Rhode Island Deer News
 Block Island, Council suggests deer hunters only take one buck May 23, 2013 Rhode Island, Block Island Times ... “I don’t see the reason to limit it,” said First Warden Kim Gaffett, who opposed the vote. She disagreed with Blane. “Now you can take x number of does and three bucks. You’re just reducing your overall potential of deer taken by two.” Blane argued that the hunters would hunt bucks instead of does if allowed to take more bucks.... Block Island, DEM Deer Count April 24, 2013 Rhode Island, Block Island Times ... 198 deer were taken in the 2012-2013 hunt [Block Island] ... An aerial survey on January 28 found 71 deer per mile... resulting in an estimate of 100 deer per square mile. In 2011 that count was 50 per square mile... Block Island, DEM criticizes deer plan April 19, 2013 Rhode Island, Block Island Times A town plan to drastically reduce the deer herd on Block Island with a managed nighttime deer hunt ... Catherine Sparks, Assistant Director of Natural Resources for DEM, called Block Island’s plan, which was based on a similar hunt carried out on Skidaway Island, Georgia, “an extirpation plan” and “a suite of illegal activities,” at the town council meeting Wednesday evening. She said “removing the opportunity [to hunt on Block Island] is not a hurdle we can overcome.”... ... Strong anti-hunting sentiments were expressed by a few vocal residents... Amid debates over whether deer numbers can affect Lyme disease rates and whether the deer population has grown ... Block Island, DTF recommends special deer hunt April 3, 2013 Rhode Island, Block Island Times The Deer Task Force (DTF) decided to send a recommendation to the Town Council asking them to approve a special and controlled night hunt for deer to radically decrease or eliminate the island's tick-infested deer herd [deer are immune to Lyme disease and don't transmit the disease, see research] ... Even if town council approves the special hunt, the DTF will need Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) permission as well. DEM’s rules prohibit baiting and spotlighting ... Block Island, Deer Task Force members to meet with DEM March 18, 2013 Rhode Island, Block Island Times ... the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to discuss strategies the task force has to reduce or completely eradicate deer on Block Island... strategies that include strategic shooting of the deer, baiting the deer or instating a bounty system... “If you don’t think you’re going to gain any DEM support, then we might as well just quit trying,” said Paul Deane, task force member... Block Island, Deer Task Force prepares for special hunts January 24, 2013, Block Island Times ... A reconstituted Deer Task Force resolved on Monday to put a plan before the Town Council by the end of 2013 that would chart the way toward greatly reducing or eradicating the island’s deer herd... A letter from former task force member Bill Wilson outlined several deer reduction/eradication plans considered by past groups concerned with the proliferation of Lyme Disease [deer and Lyme Disease] ... RI buys 245 acres of forest for preservation November 30, 2012 Rhode Island, Boston.com Rhode Island has paid $1 million for 245 acres of forest in Richmond to protect the area from development and make it available for outdoor activities. ... The state also intends to open the site to deer hunting ... Shotgun Deer Hunting Season Starts Dec. 1 November 30, 2012 Rhode Island Patch.com The need to reduce auto strikes and address nuisance deer issues as well as health-related Lyme disease issues are important deer management concerns and integral to maintaining quality hunting [Lyme disease not correlated to deer density] ... The statewide bag limit is three antlered deer and antlerless deer as follows: Zone 1, four antlerless deer and one replacement tag; and Zone 2, three antlerless deer... RI deer season opens Saturday November 28, 2012 Rhode Island, Turn to 10 The Department of Environmental Management announced deer season in Rhode Island will open on Saturday. Why you shouldn't eat this antelope on the run November 25, 2012, Rhode Island, Globe and Mail “Rhode Island officials warned that an exotic antelope that escaped from a private collection may look like a large deer, but its flesh could be poisonous to humans,” says United Press International... the 230-kilogram animal, a nilgai antelope, was shot with a tranquillizer dart just before it escaped from the Hopkinton collection ... Block Island, Council rejects hunting ordinance change November 13, 2012 Rhode Island, Block Island Times ... Deer Task Force member Sara McGinnes, speaking as a member of the public, asked, “How does this council feel about eradicating Lyme disease?” [deer density not correlated to Lyme Disease] She argued — a position echoed by many others — that limiting bow hunting would simultaneously limit hunting on properties that can only be hunted with a bow. Blane, who is also a member of the Deer Task Force, disagreed. He commented that few deer are taken by bowhunting, and he repeated a comment he made in the past that shotgun season is “not deer hunting but deer reduction.” .. Lincoln, No need for deer hunting in Lincoln October 17, 2012 Rhode Island, Valley Breeze, John Picozzi ... In 2008, The New England Chapter of the Wildlife Society and the Northeast Deer Technical Committee reported the following options as effective countermeasures for managing deer populations; fencing and repellents, wildlife crossings (such as signs, flashing lights, and headlight reflectors) and exclusionary fencing, particularly when used in conjunction with one another were the only methods with sufficient scientific evidence to be regarded as effective countermeasures. [more information on transportation safety] Lincoln bow and arrow ordinance still not on target October 17, 2012 Rhode Island, Valley Breeze ... Both those for and against hunting agree that safety is the top concern. Some say they fear for pets and children being hit by an arrow, and the rest say they fear an increase in the deer population will cause more car accidents when deer dart across a roadway... resident Jim Fredrickson said he is concerned his neighbors could allow hunting, and his children playing on the property line, or himself driving a tractor, could be at risk. Lincoln, Deer control question carefully considered October 10, 2012 Valley Breeze. Kenneth G. Pichette, Lincoln Town Council ... Having banned hunting in Lincoln in 1994, the population of deer has continued to grow ... There have been a growing number of people being treated for Lyme disease [deer density not correlated to Lyme] ... I researched the rules according to the State of R.I. regulations in regard to hunting and bow hunting is the only safe method I could suggest. [non-lethal population control] | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Data: About 15,000 deer in Rhode Island Rhode Island Bureau of Environmental Protection Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife Developing the Strategy The pro-active objective is to define and implement a strategy that will identify, monitor, and thus prevent species of greatest conservation need and habitats from becoming endangered. It will save millions of tax dollars by saving species before they become endangered. The combined efforts of stakeholders, partners, conservation groups, private landowners, and state and federal agencies are essential to the development and execution of the plan. |
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