Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Chris Fama
MILTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Archers are grabbing their bows and arrows and heading to the Blue Hills.
Until November 23, deer hunting is permitted for archers in ten zones throughout the Blue Hills to manage the reservation's deer population, according to the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Darren Johnson, New England Base Camp Director, said the hunt has also been helpful in maintaining other species populations.
"Since the hunt has started the amount of ticks that we've had have absolutely decreased," Johnson told WBZ's Chris Fama.
Johnson said the agency has kept him well informed about controlled hunts in the past, telling him what the hunts were targeting, when they took place, the affected areas, and program recommendations. This year, he has not had the same experience.
Read More: Malden Voters Head To The Polls On Midterm Election Day
"We hand out the maps [that] say exactly where the hunt's going on and then with our school kids we actually have them wear orange or yellow when they're walking around. It's interesting the first several years that we had the hunts there were state troopers at the entrance into the Blue Hills, rangers at every single station, [and] a large billboard," Johnson said. "The information definitely is not there anymore, I think they also discovered where the hunts are located [doesn't] really affect the public nearly as much as they initially thought."
Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Chris Fama
Some people who enjoy spending time walking, hiking, and running in the same area where the hunts are permitted do not like the recreational mix.
"I won't hike while they're hunting," one woman who regularly hikes in the permitted area said.
Most of the approved hunting ground is open to the public in Braintree, Milton, and Quincy.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App