ISLESBORO, Maine — Islesboro residents are having a special deer hunt on their island to reduce the number of Lyme disease cases and protect the island’s woodlands.
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has signed off on a controlled deer hunt to run from Dec.10 through the end of the year.
The island allows deer hunting from September into early December, but only with bows and arrows.
The special season allows shotguns, the first that’s ever happened on the island. It’s open only to residents and family members.
At an island meeting held in August of 2011, voters approved killing about 400 of the estimated 500 deer that live on the island. The vote was 100-28, according to BDN reports at the time.
Islesboro is an island of about 600 year-round residents, about 70 of whom have contracted Lyme disease, according to previous reports. At least 20 were diagnosed with the disease in 2011, and about 20 more cases were suspected but unconfirmed.
According to the DIF&W “basis statement” explaining the reasoning for the new hunting season, the Islesboro Deer Reduction Committee received consultation on two deer population estimates. Both of those consultations indicated that the deer population was abnormally high for such a small area.
In one study the density was established at 50 deer per square mile; in the other, the estimate was 48 deer per square mile.
According to published BDN accounts, a healthy deer population density in Maine is about 10 deer per square mile.
40 Per sq. mi. reduction.
68.9 sq.mi.
2756 deer.
Someone needs to open a butcher shop for the season.
50 per sq mile and the island is 14.3 sq miles the estimated population is 5- 600 deer they want to eliminate approx 400 over 3 yrs good luck will never happen going about it that way.it makes absolutely no sense that they have an expanded archery season (sept 8-dec 8)anyone can hunt the island but it’s residents and family members only for the special hunt because they were worried about getting overwhelmed with hunters that came directly from the town clerk i asked her if they got slammed with hunters for expanded archery and regular season and she said no so why the change they are not going to get slammed with hunters this late in the year most people are hunted out regardless if they tagged out or not and with the cold weather and travel distance having to wait for the ferry the expense people are not going to do it i think you will see it change for next year almost guaranteed otherwise there deer problem is going to get much much worse and even if they do change it it’s going to be extremely tough to harvest that many deer roughly 135 a year then in 3 years more born the pop almost doubles in that amount of time you would have to take 200+ a yr to account for new borns to only leave about a 100 to 200 on the island
What they need is a mouse hunt!
“600 year-round residents, about 70 of whom have contracted Lyme disease”
over how many years??
The common field mouse is as much a carrier as the deer–the prob may be worse than they think.
The should look to Long Island. They’ve been trying that for years and it still has not worked.
Is there some pressing need to have deer on the island at all? I mean, it’s not as though they’re endangered and Islesboro is a vital last speck of their dwindling habitat. If it’s that big a problem, extirpate and be done with it.
Lyme Disease.
Check out where it originated. Hence the name.
Check out Plum Island Biological Labs , as well.
Not sure what it all means , except , it doesnt look good for any of us.
The residents should also consider bolstering the wild turkey population and perhaps introduce guinea fowl as they feed on ticks..