Massachusetts is extending hunting season on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to combat tick-borne illnesses and other issues related to the rising deer population.

There will be a six-week winter hunting season between Jan. 1 through Feb. 14 of 2026. New regulations will also establish 10 more days of hunting during an early fall deer season from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1.

Additionally, there will be public hearings early next year to see if Massachusetts should do away with its practice of banning hunting on Sundays. Massachusetts is only one of two states where it's still illegal to hunt on Sundays. 

"Hunting has always been woven into Massachusetts' history – supporting families, boosting local economies, and helping keep our deer populations healthy," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. "These expanded regulations carry that tradition forward, creating more opportunities for hunters while protecting public health and ensuring we're maintaining balance in our wildlife populations."   

Wildlife officials say the islands have the highest deer densities in all of Massachusetts. 

"While the statewide goal for deer across Massachusetts is 12-18 deer per square mile, MassWildlife estimates there are over 100 deer per square mile on the Islands in areas closed to hunting," Gov. Maura Healey's administration said in a statement last week.

Experts told WBZ-TV in August that meat and dairy allergies from tick bites are "skyrocketing" on Martha's Vineyard. The allergy comes in response to a bite from the Lone Star Tick, which have been more prevalent on the island thanks to the unusually large deer population.

"In the last 15 years, the Lone Star tick has gone from non-existent on the island to fully abundant and everywhere," biologist and tick researcher Patrick Roden-Reynolds said.

The state says the deer are also damaging habitats by eating too many young trees and plants and colliding with cars on the road.