THE PENNSYLVANIA WHITE TAILED DEER

The white-tailed deer has been such a staple of Pennsylvania's heritage that it has become the state animal. The white-tail is so important to the economy and the biodiversity of the Pennsylvania wilds that we feel you need to pay heed to this animal and get involved in the ongoing preservation and management of the Pennsylvania white-tail deer herd.

History

The white-tailed deer is native to Pennsylvania. Before European settlers arrived, the native Indians used the white-tail as a source of clothing, food, and shelter. In these times, it is estimated that the Pennsylvania white-tail herd averaged eight to ten animals per acre. Nature kept the balance of the herd with controls of natural predators such as mountain lions and wolves, and yes, people.

When the first settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, the hunters were accustomed to the landowners owning the natural wildlife of the land. The newly arrived settlers took a different view of this set up, and instead dictated that the wildlife belonged to all citizens. It was this basis that established the open hunting of the American wilderness. Where Europeans regarded landowners as the caretakers of the wildlife, the Americans took it upon the general population to control and administer the herds.

Hunted To The Brink

With this new way of controlling the game populations, regulations and controls were lax. Plenty of wild populations within the United States were hunted to the point of extinction, and the Pennsylvania white-tailed deer was no exception.

The lack of control and unregulated hunting practices of the early settlers decimated the native populations of the white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania. It was only when regulations were enacted, and with concerted efforts of active managers that the herd was restored.

Restoration Of The Herd

Pennsylvania's white-tail herd underwent restoration projects at the turn of the twentieth century. Deer were imported from Michigan and Kentucky to repopulate the Pennsylvania lands.

The white-tail is a hearty, robust animal and soon the restoration projects began to take hold. Rapid reproduction and better management of state lands, which had be clear cut, allowed for the white-tail herd to recover. In fact, where the land had been clear cut for timber, new growth forest emerged which proved invaluable in fortifying the newly populated deer herd.

A Very Productive Species

White-tail deer are a very productive species with doe, the female, generally producing two to three fawns each year. These fawns are quick to adapt to their surroundings and will reproduce themselves within a short period.

One Michigan study indicates that ten deer, left to freely mate, could populate an 1,100 acre area with up to 200 deer. If nothing else, this study shows that the white-tailed deer are a resilient animal.

Grace And Beauty

White tail deer are graceful and beautiful animals which play an important role in the Eco-system of Pennsylvania. The future of the Pennsylvania woodlands and its deer herd are intertwined, and to expect one to survive without the other is unrealistic.

Our job as hunters is to actively participate in the management of the white-tail deer herd. You do your part by becoming an excellent hunter, knowledgeable in the health, growth, and management of the Pennsylvania white-tailed deer herd.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear. www.mountaintrailcams.com
The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team