Massachusetts Extends Deer Hunt, Lifting Island Harvests 20% to Curb Tick Spread
Updated
Updated · The New Bedford Light · Jun 23
Massachusetts Extends Deer Hunt, Lifting Island Harvests 20% to Curb Tick Spread
1 articles · Updated · The New Bedford Light · Jun 23
Summary
A January-February deer season on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket lifted harvests 20%, with hunters taking 330 deer in one month as Massachusetts tries to slow tick-driven disease risk.
State officials link high deer numbers to tick management: southeastern Massachusetts has 30 to 50 deer per square mile, versus a recommended 12, and reducing deer makes other control measures more effective.
The push comes as lone star ticks spread north into Bristol County after overrunning the Islands, carrying alpha-gal syndrome — a potentially long-lasting allergy to red meat and dairy that can trigger anaphylaxis.
MassWildlife plans to extend February deer hunting to South Coast residents in 2027, while local health officials are distributing tick-removal kits and urging daily tick checks because tickborne illnesses keep rising.