A village on the South Fork is considering a plan to curb the exploding deer population.

Officials say the growing population of deer is causing massive crop damage for farmers, increasing the spread of Lyme disease, and an alarming number of collisions with cars. The village hired a wildlife consultant to organize the hunt - and identify areas where hunters are needed to reduce the deer population.

Sagaponack officials are asking the Town Board to allow deer hunting on six town-owned properties in the village. That includes on the Poxabogue Golf Course.

The Town of Southampton owns property in the village and took issue with the deer management plan because it included the town-owned Poxabogue Golf course. Supervisor Jay Schneiderman issued a statement saying, "A public golf course, like Poxabogue, is simply not an appropriate location to allow hunting."   

Wildlife experts at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center say there should be no deer hunting at all.

"We feel there is a problem with the humaneness of it," says Ginnie Frati. "When people shoot deer with bows and arrows, they don't die right away. It's painful for them."

The experts say there are other ways of dealing with the deer population, including tools such as a deer whistle. The whistle emits a sonic sound to repels deer from cars.