Deer populations in parts of Massachusetts have grown to the point that wildlife officials say they’re causing widespread problems for forests, farms and public safety.
MassWildlife says some areas of eastern Massachusetts now have 30-40 deer per square mile, far more than other parts of the state.
“It’s pretty significant. At this point, essentially, a lot of the ecosystems around this portion of the state are really getting pretty negatively impacted,” said Martin Feehan, deer and moose biologist with MassWildlife. “It’s also really impacting a lot of farms in eastern Mass., it’s impacting people’s gardens, it’s leading to a lot of vehicle collisions, and certainly, we’ve seen a rise in tick-borne diseases, as well.”
Feehan said the overpopulation is damaging tree farms, threatening local agriculture and increasing risks to public safety…