State biologist outlines new deer regulations and January "primitive" season for Nantucket

Martin Fehan, deer and moose biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, told the Nantucket Select Board on Sept. 10 that the agency has adopted a regulation package intended to increase deer harvest and reduce ecological and public‑health harms on islands such as Nantucket. Fehan said the package, passed by the Fish and Wildlife Board and promulgated in May 2025, includes a new January ‘‘winter primitive’’ season for Wildlife Management Zones 13 and 14 (which cover Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket), a clarification that standing crops and normal agricultural practices do not constitute baiting, authorization of deer decoys during archery seasons, removal of a daily antlerless possession limit, and expanded use of the youth deer permit. The changes are intended, Fehan said, to boost hunter success and reduce deer abundance where populations are high. “The biggest things in terms of the driver for the agency, really is around ecosystem management and conservation of our, our forest lands around the state of Massachusetts,” Fehan said. Why it matters: Fehan and the board framed Nantucket’s deer issue as multi‑faceted. He said high deer abundance harms forest regeneration and biodiversity, worsens coastal erosion by damaging dune and cliffside vegetation, increases collisions with vehicles and raises local risk for tick‑borne disease because deer are key hosts for lone star ticks. Details from Fehan’s presentation: - The regulation package was the product of a 2024 proposal, a public hearing in February 2025 and rules finalized in May 2025. - The January primitive season for zones 13 and 14 will permit archery and muzzleloader (primitive) equipment across a monthlong window in January 2026; it will be open with special winter permits and associated tags described by the state. - The daily antlerless possession limit was removed to let hunters retain more antlerless deer without returning for biological check‑ins, and the youth deer permit may be used in any open season. - The state established a winter deer permit and other changes to encourage sustained harvest across a longer season and reduce concentrated pressure in short shotgun seasons. Public comment and local context: Select Board members and residents asked about targets and benefits for tick control and about long‑term community impacts. Fehan said studies indicate deer reductions needed to cause a major drop in tick populations are substantially lower than the densities typical on islands: “you really don't get any collapse in the tick densities until around 10 to 11 deer per square mile and you don't actually have a full population collapse for the ticks until you're below right around 7 to 8,” he said, noting that achieving those densities by deer removal alone is difficult. Board and public reaction: Select Board members and speakers from the public acknowledged the complexity: residents described increased deer visibility on yards and potential impacts to home gardening, and one public commenter urged action to reduce lone star tick risks. Fehan recommended that individual property owners with agricultural damage contact the Division for site‑specific options. Next steps: The regulations described are state rules; Fehan said additional relevant regulations were approved for hearing on other eastern Massachusetts zones for 2026–27. The Select Board received the presentation and had no municipal action to take on the state rules.