Four days into the deer shotgun season and already 196 deer have been taken. The two-week hunting season began Monday morning with foul weather. John Scanlon, a state wildlife biologist assigned to the Vineyard this week, said that the hunters didn’t start bringing deer to the check-in station at the state forest until later in the afternoon.

By Wednesday afternoon the number was 79. By yesterday afternoon the number had grown to 95, even though Thursday morning was windy and stormy.

Mr. Scanlon weighs and measures each deer brought to the station.

By law, any deer taken on the Vineyard has to be taken to one of three check-in stations.

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) operates a deer check-in station at their headquarters in Aquinnah. By yesterday afternoon, the tribe had seen 56 deer since the hunt began.

At Larry’s Tackle Shop, 45 deer had been checked in. Steve Purcell, of Larry’s Tackle Shop, said 123 deer were checked in earlier in November during archery season, down from 149 a year ago.

Mr. Scanlon said the number of hunters on the Vineyard appears to be down, but those who are out appear to have a greater level of experience.

There is still another week left in the hunting season. Hunting is allowed from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset Monday through Saturday. The last day is Saturday, Dec. 12.

Primitive firearm, blackpowder, hunting season runs through December.