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Wildlife staff outline hunting recommendations; committee discusses bow‑only options, culling and access limits
Summary
A wildlife biologist presented a Hunt Review Team report recommending deer, turkey and small‑game hunting (excluding waterfowl) to manage deer impacts; the committee debated bow‑only seasons, the cost and controversy of sharpshooting/culling, parking/access limits and enforcement measures.
Howard, a wildlife biologist with the state, briefed the committee on a Hunt Review Team report prepared when the property was acquired. The report recommends opening portions of the preserve to deer, turkey and small‑game hunting (waterfowl excluded); staff said recommendations were developed to help maintain forest regeneration by keeping deer populations in balance.
Committee members discussed season lengths and methods: bow season runs from Sept. 15 through approximately the end of January, firearm (shotgun) seasons total about three weeks in November plus a muzzleloader period, and small‑game seasons generally open the third Saturday of October. Staff said bow hunting can be effective because of a longer season and, in some localities, the 500‑foot buffer around homes makes firearms impractical.
The group discussed sharpshooting/culling (‘‘calling’’), which requires a special permit for municipalities and nonprofit landholders (available since 2003) and has been used in one town at a cost the staff estimated at roughly $800 per deer removed. Participants noted sharp shooting can be politically contentious and expensive; staff reported the Greenwich experiment was used once and not repeated.
Access and enforcement questions were prominent: staff said hunting cannot begin on a property until boundaries are clearly posted and that interactive maps show property lines; hunters are required to know property boundaries and can be ticketed for violations. Limited public road frontage and a small number of parking areas likely constrain hunter access, which would in turn limit overall hunter numbers. Law enforcement and conservation officers enforce seasons and permit rules.
Next steps: staff proposed drafting a formal recommendation for the CMC, coordinating with town counsel on how town rules apply to town‑owned parcels, determining social messaging and public notice requirements, and bringing the recommendation back to the committee for approval.
