27 Deer Culled in 'Successful' First Year of Medfield Program

Chris Kaldy, chairman of Medfield's Lyme Disease Study Committee, called Medfield's pilot deer culling program "very successful" in the town's effort to reduce risk of Lyme disease.

Despite a challenging hunting season with a warmer winter and late rut, 27 deer were culled in an “effective” first year of Medfield's deer culling program, according to Chris Kaldy, chairman of Medfield's Lyme Disease Study Committee. "We had no incidents or safety issues and culled 27 deer, a rate of almost one deer per hunter," Kaldy said. "The warmer weather was a negative rather than a positive factor on the hunting season. The deer weren’t moving, the rut (mating season) was late and the leaves were slow to drop." The controlled deer hunt is part of a three-part approach the town is taking, as recommended by the Lyme Disease Study Committee, to reduce Lyme disease in Medfield. The success of the pilot program and overall positive …

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A Closer Look at Medfield’s Deer Culling Program After One Month

Nov. 17 marked one month of deer hunting in Medfield and Monday marks four full weeks of the program. Here’s a closer look at how the program is faring, according to Chris Kaldy, Medfield Lyme Disease Study Committee chair.

Medfield’s deer culling program is doing “very well” in its early efforts to reduce Lyme disease in town by reducing the deer population, according to Chris Kaldy, Medfield Lyme Disease Study Committee chair. “We feel the program is going very well,” Kaldy said. “We've taken deer, we have a solid group of hunters out regularly and the general mechanics of the program are working well.” Kaldy said the program has “about 30 volunteer hunters” from Medfield and surrounding towns that have helped make the program a success in its first full-month. While hunters have been successful in taking deer from the various hunting parcels around town, Kaldy said the volunteers are also facing some challenges early in the season. “The challenge is the …

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Controlled Deer Hunt Opens in Medfield Today

Medfield's Lyme Disease Study Committee's deer culling pilot program begins Oct. 17 and runs through Dec. 31.

Editor's note: The following article was published on Medfield's town website. Final preparations for the first annual deer culling program in Medfield have been made by the Medfield Lyme Disease Study Committee and the controlled hunt is set to begin today, Oct. 17. The deer culling program's participants are experienced, volunteer bow hunters and this pilot program coincides with the Massachusetts State archery season, which begins on Oct. 17 and runs through Dec. 31. Hunting is prohibited on Sundays. The Board of Selectmen approved hunting on select town parcels. In addition, the Lyme Disease Study Committee is working in conjunction with The Trustees of Reservations to include portions of the Noon Hill Reservation, the Medfield …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need to Know in the Week Ahead: Oct. 17-23

Here's a quick look at the week ahead in Medfield.

Five-Day Forecast: According to the National Weather Service, based out of Taunton, Medfield’s five-day forecast looks like this: Monday calls for sunny, with a high near 67. West wind between 10 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Monday Night: A slight chance of showers after 3 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. West wind between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Tuesday: A chance of showers, mainly before 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. West wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Tuesday Night: Showers likely, mainly after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts …

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Question of the Day

Poll: Medfield's Deer Culling Program

What do you think about the "controlled" deer hunt expected to begin in Medfield on Oct. 17?

The Town of Medfield has announced a controlled deer hunt will take place in town from Oct. 17 to Dec. 31 in an effort to reduce Lyme disease by reducing the deer population.  Medfield's Lyme Disease Study Committee, formed in 2010, had been given the task of addressing the issue of Lyme disease in town and finding the best solutions to reduce the risks. After reviewing how towns in the surrounding area have handled similar situations and consulting several studies on Lyme disease's relation to deer population, the committee presented the deer culling program to the Board of Selectmen, which approved the proposal in April.  The program will, according to the committee, will be by bow and arrow only, and will be restricted to “fixed …

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