Deer Wars: Science, Tradition, and the Battle over Managing Whitetails in Pennsylvania

The story of deer management in Pennsylvania is as complex as it is controversial. From the disappearance of deer in Pennsylvania forests at the beginning of the twentieth century to the population explosion that occurred in the latter half of the century, the balance between herd size and a healthy forest has been a delicate one. In Deer Wars: Science, Tradition, and the Battle over Managing Whitetails in Pennsylvania , Bob Frye examines this controversy and the effect that herd management has had on all of the citizens of Pennsylvania: farmers managing deer invasions and property rights, hunters dealing with changing herd densities and increasingly complex restrictions, and state agencies juggling the rights of hunters with the needs of commercial interests, all with stakes in the success and health of the deer herd. Now, with deer harvests decreasing and forests showing signs of trouble, compromise from all of the players is essential - but is it possible?