PENNSYLVANIA - Pennsylvania now houses approximately 1.5 million white-tailed deer - or 30 per square mile - which have seen their numbers surpass historical records due to reintroduction programs and habitat expansion efforts. Deer is essential in our forests, and their graceful beauty brings delight.
Pennsylvania Now Houses Approximately 1.5 Million White-tailed Deer
Some people, however, worry about the impacts of deer population growth. According to them, too many deer can ruin crops, strip woods of seedlings, and alter forests' fundamental nature; scare away other wildlife, damage property, cause costly car crashes, scare other animals off; scare away other wildlife as they cause costly collisions with cars - not forgetting being nuisances in suburban lawns, golf courses, and gardens.
Remembering deer are wild animals is critical; just like any species in nature, they need protection. Dense vegetation can provide this cover and offer them shelter from predators, disease, and weather; however, its benefits come at the price of food availability; it must remain available as protection, too.
Some types of forest cover provide more food for deer than others. Seedling/sapling stands are the best at supporting deer populations, while pole-timber and saw-timber forests may help deer less effectively. Furthermore, age plays an essential role in deer numbers: younger stands may keep multiple deer, while older stands only support a select few.
The DCNR Bureau of Forestry and its partners will conduct a new Deer-Forest Study in three state forests across central and northcentral Pennsylvania - Bald Eagle, Rothrock, and Susquehannock. The research aims to explore interactions between deer and forests, as well as ways of best managing the population of this crucial game species.
