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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ANNOUNCES PRUDENCE/PATIENCE ISLANDS ARCHERY DEER SEASON PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the 2005-2006 archery deer hunting season on Prudence and Patience Islands will be open from October 21 through January 8, or until the quota of 310 deer has been reached. Hunting hours will be from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Archers with a valid archery deer permit may also take raccoon and fox (no bag limit for either species) on Prudence Island during legal deer hunting hours.This year, hunters may purchase one antlerless permit and one either sex permit. These may be purchased at any time and used in any order. To hunt on the islands, archers must have in their possession a current Rhode Island hunting license and a current Prudence/Patience archery deer permit. Archers must also carry on their person a valid archery proficiency card and written permission to hunt on private land, countersigned by the chief of police or his island representative. Hunting on state management areas is permitted by reservation only, from opening day, October 21, through November 4. These regulations will be strictly enforced. Interest in the reservation-only hunt on state land has exceeded available slots, and all reservations are currently booked. Hunting without a reservation is permitted on state lands from November 5 to January 8, or until the quota has been reached. The special antlerless deer hunt on Heritage Property will be held from December 1 to December 15. Reservations are required to hunt the property and will be assigned by lottery. Interested hunters may download an application from DEM's website at www.dem.ri.gov by clicking on "Topics" from the home page, then "Wildlife," then "Heritage Property" under "Speical Hunting Applications" on the right side of the page. Applications are also available at the Division of Fish & Wildlife headquarters on Great Neck Road in West Kingston. To request a copy by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Division of Fish & Wildlife, PO Box 218, West Kingston, RI 02892. All deer, whether taken on state or private land on Prudence Island, must be tagged immediately and taken to the island check station, where it will have a leg seal attached. The check station is located near the lighthouse at Al Hibbard's garage, 392 Narragansett Avenue. Mr. Hibbard may be reached by phone at 683-1619. Patience Island deer may be checked on Prudence Island, or at a vendor deer check station located on the mainland. New this year, permits for either sex deer are a different color than antlerless deer permits. Hunters can differentiate antlerless tags by their pink color. Archery deer permits for Prudence and Patience Islands may be purchased at hunting license vendors and at Prudence Variety store, located near the ferry dock on Prudence Island. A list of vendor deer check stations and additional hunting information can be found in the 2005-2006 hunting and trapping abstract. The abstract is available online on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov by clicking on "Programs" from the home page, then "Fish & Wildlife", then "Wildlife Management and Hunter Education", then "Hunting Seasons", then "Hunting Regulations Abstract 2005-2006". Copies may also be obtained from DEM's licensing office at 235 Promenade Street in Providence, the Fish and Wildlife office at the Stedman Government Center in Wakefield, Fish & Wildlife field headquarters on Great Neck Road in West Kingston, and from hunting license vendors. The abstract contains an error on page 13 regarding the opening date of the Prudence/Patience Island deer season. Please note the Prudence/Patience deer season begins on October 21, and NOT on October 1 as indicated in the abstract. The correct date is listed in the chart on page 7. DEM is again asking hunters to donate deer heads this year to meet theUSDA grant quota needed to declare the state CWD-free. Hunters who wish to assist in this effort may donate the head when checking in a deer. -30- |
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