The number of tick-borne-disease cases on the island has risen sharply this year, leading to a call by some for the resurrection of a special deer hunt to thin the herd and reduce the number of hosts of the Lyme disease, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis-carrying ticks.

The last – and only – time a special hunt was held was in February 2005, and it generated such controversy and public outcry that it was ultimately canceled at the request of the Board of Selectmen.

Opponents complained that the hunters – most of them unfamiliar with the island – trespassed on private property and fired over public roads and near houses, threatening schoolchildren, walkers, runners and pets.

Supporters, however, wrung their hands at the decision to cancel the hunt, arguing that the only real way to limit diseases like Lyme, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis is to thin the deer herd that serves as the primary host of the virus-carrying deer tick.

No matter what side of the fence you found yourself on then or may be standing on now, one thing remains clear: The problem still exists, and something needs to be done about it.
There are far more deer on the island than is healthy for them or us, as evidenced by the extremely high rate of Lyme disease, by most accounts the highest in the country; the numerous car-deer accidents, even in heavily-populated areas; and denuded lawns and flower gardens from Madaket to Sconset.

State fish and wildlife officials have estimated that there are between 1,600 and 2,400 deer on the island, about 45 to 55 per square mile, far more than is considered safe by public health standards.

The dialogue to address the issue that was supposed to begin following the cancellation of the February 2005 hunt never materialized. Now is the time to come up with a solution. The February hunt definitely had its flaws. It was incorrectly marketed by state officials to hunters with no knowledge of Nantucket, and it occurred at a time of year when many islanders cherish the quiet solitude that descends over the moors and downtown streets.

If an all-out February hunt is not the answer, maybe a limited one is. More than 600 hunters descended on the island in February 2005, killing 246 deer. If the number of special-season licenses was limited to 200, and – if legal – island hunters given priority, the negative impact would likely be greatly reduced, and a significant culling of the herd could still occur.

If a separate season is still out of the question, adding an extra week to the beginning or the end of the annual shotgun season in late fall might be the answer. It probably wouldn’t result in another 250 deer killed, but it would help decrease the herd. And it would happen at a time when islanders are already used to orange-clad men and women toting guns through the island’s open spaces.

One initiative that seems to have had great success in recent years is the agreement between the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and the Nantucket Hunting Association that opens Ram Pasture to select association members the second week of the regular season.
Perhaps an expanded version of that program – in Ram Pasture or any of the island’s other protected conservation areas – would help reduce the deer population in areas where they tend to congregate during hunting season due to the lack of hunters.

Other methods to consider include some proposed by February-hunt opponents: the use of insecticide feeders and contraceptive salt licks or the hiring of a sharpshooter to cull the herd. They have their drawbacks, the primary one being cost, but they should be investigated.

On the other hand, there are things that every one of us can do to lower the chances of contracting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, or encountering deer when we don’t want to. When walking through high grass or mowing the lawn, wear long pants, long sleeves and socks. Inspect yourself for ticks upon reentering the house.

Proper fencing can keep deer out of gardens and away from flowers, and constant vigilance on the roads, especially at night in underpopulated areas, can go a long way in encouraging peaceful coexistence.

As the discussion of a special deer hunt will no doubt ratchet up over the next several months, now is the time to begin an intelligent, rational and thoughtful discourse about how to solve a problem that only appears to be getting worse.