Hunting

Hunting Regulations Changed to Address Large Deer Population

Next week the deer hunting season shifts from bow and arrow to shotgun.

“You are up close and personal when you are in archery season, at 20, maybe 30 yards away,” said Walter Ashley, an experienced hunter on the Island. “With a shotgun, it’s not so critical.”

Mr. Ashley has been hunting for nearly 50 years, whether it be bow and arrow, shotgun or muzzleloader.

“I’d go if they had a stick and stone season,” he said.

Shotgun Shoot

Are you ready for shotgun season? Prove your mettle with the metal at the Rod and Gun Club’s annual Shotgun Shot, a marksmanship competition that takes place Sunday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., one day before the beginning of shotgun deer hunting season.
Participants are invited to compete in a variety of events including the Bull Eye Target at 60 yards; the Standing Deer Target, a 60-yard competition for slug shotguns with both open and scoped sights.

Bows Down, Shotguns Up for Hunters

Vineyard archery season, now in its waning days, has brought out large numbers of hunters, who in turn have harvested at least 100 deer. Archery hunting season began on Oct. 15 and continues through Saturday, Nov. 24.

The end of archery hunting season for deer will be followed by shotgun season, which runs from Nov. 26 to Dec. 8, and black powder season, which runs from Dec. 10 through the last day of the year.

skeet

No Clay Feet When Shooting Skeet

With each shout of “Pull!” came a loud crack as the competitors tried to find their target at the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club’s annual skeet shooting championship Sunday. With guns loaded, ear plugs in and glasses on, Bill Damora, Brian Reed, Laurence Clancy, Bill Shanok and Brian Welch hoped they had luck on their side as they sought glory in the competition’s first flight.

Deer Farm Pond

Hunters Haul in 100 Deer in Short Order

Shotgun deer hunting season started with a bang this week. Less than 40 hours into the two-week season, hunters had bagged at least 100 deer, according to the three mandatory check-in sites throughout the Island. A check-in station in the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest reported that 60 deer had been brought in by Tuesday afternoon. Check-in stations at Larry’s Tackle Shop in Edgartown and at the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) reported 20 deer each.

Deer Hunters Having Productive Harvest

Shotgun season for deer began on Monday and the first week of the 12-day season was marked by good weather and a decent harvest by hunters.

By 1 p.m. yesterday, Brian Hawthorne, a forester for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, had seen 71 deer come through the deer check-in station in the state forest.

sign

Deer Count Suggests Herd Thrives Though Hunters Hurt This Season

A total of 292 deer were taken during the two weeks of shotgun season on the Vineyard, which ended on Saturday, Dec. 12. Hunters were successful and the numbers are close to what was expected, despite weather conditions that were less than ideal.

“The weather was not that great,” said John Scanlon, state wildlife biologist. Mr. Scanlon operated the deer check-in station at the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest during the first week of the hunting season. He checked in 137 deer.

John

Four Days In and Nearly Two Hundred Deer Already Taken; Shotgun Season Continues

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.

Cold, Windy, Wet Weather Dampens Hunters’ Take

Deer hunting shotgun season ends tomorrow at a half-hour after sunset. The two-week season began strongly and then slowed down this past week with the onset of bitter cold followed by rainy, windy weather. The total count for the three Island check-in stations so far is 352 deer.

Check-in stations are at the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest headquarters, Wampanoag Tribe headquarters in Aquinnah and Larry’s Tackle Shop in Edgartown.

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