Shotgun hunting season began Monday, and the weigh station was busy this week with hunters, biologists collecting ticks, and a new deer donation program.

Island boards of health and a nonprofit partner are rolling out a new program to help hunters donate and process venison on the Island.

Efforts to reduce the Island deer herd, and an apparent spread of lone star ticks, topped a presentation this week.

Island biologist Richard Johnson has been documenting an apparent spread of lone star ticks inland from Aquinnah and Chappaquiddick this summer.

Oak Bluffs selectmen Tuesday decided to stay the course after revisiting their decision to back an expanded deer hunting season on the Island.

Amid growing concern about Lyme disease, selectmen in Edgartown, Aquinnah and West Tisbury this week agreed to join the call for adding another two-week deer hunt next January.

Selectmen in Oak Bluffs and Chilmark last night threw their full support behind a plan to add a second two-week shotgun season for deer in January next year.

The Vineyard has more deer per square mile than most areas in the state, but most of land remains off limits to hunting.

The spread of disease-carrying ticks on Martha’s Vineyard is a public health crisis, a biologist and longtime Island physician said this week.

Vineyard residents are highly concerned about ticks and tick-borne illness, according to a newly-released community survey conducted in August.