Eastport Deer Committee reviews sharpshooting, special hunts and expanded archery as population-control options

The Eastport Deer Committee met Jan. 5 and heard guidance from Steve Dunham, Regional Biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), on options to reduce the town's deer population.

Dunham told the committee that "the department does not encourage feeding of deer, especially during the legally closed period from June 1 - December 15." He outlined several methods for reducing antlerless deer: contracting a commercial sharpshooting company (he cited White Buffalo and USDA Wildlife Services as examples), establishing a multi-year special hunt co-managed by the municipality, creating a Wildlife Management Area (WMD) sub-district to allocate extra antlerless tags, and expanding archery opportunities.

Dunham described the special-hunt model used on Swan's Island in 2016'2018, which included resident hunters who passed background checks and used bait to concentrate animals; he offered to share that plan with Eastport. He also said a WMD sub-district can be used where nuisance-deer complaints are sufficiently high (example given: WMD 26a received more than 400 additional antlerless tags in 2025). Dunham noted that Eastport lies in WMD 27 and that he would confirm complaint levels with Nathan Bieber, the State Deer Biologist.

The committee discussed expanded archery as a less costly option. Dunham said non-bridged islands in WMD 27 were added to MDIFW's expanded archery program and that MDIFW would consider bridged islands and coastal peninsulas if municipalities request it. Committee chair Loring Small expressed concern that expanded archery could attract hunters in September while other parts of Washington County remain closed until October and that it might increase "road hunting" complaints. Dunham said a state law change now prohibits the discharge of an arrow within 100 yards of a building unless the property owner grants permission; he said that change has reduced "cowboy" complaints during archery seasons.

Dunham also described depredation permits that can be issued to property owners where deer cause damage. He gave Cherryfield Foods as an example of a commercial landowner that was allocated 25 antlerless deer permits, and noted that airports can receive depredation permits for safety reasons.

On timing, Dunham said any proposal that requires rulemaking (for example, expanded archery or a special hunt) would need municipal council approval, MDIFW advisory council approval and the commissioner's sign-off by July 2026 to affect the upcoming fall hunting season. He cautioned that this timetable may be tight for organizing a special hunt for 2026 but said expanded archery may still be feasible. He also noted that the state plans to add an extra week of muzzleloader season in 2026 (muzzleloaders only), which does not meet Eastport's firearms ordinance.

Chris Bartlett asked about the relative benefits and drawbacks of the methods Dunham described. Dunham said special hunts and depredation permits can reduce deer numbers in the short term but typically need to be repeated; he recommended, where feasible, more consistent removal over time for sustained population reduction.

No formal decision was taken at the meeting on which method to pursue. The committee approved its Dec. 11, 2025 minutes by unanimous vote earlier in the session and agreed to seek more information from MDIFW (including Swan's Island's special-hunt plan and clarification from Nathan Bieber on complaint levels) and to follow the July 2026 rulemaking timetable if the committee advances rule-change options.