Massachusetts Deer Population:   A February, 2023, population estimate from Mass.gov of over 150,000 deer includes all areas of the state, the first total state estimate.  An estimate reported at the same time quoting MassWildlife put the number at about 95,000 which includes only the wildlife management zones where deer are hunted.  The deer population in hunted areas was estimated at over 95,000 in 2021, over 100,000 in 2020 and in 2019.  About 95,000 in early 2018, over 100,000 in mid-2018, 100,000 in 2017, and 90,000 in 2015.  In 2007 the state estimated 80,000 to 90,000 deer.  The 2023 population is about the same as in 2002.


Massachusetts Deer News

Southwick police chief supports proposed hunting restrictions with caveat February 10, 2024 Massachusetts, MassLive

... supports a proposed bylaw to prohibit hunting without the landowner’s approval, he would recommend a survey of the town’s residents to get their feedback...


New regulations for hunting, fishing in Massachusetts in 2024 December 27, 2023 WWLP Springfield

. ... Massachusetts is now part of the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact (IWVC), meaning if a hunter’s license is suspended in another state part of the compact, their hunting license in Massachusetts will also be suspended and vise-versa...


Massachusetts lawmakers discuss proposed bill to allow deer hunting on Sunday November 29, 2023 WGGB

... a century-old ban ... In support of lifting the ban, the executive director of a non-profit organization supporting farmers ... There was also testimony in favor of expanding the hunting ban... “My family and I love walking through the woods but are always scared during hunting season,” ...


Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variation in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in New England: Evidence for Founder Effect on Nantucket Island - Northeastern Naturalist, November, 2023

... Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) currently number ∼3000 on Nantucket Island. No deer were seen on the island at the beginning of the 20th century. The historical record suggests that a single male deer was brought to the island in 1922, and that 2 female deer were brought to the island from Michigan in 1926... Our results indicate that most deer on Nantucket originated from 2 founding females from Michigan, and a small percentage are descended from later introductions from the New England mainland..,


Motorists warned as vehicle-deer collisions rise November 12, 2023 Massachusetts, Daily Hampshire Gazette

...There were 1,806 such collisions across the state from October to December 2022, surpassing the record set the previous year for the most crashes with deer in at least the past 20 years...


What you need to know about the 2023 Blue Hills Reservation Deer Hunt November 4, 2023 Massachusetts, YAHOO!News

... For the fourth year, archery will be the only form of hunting allowed ... The hunt started in 2015 after a century of hunting being prohibited in the Blue Hills ... State wildlife officials estimate there are 26 deer per square mile in the reservation ... A forested area can sustain about 20 deer per square mile [15 to 28 is one estimate]


Deer harvest season starts on Oct. 16. Here's what you need to know October 14, 2023 Massachusetts, MassLive.com

... In the 1800s, the Massachusetts deer population was almost completely wiped out because of market hunting. The population of deer has largely recovered ...  northwestern and central-northern Massachusetts is increasing more rapidly than the rest of the region... the number of deer hunters through the last decade has remained consistent between 40,000 and 50,000 ..,


Natick, Mass Audubon culling white-tailed deer population at Natick's Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary October 12, 2023 Massachusetts, Natick Report

...  The past few years, about 10 deer have been taken through the hunting program. This time around the goal is 15, McCue says.  A new deer headcount is planned for next year or the year after...


What's behind the abundance of acorns in Massachusetts this year? October 12, 2023 CBS News

... Some years oak trees will drop all of their acorns together at the same time. It's an evolutionary process that works to overwhelm predators by covering the ground with acorns. The hope is that some survive becoming food if they all fall at once..,


These Massachusetts towns see the most deer crashes October 12, 2023 CBS News

... The towns that saw the most deer collisions from October to December of 2022 were: 1. Middleboro (48)  2. Taunton (39)  3. Westport (29)  4. Swansea (28)  5. Rehoboth (22)  6. East Bridgewater/Seekonk (20)  7. Freetown (19)  8.Acushnet/Plymouth/Wareham (18)


DCR Announces 2023 Deer Management Plan for Blue Hills Reservation September 22, 2023 Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation

... conducted annual controlled hunts in the Blue Hills Reservation since 2015. Like previous years, the 2023 management plan will allow permitted archery hunting in 2,622 acres of the over 7,000 acres of parkland within the reservation ...


Boaters rescue young deer from ocean off South Shore of Massachusetts August 30, 2023 Massachusetts, WCVB Channel 5 Boston

... about a mile off the coast ... The men discovered that it was a deer that was in distress, so they pulled the struggling animal from the water ...


MassWildlife considers extending archery deer hunting season August 2, 2023 Massachusetts, WWLP-22News

... in Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) one through nine, which includes western Massachusetts ... A proposed regulatory amendment looks to extend the starting date to two weeks earlier, meaning the season would begin on the eighth Monday before Thanksgiving...


Baby deer rescued from tank at Brockton’s water treatment plant July 11, 2023 Massachusetts, MassLive

... The deer, estimated to be no more than 2 months old, jumped into the tank with water about 15 feet high, said the animal control’s Facebook post...


White-tailed deer blood shown to kill bacteria that causes Lyme disease March 30, 2023 Massachusetts, Phys.org

... The study, published recently in the journal Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, demonstrates that the blood of the white-tailed deer kills the corkscrew-shaped bacterium that causes Lyme disease, a potentially debilitating illness... "We've known for some time that ticks taken from white-tailed deer are not infected ...


Two arraigned on several charges after illegal killing of deer in Massachusetts March 28, 2024 Fall River Reporter

... Within hours of the initial traffic stop, Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers were able to secure the deer. A Massachusetts Environmental Police K-9 unit also located a crossbow that was affixed with a night scope...


White-Tailed Deer Serum Kills the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi 2023 Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

...  White-tailed deer (WTD) are considered to be noncompetent reservoirs for B. burgdorferi... we demonstrated that WTD serum effectively kills B. burgdorferi. The borreliacidal activity of WTD serum likely contributes to the inability of WTD to efficiently harbor and transmit B. burgdorferi...


Record Deer Hunt On Nantucket During 2022 Season March 6, 2023 Massachusetts, Nantucket Current

...  deer killed ... 824 deer ... The island has one of the densest deer populations in the state, with approximately 50 per square mile, pegging the total number between 4,000 and 6,000 deer. ..


Deer harvest record and hide tanning workshop February 16, 2023 Massachusetts, Athol Daily News

...  The estimate by MassWildlife of the statewide population is around 95,000 deer. Hunter participation is down from the numbers recorded from the 1960s to today, but hunters are more efficient and have more liberal bag limits and a longer time to hunt..,


Massachusetts breaks record number of deer harvested during 2022 hunting season February 7, 2023 WWLP-22News

... A total of 15,853 deer were hunted and harvested last year, which is within the expected range allowed under strict regulation set by MassWildlife. The previous record of deer harvested was set in 2020 at 14,766...


Martha's Vineyard, Deer Hunting Season Rebounds Over Last Year January 9, 2023 Massachusetts, The Vineyard Gazette

...  the Island’s take increased 16 per cent over last year, to 775 deer in total, but noted that this comes after a 28 per cent drop in 2021...


Massachusetts fishing, hunting licenses set to increase cost in 2023 December 6, 2022 WWLP

... In 2021, it was announced that MassWildlife will increase the cost to obtain licenses and permits for the first time in 26 years... Resident Hunting; Includes 2 antlered deer tags valid statewide.  2022: $26.00.  2023: $29.50 ...


Annual Blue Hills Reservation deer hunt starts on Monday November 4, 2022 Massachusetts, The Patriot Ledger

... There were 19 deer killed during last year's hunt, and a total of 324 since 2015, state officials said... video


Pack of coyotes surrounds dog walker in Massachusetts October 17, 2022 News Center Maine

... the dog walker, who said that they were surrounded and that the coyotes were “not backing down,” police said in a Facebook post.  Officers counted at least nine coyotes ...


True Story of How Deer Got to Nantucket September 29, 2022 Massachusetts Yesterday's Island

... a male deer was found swimming by a fishing boat. The anglers “rescued” the deer and brought the buck back to their home port of Nantucket [1922] ... Two does from Michigan were then brought to the island by summer resident Breckinridge Long and released somewhere in Squam area to “keep the solitary buck company.” ... the genetic diversity of Nantucket deer is quite low ...


Blue Hills, DCR Announces 2022 Deer Management Plan for Blue Hills Reservation September 9, 2022 Massachusetts, Mass.gov

... Similar to last year, the 2022 plan will feature archery only hunting in the Blue Hills Reservation in the same designated areas of the park during the month of November...  The Blue Hills Deer Management Program utilizes controlled/permitted hunting ...


Firefighters rescue deer caught in lacrosse net  September 9, 2022 Massachusetts, UPI

... Hanover Firefighters were recently called to a residence for an animal rescue. A large buck got caught up in a lacrosse net, and became entangled by his rack. Hanover Firefighters were able to cut away the netting from the rack and free the deer...


Bears, moose, deer in Massachusetts exploring more backyards looking for water amid severe drought August 29, 2022 Massachusetts, Boston Herald

... “When there’s a drought like this, it concentrates animals to limited water sources, and backyard pools can be a good resource for water,” said Martin Feehan, state deer and moose biologist ..,


Owner Fined After Dogs Kill Deer Along MA River May 11, 2022 Massachusetts, Patch

... a person fishing on Monday in the Deerfield River watched two dogs chase down and kill a deer. The person recorded the attack ...


COVID-19 found in 15% of Massachusetts deer tested March 17, 2022 WGBH

... Of the 558 Massachusetts deer tested so far, COVID-19 antibodies were discovered in 86 samples. While deer-to-human transmission has only happened in one documented case ... It's extremely unlikely that most people could be infected by a deer. Any deer-to-human transmission would likely happen through the air ...


2 arrested for illegally killing deer in Templeton area face more than 50 charges March 16, 2022 Massachusetts, WWLP

... a vehicle that was using a spotlight to search the surrounding area. The group of three spotted a decoy deer, thinking it was real and shot it with a crossbow ...


Moose in Marlborough: 600-pound moose tranquilized after wandering into residential area February 22, 2022 Massachusetts, The Boston Globe 

... was hit with a second dart shot about a quarter mile away on Shawmut Avenue, where she was able to “go down safely.” ...  a ”MassWildlife biologist stayed with the moose and observed it safely stand and walk away on its own.” ...


Hunters, conservationists at odds on Sunday bow hunting February 2, 2022 Massachusetts,  CommonWealth Magazine

.. proposing to do away with the prohibition on deer hunting with a bow and arrow on Sundays... would sidestep politically fraught gun control debates by maintaining the ban on hunting with firearms... 


Mass. is monitoring white-tailed deer for COVID. Here's why January 11, 2022 Massachusetts, WBUR

... Massachusetts is now one of 41 states participating in a national effort to study the prevalence of the virus in deer... "We do know that at this point, every place that [deer] have been tested, there have been antibodies found," ...


3 deer killed during annual Plum Island hunt December 6, 2021 Massachusetts,  newburyportnews.com

... There are more than 95,000 white-tailed deer in the state, according to MassWildlife... 43 hunters killed three deer during the Parker River Wildlife Refuge’s annual limited white-tailed deer hunt ... 


Annual deer hunt returns to Plum Island today December 1, 2021 Massachusetts, Yahoo! Sports

... The shotgun-only hunt, which has been held since the 1980s, was initiated to reduce a once-booming deer population... they no longer overpopulate the refuge. These days, the hunt is mostly for recreation...


The deer hunters (and their foes) November 29, 2021 Massachusetts, The Boston Globe 

... it is quite clear that the deer population is not out of control, a point confirmed by anyone who hikes regularly in the Blue Hills, most of whom rarely see any deer. This is why the annual deer hunt in the Blue Hills has regularly produced far fewer killed deer than expected ...


State OKs hunters to shoot deer with bows & arrows in Blue Hills November 11, 2021 Massachusetts, Wicked Local

... DCR has conducted six annual controlled hunts in the Blue Hills Reservation since 2015... Under legislative mandate, the DCR is required to implement a management plan where deer overpopulation is negatively impacting forests ...


Orphaned baby deer find new home at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford September 5, 2021 Massachusetts, southcoasttoday.com9h

... In early summer months, MassWildlife placed a female white-tailed deer fawn at BPZOO, who was believed to have been orphaned at less than 10 days old in South Dartmouth. Weeks later, she was joined by a second female fawn found alone in western Massachusetts...

Should the state permanently end the annual deer hunt at Blue Hills Reservation? August 5, 2021 Massachuseetts, The Boston Globe, Bill Driscoll, Jr., State representative

... I’m concerned primarily with safety, stewardship of taxpayer dollars ... The pre-hunt population estimates used to legally justify herd reduction don’t seem to align with the actual numbers encountered by hundreds of annual participants...


Foxboro Police Officer Frees Deer With Head Stuck In Soccer Net  July 15, 2021 Massachusetts, CBS Local 

... The deer was bleeding as it struggled to free itself... comforted the deer with water before it headed back into the woods...


Deer tranquilized and relocated from North End June 4, 2021 Massachusetts, The Boston Globe

... Officials decided to tranquilize and relocate the doe because of the prevalence of people and activity in the area ...


State Rep. Driscoll files legislation aimed at Blue Hills deer hunt April 15, 2021 Massachusetts, The Patriot Ledger 

... After the Blue Hills deer hunt banned shotguns this past year, Rep. William Driscoll, D-Quincy, has filed a new bill designed to end the hunt altogether... my primary concern has been the safety of nearby houses...


Moose may be infected with winter ticks in Franklin County March 8, 2021 Massachusetts, WWLP

... The Northeast United States, in a bad year, they’ve documented 70 to 80 percent mortality in moose calves off of a bad winter tick year... 


Massachusetts proposes price hikes for hunting, fishing licenses March 4, 2021 Fox News

... hunting permits for antlerless deer, bear and turkey would rise from $5 to $20.  Hunting and fishing license fees for non-residents, as well as other costs associated with permissions for trapping and furbuying, would also go up...


Massachusetts 2020 Deer Hunt February 3, 2021 Crossville Chronicle

... MassWildlife said hunters killed 14,331 deer in 2020 ... its biologists estimate there are more than 100,000 deer statewide ..,


Topsfield man faces illegal hunting charges in Rowley January 14, 2021 Massachusetts, Eagle-Tribune

... he left heaps of corn on private property to lure deer into his sights ... Massachusetts regulations state that corn and “other natural and artificial substances to attract or entice deer” must be removed within 10 days prior to the start of the deer hunting archery season...


Delay in cull of town deer population frustrates Truro mayor January 5, 2021 Massachusetts, The Chronicle Herald

... A survey conducted in conjunction with the public information session indicated that half of the respondents felt the growing population of deer was a problem but only half of those respondents, or 25 per cent overall, felt that lethal means should be used to reduce the number of deer. ...


Hingham, First-ever deer hunt is planned at World’s End in Hingham November 28, 2020 Massachusetts, The Boston Globe 

... Denoncour said the Trustees haven’t targeted a specific number of deer to kill over the two-day hunt, adding that he anticipated the hunt would become an annual event until the deer population was under control...


State presents analysis of deer estimates October 21, 2020 Massachusetts, Wicked Local Brewster

... using eight transects in Nickerson State Park the model suggested there were 41 deer per square mile, with a probably range between 21 and 61, with 95 percent confidence. That was based on finding 64 pellets...


'They're everywhere': Deer crashes highest in Bristol County October 20, 2020 Massachusetts, Wicked Local Easton

... In 2019, there were 1,557 deer strikes in Massachusetts ... according to AAA...


DCR announces 2020 Deer Management Plan for Blue Hills Reservation October 10, 2020 Massachusetts, Wicked Local Randolph

... Based upon the experience of implementing and assessing the outcomes of five annual controlled hunts, DCR and MassWildlife will implement a controlled hunting plan in 2020 that features only archery hunting, no shotgun hunting...


New breakthrough may help cure prion disease May 6, 2020 Massachusetts, News Medical

... fatal diseases caused by prions - chronic wasting disease in deer ... if you catch it early enough, if you pull out one side of the square, the amyloid structure can't double. Chaperones prevent the disease by preventing it from doubling in that first round... In a new paper in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology by Tricia Serio ...


New breakthrough may help cure prion disease May 6, 2020 Massachusetts, News Medical

... fatal diseases caused by prions - chronic wasting disease in deer ... if you catch it early enough, if you pull out one side of the square, the amyloid structure can't double. Chaperones prevent the disease by preventing it from doubling in that first round...


State Biologists Narrow Cause of Mysterious Deer Paralysis March 10, 2020 Massachusetts, The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

... six fawns ... were found paralyzed ... state biologists have been able to narrow their investigation to a specific type of chemical present in medicated livestock and poultry supplements. ... Monensin ...


Another great year for Mass. deer hunters February 7, 2020 Massachusetts, Athol Daily News

... MassWildlife Deer Project Leader Dave Stainbrook recently released his preliminary harvest figures for 2019 by season. It appears like the total will be second-highest in history with almost 14,000 deer taken ...


 Ashland, Firefighters save deer that was stuck in ice at Ashland Reservoir  January 19, 2020 Massachusetts, The Boston Globe

...  videos show a first responder make their way through the ice to the deer, who is swimming in small circles surrounded by the ice...


Gold River, Deer Death Trap: Neighbors Call For Protections For Deer Falling Into Canal December 28, 2019 Massachusetts, CBS Boston

... Neighbors who live along Folsom South Canal are worried after several deer had to be pulled from the water... hopes for higher fencing ...


Massachusetts Environmental Police investigating after deer found dead with wire cable around neck December 19, 2019 Massachusetts, WWLP.com

... they found a dead Doe with an illegal wire cable snare cinched tightly around her lower neck.  “The type of snare found is intended to tighten over time, preventing the animal from escaping,” ...


Martha's Vineyard, State Biologists Investigate Spate of Young Deer Suffering From Paralysis December 10, 2019 Massachusetts, The Vineyard Gazette 

... Six fawns have been found on Martha’s Vineyard suffering from a mysterious paralysis ... all button bucks ... unable to use their front and back legs, unable to move or get up. . . Their belly is on the ground — but they are able to keep their head up,” ...


Blue Hills dream hunt was a total bust  December 7, 2019 Massachusetts, The Lowell Sun

...Months ago I put in for deer permit to hunt the Blue Hills Reservation just south of Boston. This was a lottery draw that saw more than 1,000 people put in for just 80 of these coveted permits.  ... the place has no deer and is overrun with coyotes. We all saw them, and Vinny had one attack him. There was five inches of snow on the ground and thousands of coyote tracks and no deer tracks found by any of us...


Controlled Deer Hunt Set For Blue Hills Reservation In Milton December 2, 2019 Massachusetts, Patch

... Eighty hunters will be spread out over six management zones beginning at 8 a.m...


Shotgun Deer Season Opens Monday November 28, 2019 Massachusetts, Athol Daily News

... Back in the late ‘60s, antlerless permits were established which required hunters to take only deer with at least one antler of at least three inches in length... the harvest back then was around 3,000 and we are not over 14,000 ...


Deer hunting season a time to exercise caution November 24, 2019 Massachusetts, The Lowell Sun

... Deer populations are at all time highs in most of the state. It is estimated there are now over 100,000 whitetails in the commonwealth. Last year was a record-breaking year for hunters because they took some 14,000 deer home..,


Officials warn upcoming deer mating season creates hazard for drivers October 31, 2019 Massachusets, Boston 25 News

... We have around 95-100,000 deer in the state but similar to the way the people population is in Massachusetts it's more densely populated in the eastern part of the state," ..,


Harvard, Voters debate hunting ban for nearly an hour October 31, 2019 Massachusetts, Harvard Press

... a proposed bylaw to ban the hunting program the Conservation Commission had approved in September. [defeated] ...  arguments for the ban ... no solid data that the deer population in Harvard was too high ... the proposed bow hunting program would be ineffective ...


Mass. moose sightings tell a story of survival October 22, 2019 Massachusetts, Worcester Telegram

... New Hampshire’s moose herd has declined by half since the late 1990s. The Vermont herd has more than halved since roughly the same time. Maine’s moose population is thought to have fallen from 76,000 five years ago to between 60,000 and 70,000 today... For whatever reason, moose in Massachusetts seem to be doing OK ...


Blue Hills, Study to look at health of Blue Hills October 11, 2019 Massachusetts, The Patriot Ledger

... A review of the use of hunting to control the deer population will be part of an independent scientific study of the Blue Hills Reservation required as part of a recently enacted state law ... “We all want the forest to thrive, but the annual deer culling program continues to be controversial and I share in the concerns held by many,”  [state Rep. William Driscoll, D-Milton] ...


Moose is moved to state park after run through St. John's Cemetery September 30, 2019 Massachusetts, Worcester Telegram

... captured by authorities and tranquilized.  Authorities took the bull moose to a state park for release ... The moose was one of two that Worcester police were tracking in the city ...


Martha's Vineyard, Bow Hunters Offered Financial Incentive to Take More Deer September 30, 2019 Massachusetts, VineyardGazette.com

...   archery hunters will be paid $100 apiece for every doe they take after the first two ... The Island deer population is known to be well above the statewide management goal of 6 to 18 deer per square mile...


State releases plans for Blue Hills deer hunt September 23, 2019 Massachusetts, Wicked Local

... This will be the fifth time the controversial controlled hunt has been hosted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation... a 2013 survey that conservatively estimated the reservation is home to more than 85 deer per square mile, far more than the six to 18 that state wildlife officials aim for [deer density for forest regeneration] ...


Subcommittee asks ConCom for deer hunting on town lands September 19, 2019 Massachusetts, Harvard Press

... the subcommittee concluded that Harvard’s current deer population is in the range of 20 to 35 deer per square mile... [deer density for forest regeneration] The use of professional sharpshooters, committee members said, would probably be even more controversial than bow hunting. Contraception was deemed prohibitively costly, at about $500 per deer every two years, besides running afoul of a range of state laws [costs for non lethal control] ...

Baker amendment would keep Blue Hills deer hunt alive September 18, 2019 Massachusetts, The Patriot Ledger

... a study proposed in the budget that would examine the environmental health of the reservation and the effectiveness of controlled public hunting and deer management programs in culling the deer population since 2015...


MassWildlife Proposes Ban On Coyote Hunting Contests​​ August 12, 2019 Massachusetts, Patch.com

... Some argue that coyote populations should be controlled in order to maintain deer populations, but statistics show a different view. The number of deer in the state is at a historic high of about 95,000, according to state officials..,


State to implement controlled deer hunt in Quabbin Park July 10, 2019 Massachuseeetts, GazetteNET

... Hunting has been permitted in the Quabbin Watershed since 1991, but Quabbin Park was not included in the division's white-tailed deer management program “for the purpose of experimenting with hunting alternatives,” such as electric fencing, which were ultimately deemed ineffective, according to DCR...


Antlerless deer permit allocations will be increased June 30, 2019 Massachusetts, Berkshire Eagle

... MassWildlife biologists estimate that there are over 100,000 deer statewide. Estimated densities range from about 12-18 per square mile in western and central Massachusetts, to over 50 deer per square mile on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Islands ..,


Deer Relocated After Getting Stuck in Pittsfield's Downtown  June 6, 2019 Massachusetts, Iberkshires

... MassWildlife tranquilized the deer and the Massachusetts Environmental Police transported it out of the city's downtown core. The deer is expected to survive...


Wildlife biologist advocates hunting to control deer May 29, 2019 Massachusetts, Harvard Press

... The density of deer in Harvard is between 30 and 35 per square mile, according to the speaker at last week’s meeting ... well above the level considered sustainable for a healthy forest ecosystem, which is fewer than 20 deer per square mile, according to Stainbrook [U.S. Forest Service study puts the optimal deer density at 15 to 28 per square mile with regeneration at higher numbers]


ConCom mulls plan for deer hunting on conservation land in fall May 16, 2019 Massachusetts, Harvard Press

...  “There’s no safety issues with bowhunting—none at all,” [see safety issues] ... asked if Andover had been able to show that its forest had improved since the hunting program had been implemented... no systematic study had been done...


Groups seek harsher penalties for poachers May 6, 2019 Massachusetts, Eagle Tribune

 ... Under the proposed changes, fines for killing a deer or turkey out-of-season or without a hunting license would rise from a low of $300 to a high of $3,000 per offense. Violators could also face up to six months in prison...


Deer don't get Lyme April 16, 2019 Massachusetts, Martha's Vineyard Times

...  a scientific paper  ... research she and fellow scientists conducted on Block Island concluded white-tailed deer play a role in lowering the prevalence of Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi) infection in black-legged tick nymphs... may call into question the utility of deer culling... “The blood in the deer actively kills the borrelia in the tick as it feeds,” [Columbia University eco-epidemiologist Maria Diuk-Wasser] ...


Deer hunting continues to thrive in region February 11, 2019 Massachusetts, Worcester Telegram

... Many factors contributed to this past year’s hunter success, but the devastation of oak trees by gypsy moths and bad weather during pollination time contributed to a lack of acorns that sent deer wandering significantly farther afield for food, providing more shot opportunities for hunters..,


Massachusetts hunters set state record for most deer killed in 2018 February 5, 2019 WWLP.com

...  Wildlife officials said there were two important changes in the 2018 season. which include the opening of more than 7,500 acres of Wachusett Reservoir Public Land, and the two-week extension of the archery season..,


Preliminary deer harvest report shows record year in 2018 January 23, 2019 Massachusetts, Mass.gov

... The preliminary statewide deer harvest for 2018 is 14,513 ... A complete harvest summary will be posted ... here in early summer...


MassWildlife Rescues Deer Stuck on Pontoosuc Lake January 17, 2018 Massachusetts, iBerkshires.com

... "This deer was out on the ice and couldn't get any grip, splayed out. It looks like he has some injury there. The deer is immobilized now and we'll take it off-site and assess the injuries," ...


Deer herd has healthy numbers across New England December 26, 2018 Gloucester Daily Times

... MassWildlife biologists estimate that there are over 100,000 deer statewide...

Average Year Projected for Deer Harvest December 13, 2018 Massachusetts, The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

... “The most important thing for Zone 13 [Martha’s Vineyard] is to keep the female harvest high so we can continue to reduce population growth,” Mr. Stainbrook said. Last year 457 male deer were harvested on the Island, while 387 female deer were taken...


53 deer taken from Wachusett Reservoir area in first hunt in decades December 8, 2018 Massachusetts, Worcester Telegram

... opened those areas that had an estimated deer density of 15 deer per square mile or more...restricting forest regeneration [deer density and forest regeneration]  ... “Wachusett deer have never been hunted in 50 years, but Quabbin deer are wily and seek out hiding spots,” ...


Belchertown police looking for individual who shot, killed deer within 500 feet of residences December 3, 2018 Massachusetts, WWLP-22News

... he spot where the individual was said to have stood was within 500 feet of nearby residences as well as multiple houses through the tree line, and horses on the back side of the field...

Massachusetts data:  The state reported an estimate of over 150,000 deer in February, 2023, "with a minimum late winter estimate at about 160,000 deer."  A press report at the same time puts the number at 95,000.  The higher number represents the first "state wide abundance estimate" while the lower number includes only deer in wildlife management areas open for hunting and did not include some non-forested areas.  The chart below provides previous state estimates for wildlife management areas then adds a 68 percent adjustment factor (adding 68% of 95,000 gives the total of 160,000) as a rough estimate to get historic population estimates.  In 2023 about 19 deer per square mile for the state.

Data for the chart below.  

Lots of acorns in 2023 which often reduces hunting success as deer search less for food. The number of deer hunters has remained constant over the last 10 years at 40,000 to 50,000.  A 2023 study indicates that the 3,0000 deer on Nantucket island are primarily descendant from 2 females introduced from Michigan in 1926 when there were no deer the island

Drought was stressing deer in 2022.  Reported MassWildlife estimates for hunted areas of the state of over 95,000 deer in 2021.   About 100,000 deer in 2020 and 2019, about 95,000 deer in early 2018, over 100,000 later in 2018, and 100,000 deer in 2017, up from about 90,000 deer (85,000 to 95,000) in 2015.  A hard 2014-15 winter reduced survival.   Population growth in the central  western regions.  Some of the increase in the number of deer killed in the 2018-19 hunt was due to the opening of Wachusett Reservoir Public Land, a two-week extension of the archery season, and a poor acorn crop.  

The graph below shows the annual deer kill from the hunt for 1966 to 2021.  Source Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Some hunters attribute the trend in lower deer harvests from 2002 to 2016 to fewer deer although the state has attributed some of the decline to weather conditions during hunting season. Deer had been on the decline in the western part of the state and the WDFW issued fewer antlerless deer permits in 2013 with about the same number issues for 2014.   From 30 to 50 percent of the fawns die each year, 20 to 35 percent killed by predators.  Coyotes take about 25 percent of all fawns.  


Overall, deer numbers are near target levels - below target in the West, but above target in the East near the New York border and east to Ashby and Westminster.  Deer numbers are very low in Cape Cod as a result of extensive development, lack of good habitat and nutrition, and deer-vehicle collisions.  Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket have higher deer densities. 


A deer estimate population of at least 85,000 in 2010, 80,000 to 90,000.  A state estimate of 80,000 to 90,000 in 2007.  


In 1898 Massachusetts closed the whole state to deer hunting. The deer population that had reached a low of 5,000 around the year 1900, rebounded to 10,000 to 15,000 by 1908.  Hunters registered for the first time in 1909.  A 2023 study indicates that the 3,0000 deer on Nantucket island are primarily descendant from 2 females introduced from Michigan in 1926 when there were was only one other deer the island introduced in 1922.


 About 8,000 deer killed annually by vehicles, 10,000 by hunters.


Moose, between 1,000 and 2,000 in 2015, concentrated in northern Worcester County and the southern Berkshires. 1,000 -1,500 in 2009.


Coyotes, around 10,000 in the state in 2016, not native, arrived in the 1950s.

Useful links:


- Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game