Potential Solutions
Potential Solutions
- Ignore and Hope it Will Fix Itself
- Harvest to Meals
- Expanded Recreational Hunting
- MassWildlife Deer Damage Permits
- Halt Deer Feeding
- Non-Lethal Options – Sterilization & Contraception
ACKdeer’s Plan
Why Not Done Before?
- Deer Density Lower
- Impacted Fewer Residents
- Limited to More Rural Areas
- Smaller Year-Round Population
- No Outreach to Residents
- Benefits of Herd Management
- Issues with Feb 2005 Extra Hunt
- Venison Donation Program Unavailable
- Fewer Disposal & Clean-Up Options
Harvest to Meals
Solves Two Problems Simultaneously
- Dangerous Exploding Deer Herd – Health, Safety, Economic, Ecologic Impacts
- Growing Food Insecurity – Affects 4,500+ Island Residents
Coordinated Plan
- Reduce Herd in Island-Friendly Manner
- Increased Disposal Options reduces Hunter friction points and community impacts
- Contribute Deer to MassWildlife’s HSH Program
- Process & Package Ground Venison
- Store & Distribute Meat On-Island
Recreational Hunting
Existing Herd Management Method
- North American Model of Wildlife Conservation
- The only population management method that is effective, permissible, practical
Incredible Safety Record in MA – 0 non-hunters have been killed by hunting
Number of Hunters Decreasing
Hunters Stop After Filling Own Freezer
Many Friction Points
2025-2026 Deer Hunting Season
Sep 27 – Youth Deer Hunt Day Shotgun, Archery & Primitive Firearms
Oct 6 – Nov 29 Archery
Dec 1 – Dec 13 Shotgun, Archery & Primitive Firearms
Dec 15 – Feb 14 Archery & Primitive Firearms
Sundays Excluded
Hunters
Mass Wildlife Management Zone 14 (ACK) 2014 Anterless Deer Permits (ADP) Issued
- 171 ACK Residents
- 409 Non-Residents
Successful Hunters
- 114 ACK Residents – avg: 3.3 deer
- 248 Non-Residents – avg: 2.0 deer
MassWildlife Deer Damage Permits (DDP)
- MassWildlife Issues Permit to Property Owner
- Allows Sub-Permittees onto Property to Address Damage
- Issued Outside of Hunting Season
- Property Must be Open to Hunting
- Lethal Methods Allowed are Less Restrictive Than Hunting Rules
- Each DDP Customized Including
- Valid Dates & Days of Week
- Implements – Crossbow, Shotgun, Rifle
- Equipment – Lights, Thermal, Bait
- Deer Harvested Must be Turned Over to MassWildlife’s HSH Program
Halt Deer Feeding – It’s Harmful to Deer
- Deer unable to digest corn or pellets
- Draws deer closer to residential areas
- Draws deer to neighboring properties
- More vehicle contact opportunities
- Habituates deer to humans
- More disease among herd
- Harmful to Residential Areas – More damage from numbers drawn in
- Human Contacts Not Safe
- Aggressive deer attack humans & pets
- Good Intentions Misplaced
- ACK Retailers Sell Deer Feed
Non-Lethal Options
PZP Contraception
Studies to date not applicable to ACK
Would need to Dart 9,000 Deer/Year
– Cost $1,000/Deer or $9mm/year
15 years before noticeable effect
MassWildlife Will Not Permit Medicating Deer
ACKdeer’s Plan
2025/2026 Goals
Reduce the Herd – Take More Deer Harvest 1,500+ deer, Donate 750+
Reduce Food Insecurity – More Venison Distribute 75,000 Venison Servings
Build Processing & Storage Facility Commence and Ramp Up Production
Stop Feeding Deer Campaign – Educate community, halt retail sales
More Disposal Locations – Launch Gut Bag program
Outreach to Residents – Launch Web Site & Newsletter
Expand ACKdeer Coalition
Support Expanded Recreational Hunting
- Reduce Friction Points
- Permissions to Reduce Setbacks
- Promote ACK-Friendly Hunting Practices
- Incent Hunter / DDP Participation
- Open More Land to Hunting
- Expand Deer Damage Permits (DDP’s)
