Free venison available at the Recycling Center

Free venison, provided by hunters participating in the town’s nuisance deer hunt, is now available to residents at the Recycling Center during business hours.

The hunt has been underway since October 1 and will continue through the end of the year. So far, 19 deer have been taken, according to Police Clerk Jen Zacha. Last year, Shelter Island hunters took 284 deer in total: 129 males and 155 females.

On Tuesday, the refrigerator for donated venison contained seven bags of frozen shoulder roast and stew meat.

The nuisance hunt is a special effort to cull the herd by allowing hunting a month earlier than the official start of deer season. Does and antler-less bucks may be taken. There are about 10 participating hunters, according to Police Chief Jim Read, using shotguns loaded with slugs or bow and arrow. The hunters are residents or full-time employees who work on Shelter Island. The special hunt is authorized by the state and administered by the town. There are 7 to 10 properties included in the program, according to Chief Read. Most are town-owned.

Chief Read said the hunt is a matter of public safety. Deer can be a danger to drivers and they are notorious carriers of ticks that spread Lyme disease.

Those who wish to participate in the hunt must register with the police. There are usually two or three hunters assigned per site on a given day.

Private property owners who sign an agreement with the DEC to have their property hunted will be able to restrict the weapon type, hours, number of hunters, and whether or not baiting is allowed.

Mashomack Preserve has had its own nuisance hunt for four years, according to Director Mike Laspia. He said there are about four hunters on staff and that the majority of the tags awarded to the Preserve by the DEC are for antler-less deer but that some tags allow for deer of either sex.

The Recycling Center is open between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.