Referring to the Vineyard Gazette articles of Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, I sense an overwhelming desire to accommodate new deer hunters to help reduce the deer population on the Vineyard.
The high deer population is a serious problem but safety issues and proper adherence to hunting rules and regulations must not be sacrificed in favor of attracting more hunters. Some hunting accommodations are well worth consideration, including extending the hunting season, allowing crossbows and Sunday hunting, but changing the requirement for hunter orange, adjusting setbacks from housing and roadways, and hunting without permission on private lands are safety concerns, and are poorly thought through inducements to hunting.
Everett Jones
West Tisbury
This article appears in February 13, 2026.
Deer are not the only problem with tick overpopulation. Shrews and mice are mostly where young ticks get their starts