On today’s edition of #RBWinterWildlifeWednesday, we take a look at Pennsylvania’s state animal – the White-tailed Deer!
One of the most recognizable and widespread mammals in Pennsylvania, White-tailed Deer are found throughout the state, from the forested mountains in Northern Pennsylvania to the rolling farmlands in Southern Pennsylvania, and even in city parks around our largest cities. White-tailed Deer are medium-sized, with adult males, called bucks, typically weighing between 150 to 300 pounds. Bucks grow antlers annually, which they use to attract mates and fight rivals. Female deer, which are smaller and usually weigh between 90 to 200 pounds, lack antlers. Their reddish-brown summer coat turns grayish-brown in winter, providing camouflage in their woodland habitats as the seasons change.
When European settlers arrived, nearly 97% of Pennsylvania was covered in diverse forests, where White-tailed Deer thrived, with an estimated 8 to 10 deer per square mile. However, as settlements expanded, forests were cleared for farms and lumber, drastically altering the landscape. The eradication of natural predators like mountain lions and wolves, combined with new food sources from farms, initially boosted the deer population. Unfortunately, unrestricted overhunting and the nearly complete deforestation of Pennsylvania reduced the herd to just 5,000 animals by 1900. In response, Pennsylvania established the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) in 1895, which introduced hunting regulations and imported deer from other states to rebuild the herd. Today, around 1.5 million deer roam Pennsylvania’s forests and fields, a testament to successful conservation efforts.
If you would like to learn more about White-tailed Deer, join the R. B. Winter State Park Naturalist on Saturday, September 7th, at 1 PM in the Environmental Learning Center. We will be discussing their historic role in Pennsylvania’s history, the threats to their current population, and their importance to our ecosystems. Skulls and pelts will be on display, and crafts will be available after the presentation for younger audience members.
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