal, reptile or fish . . . shall be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $2,500, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269, Section 12E: Whoever discharges a firearm . . . a rifle or shotgun within five hundred feet of a dwelling or other building in use, except with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than three months, or both. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (a) the lawful defense of life and property; (b) any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his duties; (c) persons using underground or indoor target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof; (d) persons using outdoor skeet, trap, target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant of the land on which the range is established; (e) persons using shooting galleries, licensed and defined under the provisions of section fifty-six A of chapter one hundred and forty; and (f) the discharge of blank cartridges for theatrical, athletic, ceremonial, firing squad, or other purposes in accordance with section thirty-nine of chapter one hundred and forty-eight.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 15E: (a) Whoever commits an assault and battery upon another by discharging a firearm, large capacity weapon, rifle, shotgun, sawed-off shotgun or machine gun . . . shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 20 years or by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2½ years or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 265, Section 15F: (a) Whoever attempts to commit an assault and battery upon another by means of discharging a firearm, large capacity weapon, rifle, shotgun, sawed-off shotgun or machine gun . . . shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 15 years or by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2½ years or by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 266, Section 121: Whoever, without right, enters upon the land of another with firearms, with intent to fire or discharge them thereon, and, having been requested by the owner or occupant of such land or by his agent to leave such land, remains thereon, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two months, or both.

Some additional laws not reproduced here address injury caused by carelessness while hunting.