Weekend Patch Poll: Essex County Winter Deer Hunt

As the annual deer management program reaches the midway point, we'd like to know your thoughts.

Essex County is midway through its annual winter deer hunt that started on Jan. 17 in the hopes of curbing the whitetail deer population. Since 2008, volunteer sharpshooters have stationed themselves at platforms in county reservations to cull deer. Last year, the county reported that the efforts had curbed 1,089 deer since the program's beginning. In 2010, the deer hunt spread to three reservations - South Mountain, Eagle Rock and Hilltop. In addition, the county has installed traffic deflectors and started replanting the undergrowth in some of the reservations as additional methods to curb deer. This year's hunt will finish on Feb. 23. Even after four years, some people object to the hunt and say it's inhumane and ineffective. We'd like …

•  58 Comments
• Photos (1)