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1. What is the hunting program in Weston?

Weston's Conservation Commission permits bow hunting for deer on 14 conservation land and open space properties from October through December 31st, which is in line with the state bow hunting season. Hunters are assigned to the following Conservation Properties: 

• Blaney Aquifer
• Case Estates/Chestnut Street Conservation Area
• Coburn Meadows
• College Conservation Area
• Dickson Fields
• Doublet Hill
• Highland Forest
• Jericho Town Forest
• MWRA’s Norumbega Reservoir
• Ogilvie Town Forest
• Old Road
• Trailside Road
• Sears Land, or
• Wellington Farm

Well-seasoned and proficient bow hunters are selected by the Conservation Commission. Hunter selection preference is given to Weston residents, employees, and hunters with demonstrated experience hunting on properties where people and dogs frequent. 

Weston-permitted hunters:

• must pass a proficiency test
• have all the necessary licenses and permits from the Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
• hunt only from a portable elevated tree stand within specifically designated areas

Per state hunting laws:

• a 150-foot setback from roads must be observed
• no hunting within 500-feet of all houses, unless written proximity permission is acquired from homeowners

While hunting:

• the bow hunter’s range averages 20-yards from the elevated tree stand
• arrows are aimed down toward the ground
• the deer must be broad-side and stationary before an ethical shot can be taken

Weston's Hunting Regulations (PDF) complement state regulations, which take precedence.

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2. Will hunting disrupt walking and other recreational uses of conservation land?

Walking and recreational uses of conservation land will not be disrupted. 

The deer hunting stands are located high up in trees and away from main trails. The hunters are aware that Weston’s Conservation Lands are heavily used by people and dogs. 

Several MetroWest communities including Framingham, Sudbury, and Dover also have successful hunting programs on their conservation lands where people frequently walk dogs, jog, bike and horse-back ride. Since the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife began keeping records, there have been no reports of non-hunter injuries during bow hunting season. 

Unfortunately, illegal hunting does take place on conservation land. The Conservation Commission occasionally finds illegal deer stands and blinds. Despite the Commission’s best efforts to police the properties, it does not have the resources to be ever-present on all properties. However, Weston's permitted hunters who have a stake in the program help the Commission deter illegal hunting, and improve safety for everyone in the woods. 

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3. Isn't hunting inconsistent with the purpose of conservation land? Why can't we just let nature take its course?

To protect native plants and animals, we must actively manage these human-influenced parcels. Humans are already a key element in the ecological equation that governs these properties. Furthermore, humans have been key predators of deer for thousands of years. An unrestricted deer population is a powerful disruptive force in Weston’s forests, wetlands, and fields. In this case, proper management of conservation land requires human intervention to protect and preserve diversity of both flora and fauna. A hands-off approach would allow deer to continue to threaten many native species.

All the evidence the Conservation Commission has received from long-time residents indicates that 30 years ago there were few deer in Weston, whereas today there are many. There’s no way to know the exact deer population of Weston; however, the evidence gathered is consistent with Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates for our region, which is about 25 deer/square mile. The state and the Commission’s goal is to obtain a population of 8 deer per square mile.

While most residents enjoy having some deer in Weston, 72% of those who responded to the Conservation Commission Deer Impact online survey felt that the deer population had reached a level that should be controlled. The negative impacts caused by deer include:

• Damage to yards and crops. 72% of respondents reported yard damage, and farms such as Land’s Sake have spent at great expense to fence crops against deer for the past 15 years, with mixed success and significant crop losses.
• Damage to forest ecosystems. Our preliminary surveys of Weston’s forests have revealed excessive deer browse in many areas, resulting in declines in several species of wildflowers and shrubs, and declining regeneration of some trees, particularly maple and oak. 
• Vehicle collisions. On average, 25 deer/car collisions are reported annually to the Weston Police Department. Such collisions cause damage to vehicles and are usually fatal to deer, and can also cause injuries and (rarely) fatalities for drivers and passengers.
• Lyme disease. The number of cases of Lyme disease, along with other tick-borne illnesses, has been increasing in Weston and in surrounding towns among both people and pets. Over 40% of survey respondents reported that they or someone in their family had contracted Lyme disease. Lyme disease is part of a complex relationship involving the life cycle of deer ticks and several different animal hosts. Deer do not carry the disease (the major reservoir of the disease is field mice); however, deer play a critical role in supporting large populations of adult deer ticks and spreading them throughout the landscape. While there is scientific debate about how low the deer population must be driven to have a beneficial effect on the deer tick population, several studies have indicated that if it can be reduced below 10 deer/square mile, tick population and Lyme disease rates decline.

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4. Are Weston's conservation lands open to other forms of hunting?

No. 

The purpose of this deer hunting program is to stabilize the deer population in a safe manner as part of the Conservation Commission's land stewardship obligations. We do not foresee hunting with firearms. We do not intend to allow hunting of other forms of wildlife on Conservation Land.

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