Numbers were up as the two-week shotgun season for deer neared the halfway mark Friday.

A total of 201 deer had been checked in at the Manuel F. Correllus state forest, according to Fletcher Clark. Mr. Clark and Connor Flemming were on hand this week to collect biological data for Mass Fish and Wildlife. Antler beam diameter is measured, teeth are evaluated and the deer are weighed and tagged. The data will be sent to David Stainbrook, deer project leader for fish and wildlife, and will be used to evaluate the health of the herd.

Last year 173 deer were checked in during the first week.

The shotgun season runs through Dec. 14.

Mr. Clark said foul weather hampered hunters early in the week.

Desmond Pinkham was one of the hunters went out in the rain and cold on opening day. At the end of the day Monday, he and his hunting companions brought in three of the 30 total deer taken that day.

“It’s a family tradition to hunt the first day, rain or shine,” he said. “But it’s always better if it’s shine. . . The deer hunker down if the weather gets too rough.”

Mr. Stainbrook said it was too early to offer an analysis on the health of the herd this year.

Richard Johnson, an Island biologist who leads the tick-borne illness reduction initiative, was also on hand at the check station all week to collect ticks from deer brought in. He too said it was too early to offer any analysis.

Hunting is allowed from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. There is no hunting on Sundays.

During the second week of shotgun season, hunters can check their deer online or at one of three stations — the state forest headquarters, the Wampanoag tribal headquarters off Black Brook Road in Aquinnah and Larry’s Tackle Shop in Edgartown.

Islanders are reminded to wear brightly colored clothing while out walking on wooded trails.

An incentive program has been under way all fall for bow hunters that aims to increase the deer take this year in the face of an overpopulated herd and an epidemic of tick-borne illness on the Island. Bow hunters are being paid $100 per doe for every doe they take after the first two. A space has been made available for hanging deer and the venison is being processed and distributed for free in the Island community.

The program is restricted to bow hunting.