CAPE ELIZABETH — Cape Elizabeth officials Tuesday drew the names of 110 archers who will be permitted to hunt deer during a special season this fall.

Town officials hope the hunt, which allows archers to kill up to three deer instead of the usual one-buck limit, will thin out the area’s growing deer population. Farmers have complained that the animals have ruined their crops and damaged property.

The controversial hunt was approved by the town council earlier this month over objections from animal rights’ activists who claimed that hunting the deer down with bows was cruel.

Most of the hunters, whose names were drawn from a pot of 1,600, are from Maine. Each must pass a proficiency test on a range and attend a safety seminar scheduled for Sept. 9.

In addition, 20 alternates were selected in case archers fail the test or back out.

The season runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 1.

The hunters will be assigned to one of 40 designated locations for two to three weeks at a time before yielding to the next hunter.