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A N E D U C A T I O N A L S E R I E S A B O U T F O R E S T R Y F O R Y O U T H

F R O M T H E W O O D S

White-Tailed Deer

College of Agricultural Sciences • Cooperative Extension

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T Newborn fawns weigh between 4 and 8 pounds, and are not much bigger than a human hand. They instinctively stay very still when their mother is away. The spots on their coat help them to hide from predators.

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Today, Pennsylvania has an estimated 1.5 million deer—about 30 deer per square mile.

he white-tailed deer is Pennsyl- vania’s state ani- mal. Deer play an

important role in our forests, and everyone admires their graceful beauty. “Whitetails” have been a part of Penn’s Woods for many centuries. Native Americans depended on white-tailed deer as a source of food, clothing, shel- ter, and goods for trading. It is estimated that Pennsylva- nia had 8 to 10 deer per square mile during those times. Deer were in balance with their forest habitat. Deer populations were kept in check by large predators, such as mountain lions and wolves, and by people. The Europeans who settled in Pennsylvania also valued deer. Deer meat was a staple in their diet, and meat and hides were shipped to Europe as well. In Europe, wildlife was “owned” by landowners. Landowners controlled who

hunted and the number of animals killed. American set- tlers changed this system. In the United States, all citizens, not just landowners, owned the wildlife. Wildlife became a common property all citizens could use.

MAKING A COMEBACK Lack of control over the way people used and hunted wild- life became a serious problem

in many states. By the end of the 1800s, very few deer re- mained in Pennsylvania. Ex- tensive hunting to feed the country’s growing population and the lack of enforcement of wildlife regulations were largely to blame. In 1895, the Pennsylvania Game Commis- sion was formed to protect the state’s wildlife resources. The commission established “game lands” to help restore

wildlife populations. It also brought deer from other states, such as Michigan and Kentucky, to restock Pennsyl- vania. Additionally, the state government enacted a law to protect does (female or “antlerless” deer). These actions, combined with the habitat found in Pennsyl- vania in the early 1900s, cre- ated ideal conditions for deer. During the 1800s, most of the state’s forests had been cleared to produce lumber or grow crops. Much of this cleared area grew back on its own into new forestland. The thick stands of young trees and shrubs provided perfect food and cover for deer, and Pennsylvania’s deer population grew rapidly in the early 1900s. Deer are a very productive species. In good habitat, adult females often produce twins and triplets each year. In a Michigan study, 10 deer were

1700s: Estimated 10 deer

per square mile

TODAY: Estimated 30 deer

per square mile

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Sugarmakers grab wood to feed the fire under an evaporator to boil sap.

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last 50 years. Today, many of our forests look nice, with large trees and a lush, green

carpet of ferns, but there are few young trees to be found and very limited biodiversity.

Deer are “browsers.” They pri- marily eat the leaves, twigs, and shoots of young trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. In many areas, deer have over- eaten the forest, and the di- verse layers are gone. In some forests, the diversity of plant species that grew in Penn’s Woods for centuries has been replaced by a few species that deer do not prefer to eat.

KEEPING A BALANCE Many things control deer populations. Harsh winters with deep snow can cause deer to starve, but recent Pennsyl- vania winters have been milder than in the past. In co- lonial times, large predators helped keep deer herds in

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enclosed in a 1,100-acre pre- serve. After five years without hunting or predators, the population grew to over 200 deer. In 2001, Pennsylvania had an estimated 1.5 million deer—about 30 deer per square mile. That’s more than three times what the state had before European settlement.

BIODIVERSITY A healthy forest has biological diversity. This means it has a wide variety of flowers, shrubs, trees, and wildlife spe- cies. The various plants and trees create layers, from the forest floor to the treetops. Each layer, or level, provides special conditions for different wildlife and plant species. The large number of deer in Pennsylvania has significantly changed our forests over the

Deer tracks

Whitetails have hooved feet. Scent- producing glands between their toes leave a scent wherever they walk. Whitetails have several scent glands that are important for deer communications.

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Prepared by Gary J. San Julian, professor of wildlife ecology, and Sanford S. Smith, natural resources and youth specialist, in Penn State’s School of Forest Resources. Contributors: Theresa M. Alberici, wildlife education specialist, and Joe Kosack, information specialist, Pennsylvania Game News, with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Support for the printing of this document was provided by the Sandy Cochran Memorial Fund. Visit Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences on the Web: http://www.cas.psu.edu Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research, extension, and resident education programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture. This publication is available from the Publications Distribution Center, The Pennsylvania State Univer- sity, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802. For information telephone (814) 865-6713. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of Congress May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Legislature. T. R. Alter, Di- rector of Cooperative Extension, The Pennsylvania State University. This publication is available in alternative media on request. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authori- ties. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimina- tion, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-2801, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY. Produced by Information and Communication Technologies in the College of Agricultural Sciences © The Pennsylvania State University 2001 CAT UH148 10M11/01nvo4255b

balance, but humans elimi- nated large predators by the late 1800s. Many deer are killed by cars each year, and coyotes, dogs, and bears kill some deer, but these do not make a large impact on the deer population. Some people have suggested using chemical birth control methods to reduce deer populations, but these have proven impractical. Hunt- ing is the single most im- portant way to keep the deer herd in balance. Deer management has not been entirely effective in our state. Politics and tradition have worked against good management. Buck (male or “antlered” deer) hunting in the state has been part of Pennsylvania’s heritage for

Hunting safety is a priority.

generations. For decades, hunters resisted killing does. It went against tradition, and hunters believed killing does would harm next year’s buck population. But re- search shows that the only way to control the overall deer population is to prop-

erly reduce the number of does through hunting. White-tailed deer are grace- ful and beautiful animals, and they play an important role in the future of Penn’s Woods. To ensure the health of our forests, deer herds must be kept in

balance with their habitat. The number of deer taken each year through hunting should be based on the habi- tat, the deer population, and the values of the citizens who own this wildlife resource. The future of our deer herd depends upon us.

Stages of antler growth

Buck antlers are actually fast-growing bone tissue. They begin growing in the spring and go through several stages before they are shed in the winter months. Antlers increase in size with a deer’s age. Good health and nutrition also play a role in antler size.

Each year almost 1 million hunters in Pennsylvania take to the field in pursuit of whitetails. Fluorescent orange apparel makes hunters more visible to each other.

SUMMER FALLS P R I N G

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