Lincoln Conservation Commission – Bow-hunting Forum
MINUTES Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Multi-Purpose Room – Hartwell School
COMMISSIONERS: Jim Meadors, Ben Horne, Ari Kurtz, David Katsuki STAFF: Tom Gumbart, Angela Seaborg.
The Lincoln Conservation Commission held a public forum to discuss the possibility of opening up municipal conservation land to bow hunting on conservation land. Tom Gumbart gave a brief introduction and described the intentions for the meeting. The Commission was interested in gaining feedback regarding the communities thoughts on the deer population, safety and health concerns relating to deer-car collisions and lyme disease, possible management solutions, etc.
Approximately 20 people were at the public forum and several people submitted letters to the Conservation Department. The Conservation Commission does not have a timeline for making any decisions regarding bow-hunting on conservation land. They are simply gathering information and thoughts from the community at this time.
Items that were raised at the meeting included:
• Determine appropriate carrying capacity for the land.
• Conservation land is primarily for non-human use. We are now aware of lyme disease and should check themselves frequently, plant different shrubs and
• What percent of collisions are deer related and how much has the traffic increased in the same amount if time?
• Is the Commission trying to get around the Town Bylaws by allowing bow and arrows? This seems like a slippery slope toward allowing the use of guns on conservation land.
• Find statistics in hunters and hunting population.
• The maningal worm is carried by deer and can be transferred to and kill sheep.
• Has the Commission explored alternative methods for controlling the deer population such as salt licks or birth control?
• If we don’t control the deer population now, there is likely to be a significant problem later.
• How effective is hunting – what is the minimum number necessary to control the population?
• Sudbury has seen positive comebacks in the growth of under story vegetation. They have approximately 26 hunters. Together they bring in a total of 30 deer a year and all must get one doe before a buck.
• Why not promote hunting on private land?
• Chickens help to control the tick population.
• Would you allow hunting on conservation restricted land? NO
• Does the community feel the deer population needs to be remediated?
• Would hunting be regulated?
• What is the liability of the Town and there stewards to monitor the process.
• Require hunters to have their name and address on all feathers.
Respectfully Submitted,
Angela Seaborg
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