Weston Officials to Mull Deer Hunting on Conservation Land

While the sight of deer roaming about is often an arresting and beautiful one, Weston officials say the rising deer population is a potential concern the town may need to manage by opening conservation land for hunting.

The Conservation Commission is asking residents to take part in two surveys to help determine how populous deer actually have become, with some estimates by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) indicating that Weston may have 20 to 30 deer per square mile.

“Certainly over the last number of years the Conservation Commission and Board of Selectmen have received letters and calls (from residents) about an increase in the deer population,” said conservation administrator Michele Grzenda, adding that an ideal population of deer in Weston would be “about six to eight deer per square mile.”

The overabundance has come about because “there are no natural predators and (towns like Weston) are a perfect habitat that really allow the population to grow dramatically,” she said.

According to the town website, concerns about a rise in deer population include the spread of Lyme disease in humans and introduced species in forests, such as barberry, at the expense of native plants as well as a potential interference with forest regeneration.

In short, too many deer “change forest health and ecology,” said Grzenda.

Efforts to address the potential problem of an overabundance of deer include a public forum held last month with a biologist as well as a survey residents are asked to take on deer impacts that asks as its last question whether residents would “be in favor of Weston working towards establishing a sustainable level of deer density” — allowing hunting on conservation land.

“Really the only way to manage deer in Massachusetts is by hunting,” said Grzenda, adding that in recent years, neighboring towns, including Sudbury and Framingham, have managed their populations by opening up conservation lands to hunting.

Before such a decision is made, Grzenda said, the commission will hold a hold a public forum in February followed by a hearing in March and will report all findings to the Board of Selectmen at that time.

“We’re really still in the information-gathering phase,” said Grzenda.

In addition to the surveys on the town website, please take our poll: