For Release: November 6, 1998

Contact: Lori Suprock 222-1267 or 789-1636

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the season for shotgun deer hunting on Block Island opens on December 1. It continues on the following dates: December 3-4, 7-11, January 4-5, 7-8, 11-15, 19, 21-22, 25-26, 28-29, February 1-5, 8-12, and 22-26.

To hunt deer on Block Island, shotgun hunters must have a current Rhode Island hunting license and a current Block Island shotgun deer permit. Hunters must also carry on their person written permission to hunt on private land, countersigned by the chief of police or his Island representative. No state land on Block Island will be open for shotgun deer hunting during the 1998-1999 hunting season.

Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. The Division would like to remind hunters that during the shotgun deer season they must wear a minimum of 500 square inches of fluorescent orange at all times.

All deer taken must be tagged immediately, checked within 24 hours, and attached with a leg seal before leaving the Island. Deer may be checked at the residence of Arthur Rose, West Side Road, from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m.- 4 p.m., or at the residence of Kurt Littlefield, 487 Old Town Road from 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. To avoid invalidating the deer permit by tagging the deer with an incorrect tag, the Division suggests that hunters with multiple deer permits mark the back of the tag, in waterproof ink, with the permit type.

There is no bag limit for shotgun deer on Block Island, but a hunter may not possess more than two Block Island shotgun or archery deer permits at one time. Prior to the start of the season, hunters may purchase two Block Island shotgun deer permits. After checking the first deer, hunters may then purchase additional Block Island shotgun deer permits. Either sex deer may be taken throughout the season.

Block Island shotgun deer permits may be purchased at DEM's Office of Boat Registration and Licensing, DEM Headquarters, 235 Promenade St., Providence, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; at the New Shoreham Town Clerk's Office on the Island; or at any hunting license vendor in the state.

Additional hunting information is available in the 1998-1999 Rhode Island Hunting and Trapping Abstract available from the DEM at 222-3075 or from hunting license vendors.