<p>Check-in stations will be busy Monday as the two-week shotgun deer hunting season gets underway. A new program is also beginning that will allow hunters to donate extra deer. </p>
Check-in stations will be busy Monday as the two-week shotgun deer hunting season gets underway.
Hunting hours begin a half hour before sunrise and end a half hour after sunset. Hunting is banned on Sundays.
Hunters are required to wear 500 square inches of visible hunter orange on the chest, back and head. Those walking on public lands are advised to stay to paths and wear bright clothing.
Check-in stations are at the Wampanoag Tribal Council in Aquinnah, fire road 56 at the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, and Larry’s Tackle Shop in Edgartown.
This year hunters will be able to donate extra deer to the Island Grown Initiative. The meat will be processed and donated to the Island Food Pantry, and is part of an initiative to reduce the deer population and tick borne illnesses on the Island.
A truck will be at the state forest check-in station Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. to receive the deer. To donate at other times, or for more information, call 508-687-9062.
Biologist Richard Johnson, who is working with the Island Boards of Health tick-borne illness reduction initiative, is also working with landowners to open more private land to hunting. Last year about 50 additional acres were newly available to hunters, and Mr. Johnson anticipated that 100 acres will be opened this year.
Last year 767 deer were harvested on the Vineyard during the hunting season. The majority, 444, were taken during shotgun season.
The season runs through Saturday, Dec. 9. The primitive firearm hunting season will follow, from Dec. 11 to Dec. 30.
Comments
Let them hunt on Sunday's as
Bob EdgartownLet them hunt on Sunday's as well. It will help get rid of more deer which is needed.
I'm planning on heading over
Nate caputo CentervilleI'm planning on heading over on the 9th to hunt for the day. I have never hunted the vineyard and would be very appreciative on advise where to go to be successful.
Thanks
Nice reminder...
Jim CotuitNice reminder...
There isn't a deer down that I don't feel remorse in harvesting, yet I still am eager to take up bow and muzzloader each fall...
Respect for property owner, quarry and self.
Safety and good hunting!
No, Sundays are not for
HENRY EMMET GrotonNo, Sundays are not for hunting. Sundays are the one day a week those walkers (who would be well-advised to wear orange, and not just "bright clothing" as a flash of white may signal a deer's rump to a hunter, on the other six days) may safely pursue their normal woodland pursuits such as exercising, birdwatching, botany, socializing... It is also a day of worship and dare I say quiet contemplation here in New England. That said, there should be perhaps an extended season, or raising of limits, or invitations to outside marksmen as was done in the past, as the Lyme problem is devastating and the native forest understory is losing diversity due to foraging hordes of White Tail Deer.
I will be interested to see
Mr. B ChilmarkI will be interested to see if the "donation" plan produces the effects people hope for. If not, and there is no meaningful increase in number killed (say up to 1,000), then I think that we must consider either a professional culling of the herd or a one-year bounty per head to get the herd numbers down.
Sunday hunting is the on,y
Brian AthearnSunday hunting is the on,y way to make a dent in the population. That and no buck limits. We are letting dozens of deer go by because you have to have a good buck for your 2 tags. I want big bodied animals so butchering is cost effective. We have our own processing area, climate controlled and clean. I have to hold off on shots that aren’t big deer because I only have 2 tags. Something to think about.
For more information about
EmilyFor more information about how to donate deer to Island Grown, please visit http://www.igimv.org/blog/2017/hunters-needed There will be someone there to collected deer at the State Forest from 4 to 6pm to collect, and if you'd like to donate at another time call 508-687-9062
How about extending the deer
Lorraine EdgartownHow about extending the deer season each year? There are plenty of good hunters on the island, who know the island well and fill their freezers with venison which is a wonderful, healthy, delicious food. The extended hunting season could possibly be used to give venison to more people to enlighten the population who do not know about game meats and who have never tasted it. I grew up eating venison and it is a treasured food.
I don't hunt but it's obvious
EHI don't hunt but it's obvious we need to reduce the deer population.
For a year or two, it might be worth it to remove any bag limits and specifically to seek an exemption that would allow baiting on MV, in an effort to cull the population.
Baiting in particular can help concentrate the flocks on huntable land; deer will come to where the bait is.
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