Summary

Description

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to initiate an annual public hunt for whitetailed deer on Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It is the purpose of the hunting program to reduce the deer herd, maintain the population at a level commensurate with the carrying capacity of the habitat and to providea quality outdoor recreational experience for a specific number of hunters. This Environmental Assessment evaluates the initiation of public deer hunting as a means of keeping wildlife populations inbalance with the Back Bay habitat, while providing significant public outdoor recreational benefits.