The deer population on Moose Island appears to be growing, with attendant concerns about motor vehicle accidents and other areas of public safety such as the increased risk of Lyme disease. The Eastport City Council conducted a workshop on January 11 to discuss the city's weapons control ordinance and deer hunting on the island. About 20 members of the public attended the workshop.

The weapons ordinance has come under scrutiny, explained Councillor Paul Critchley, because of the concern that the deer population on the island is growing rapidly and could cause serious injury or death to a person through a motor vehicle accident. The existing ordinance uses the word "weapons," which the councillors are proposing should be changed to "firearms." Councillor Critchley said, "The change that I proposed is to come up with a change to the definition of firearms to protect the citizens of Eastport." While trying to keep the discussion about the weapons ordinance separate from the deer-hunting discussion, Councillor Earl Small did note, "The firearms ordinance and hunting ordinance go hand in hand."

In an interview, acting City Manager George "Bud" Finch explained, "There are legitimate concerns about the clarity of the City of Eastport Weapons Control Ordinance as written and deemed effective on June 14, 1968... The current ordinance leaves some to interpret a bow to be a weapon and therefore banned. Others believe since the bow is not a 'firearm' that it is not banned. The amendment as proposed by Councillor Critchley would amend the ordinance to read 'firearms control' instead of 'weapons control,' thus allowing bows to be used within the City of Eastport. The change would provide clarity for the citizens and enforcement agencies regarding the ability of hunters to utilize the regular or an expanded archery season in Eastport."

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Regional Wildlife Biologist Tom Schaeffer was on hand at the invitation of the council to discuss options the city has to decrease the deer population. "In heavily populated areas, hunting deer with firearms is impractical," he said. He explained that one of the more successful methods used by municipalities such as Castine, which has a particular area with geographic characteristics similar to Eastport, is an "expanded" archery season.

The regular archery season is for the month of October, whereas the expanded season runs from early September to the end of the firearms hunting season in mid-December. It allows for the hunting by bow of antlerless deer and is open to unlimited permits. Schaeffer noted that the regular archery season follows firearms regulations. "In Washington County, only bucks can be taken right now." The expanded archery season would allow for a culling of the doe population.

At the request of Councillor Robert Peacock, Schaeffer explained the process the city would have to go through to attain an expanded archery season. "The department would want to see that the town has consensus about this. We don't like the light switch method. We would want to see this as a permanent fixture. We would work with the city to define an area in the town that is off-limits [to hunting]."

Councillor John Miller asked Schaeffer what the major concerns were about the expanded archery season in Castine. The primary concern, Schaeffer replied, was the worry that opening up areas for the expanded archery season would flood the area with hunters. "They just didn't want to be overrun with people coming in."

Eastport resident Chrissy Greenlaw expressed concern that if the city were to allow an archery season, it ran the risk of placing residents in harm's way. Another audience member also expressed his concern about safety. "I'm a hunter. It seems like there ought to be a happy medium to open a section. I've had deer shot in by back yard. I have grandchildren."

A number of audience members noted the presence of deer as they drove in to the city to attend the meeting. Eastport resident Marie Holmes told the council she had seen six as she made her way from Clark Street to the school building. A group of men who had taken the same route said they saw 11.

According to Finch, there are a limited number of places in the city where bow hunting could be allowed. "Hunting in any form is prohibited on any city, port authority or private land where permission to hunt has not been obtained."

A public hearing on the proposed ordinance changes will be held at the Shead High School band room at 6 p.m. on Monday, February 8, one hour prior to the regularly scheduled city council meeting.