Where are the Deer?

Where are the Deer?. . , White-tailed deer populations in Indiana state parks have changed with time and management., While visiting a state park, you may see deer only occasionally. The absence of large numbers of deer indicates a healthy, balanced ecosystem., Early 1800s , During the settlement of Indiana, white-tailed deer and other wildlife were hunted to supplement the frontier diet., Late 1800s , Unregulated hunting eliminated deer from Indiana. The deer’s predators (wolves and mountain lions) were also hunted and disappeared from Indiana., 1930s - 1940s , White-tailed deer were reintroduced in Indiana. With no hunting or predators, deer populations increased rapidly., 1950s , Regulated hunts of white-tailed deer began in Indiana. No hunting was permitted in state parks., 1980s , The absence of hunting and predators resulted in a population explosion of white-tailed deer at many parks. White-tailed deer are browsers – they feed on wildflowers, shrubs, and small trees. Many wildflower species were over-browsed and disappeared. Tree seedlings, the parks’ next generation of forests become absent from the landscape., 1990s , The State addressed the growing problem of deer overpopulation. Research by state biologists, universities and other agencies measured the scope of the problem. Management alternatives were studied and presented at public hearings., 1993 , The first deer management hunt took place at Brown County State Park. Since then, several other parks have participated in deer management hunts. Wildflowers and trees are returning., The IDNR continues to monitor and manage white-tailed deer populations at state parks. The process is a success story for on-going ecosystem restoration., The removal o small trees and shrubs through over-browsing takes away food, cover and nesting for insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds.