PRUDENCE ISLAND — An increased quota in this fall's deer hunt on Prudence Island to 375 from last year's 325, plus an effort to include more female deer in the hunt, reflect growing concern over a burgeoning deer population and the three potentially deadly diseases spread over the island by deer-borne ticks.

This was made public by officials of the island's Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Preserve to a group of summer and year-round residents who turned out Saturday to learn the results of a detailed 2003-2004 survey of islanders' feelings about the deer herd and the diseases.

Roger Greene, manager of the island preserve, and researcher Kenneth Raposa, left no doubt that islanders want the deer herd reduced and that their major concerns appear to be the threat of lyme disease, babeseosis and erlicheosis. Other tick-borne diseases lurk over the horizon.

Damage to the ecology of the island from an overpopulation of deer, and an apparent drop in the herd's health due to lack of food, are also of concern to a large majority of islandeers. The survey included all property owners on the island and hunters from off the island.

Both men quoted Dr. Peter Krause and Dr. Samuel Telford, researchers affiliated with Harvard University, as declaring that Prudence Island "without exaggeration is among the worst places in the world for Lyme disease." The direct cause, they said, is the size of the deer herd.

The survey showed that the most popular method of reducing the size of the herd is increasing the number of female deer taken during hunting season. Next in popularity is increasing the overall quota, and expanding the hunting area. All three steps have been implemented this year by the R.I. Division of Fish and Wildlife. Except for a brief shotgun season for paraplegics, deer hunting is limited to bow and arrow hunting.

For the first time hunting will be allowed on the so-called "Heritage Property" which is located in the middle of the island north of Broadway and west of the Army Road Trail. This land is part of the estuarine preserve.

Mr. Raposa noted that nine years ago the deer quota for hunters was increased, but that this was not maintained because of objections by sightseers who enjoy watching the deer. The result was an immediate dip in the size of the herd followed by booming growth in the following years.

Islanders agree that the deer herd this year is the biggest ever, following the foaling season earlier this summer. Outside estimates indicate close to 1,000 deer on the 5.5 square-mile island. Deer are giving birth later in the summer, an indicator that many young fawns will go into winter underdeveloped and not ready to face winter conditions. Lack of food due to overpopulation is given as the cause of the slowed gestation cycle.

More deer, more tick bites

The increased deer herd has greatly increased the number of tick bites islanders have received this summer.

Nancy Grady, a registered public health nurse, stated that Lyme disease is epidemic on Prudence Island, and she called for serious efforts by the town of Portsmouth and the state Deptartment of Health to deal with the issue. Her full statement is printed below.

Several others voiced alarm that neither theR.I. Dept of Health nor the Town of Portsmouth is active in the issue. Because of a conflict in meeting schedules, no members of the Island Advisory Commission — an arm of the Portsmouth Town Council — were able to be at the presentation.

A ho-hum attitude by the R.I. Dept. of Health was indicated at Saturday's meeting. Mr. Greene said that he had requested files on work done on Lyme disease several years ago on the island by the health department but was told that "the files were lost." He also noted that he had been told the post in the department that once dealt with Lyme disease had been abolished.

The medical profession in Rhode Island took a hit from some in the audience for its apparent lack of knowledge and disinterest in diagnosing Lyme disease, and for its inability to deal with complications from the disease. Lyme disease, when untreated, can lead to serious joint, neurological and heart damage.

Recent cases in which sick islanders met blind alleys in treatment were discussed. It was brought out that babeseosis, which is more aggressive than Lyme disease, has a strong foothold on the island. Erlichiosis, also identified as being on the island, can be a rapidly fatal disease if not recognized and treated by a physician in a timely fashion.

A bit of advice offered from the audience was that the most accurate clinical blood test for tick-borne diseases is known as "Western bloc."

Robert Porter, whose nephew is suffering from complications of lyme disease, noted that Mohegan Island in Maine was so infested with deer ticks and related diseases, that the entire herd was taken off the island. He presented records showing that ticks disappeared from the island within two years after the last deer was taken off. Mr. Porter's brother Craig is said to have died from complications due to Lyme disease contracted on the island.

Another participant noted that during the 1930s and 40s, deer were a rare sight on Prudence, but that it is not unusual now to see as many as a dozen at a time and these are untroubled by passing cars, bicycles and people. Each deer can carry thousands of ticks.

At the close of the meeting several people suggested the R.I. Dept. of Health be called upon to conduct a public hearing on the island to address the serious health issues involved.

2004 Deer hunt changes

1. Quota is increased to 375 deer.

2. More female deer will be taken.

3. Hunting will be allowed on "Heritage Property" for the first time.