Culling the herd in Tremont necessary for deer, residents

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 15, 2026

I worked on Mount Desert Island for four summers while I was in college, and it was well known that the island had too many deer. Car accidents involving deer were a common occurrence.  Gardens would be decimated, and the number of ticks and Lyme cases were on the rise. Without a way to control them, the deer population was out of control. There is a proposal before the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Advisory Committee on Wednesday to approve a trial three-year hunt in Tremont. The goal is to curb the overpopulation of deer on the island, specifically in the less touristy areas. While there is pushback to the proposed trial hunt, hopefully the DIF&W decides that a three-year hunt will be the best for the residents of Tremont and the health and sustainability of the deer population on the island. ~ Erin Merrill,