What Caused The Problem

Prior to the Europeans settling this continent, the white-tailed deer survived thousands of years of natural predation from a dozen or more predators both large and small. Additionally, the Native-Americans hunted them throughout the year. Deep freezers and refrigerators were centuries from being invented. Through the centuries of year around predation, the white-tailed deer developed a marvelously effective reproductive method and rates that insured the survival of its species.

After the landing at Plymouth Rock, the white man proceeded to remove, from the forest and the plains, all the animals that scared them. The white-tailed's world became a safer place to thrive. Following the post-civil war years of reconstruction and market hunting, hunting seasons and bag limits were imposed on the consuming public in efforts of restoring and developing larger deer herds. The white-tailed's world became an even safer place to thrive.

Throughout the last century, the priorities of State game agencies regarding deer, were the improving of habitat, and relocation/restocking. These programs were at the delight of sportsmen and the viewing public. The sight of a beautiful white-tailed buck has universal appeal.

The timber industry has changed forever the landscape of America. Little did we know that the best thing you can do for a deer is to cut down a tree. White-tailed deer do not thrive in mature, old growth forest. Here, food is only available for a short period of the year. The canopy of the mature forest prevents sunshine from reaching the forest floor, thereby limiting new growth. When man with chain saws started clearing large tracts of land, the forest floor sprung forth with low, nutritious, abundant new growth that provides food and thick cover for security.

Not only has the landscape changed forever, human density has changed forever. The demographics of America have moved off the family farm and into cities. In most of the United States, particularly east of the Mississippi River, gone forever are the large tracts of land where hunters freely roamed and harvested deer. Private property is private to people, not deer. "No hunting" signs create defacto refuges. If the refuge is suitable, the deer thrive without any form of predation. These unchecked populations grow exponentially; eating everything they can digest.

Traditional hunting is restricted now more than ever and bag limits are the largest since being imposed. There are fewer hunters every year, hunting on fewer acres every year. Job and family demands time from the hunter as never before, offering fewer hours available for being afield.

Urban sprawl and metropolitan development have created protected pockets of habitat that white-tailed deer readily adapt to and exploit. These areas are generally off limits to traditional hunting, therefore, the deer herd's population grows uncontrolled limited only by deer/vehicle accidents and nutritional value of the neighborhood's azalea beds and dog food bowls. White-tailed deer readily adapt to close quarters living with humans. When we turn off the lights at bedtime, we silently ring the dinner bell for our forest neighbors.