The Village of Port Jefferson is considering a deer hunt to cut down on the herd’s booming population.
Officials estimate 500 deer in the three-square-mile village. They say the animals cause car accidents and eat gardens. Deer have no natural predators on Long Island.
The village plans to hire the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reduce the herd’s numbers. Such a deer management plan would cost $50,000 a year to operate.
Port Jefferson would need to amend its hunting laws, since hunting is not legal in the village. The hunt would be planned for after the summer tourism season.