To the Editor:
As tick-borne diseases become an increasingly severe threat to public health across our commonwealth, it is time for our state legislature to modernize Massachusetts hunting laws. Right now, bowhunters must stay at least 500 feet away from any occupied dwelling. We should reduce this archery setback to 250 feet for hunters who are elevated in a tree stand or positioned so that their arrow’s trajectory is directed downward into the ground.
The reality of tick-borne illnesses hits closest to home — literally. The vast majority of people who contract Lyme disease, babesiosis, and alpha-gal syndrome (the life-altering red meat allergy) are bitten by ticks right in their own Vineyard yards. White-tailed deer are the primary hosts that fuel these exploding tick populations. Because deer thrive in brush and edge habitats near residential properties, the current 500-foot buffer creates an artificial sanctuary for them, making effective herd management nearly impossible in the places it is needed most.
An elevated tree stand naturally solves the safety concern. When a bowhunter shoots from a tree stand on a downward angle, gravity ensures the arrow’s trajectory points directly into the earth, rather than traveling through the air beyond the target. This makes the risk of a stray projectile virtually nonexistent compared with traditional firearms.
By updating the law to a 250-foot setback for downward-angle archery, the legislature would give homeowners a safe, highly effective tool to manage the deer population in their neighborhoods. It is a common-sense change that protects public safety while taking an aggressive step forward in the fight against tick-borne diseases.
Jon Posner
Aquinnah
