Vineyard Gazette: State Reports Strong Early Hunting Season

“State Reports Strong Early Hunting Season” - MV Times, October 2026

The first early deer hunting season for the Vineyard got off to a strong start and could point to a robust harvest for the rest of the year, officials said.

The state granted Dukes and Nantucket counties 10 extra days of hunting that ran from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1 to help cut back the Islands large deer populations. During that time, hunters harvested a total of 119 deer on the Vineyard and Elizabeth Islands. 

“This really exceeded our expectations,” said Martin Feehan, a deer biologist with MassWildlife.

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